Favor 2D elements over 3D ones. The eyes communicate what they see to the brain as a 2D object. 3D representations on the screen may actually slow down recognition and comprehension.

When designing color coding, consider colors that work for everyone, for example, varying shades of brown and yellow. Avoid red, green, and blue.

Make it easy for people to undo not only their last action, but also an entire sequence.

Don’t rely on self-reports of past behavior. People will not remember accurately what they or others did or said.

Design the conceptual model purposefully. Don’t let it “bubble up” from the technology.

Be aware that people tend to use external aids (notes, lists, calendars, appointment books) so they don’t have to rely on memory.

Unusual or overly decorative fonts can interfere with pattern recognition and slow down reading.

Save all capital letters for headlines, and when you need to get someone’s attention, for example, before deleting an important file.

If possible, use hyperlinks to grab onto this idea of quickly switching from topic to topic. People like Web surfing because it enables this type of wandering.