Any websites with ideas re "look and feel" of forms and app.

[Guest]

I have spent the last 3 years working on an app for internal company use and
now want to present it to the world at large.

Are there any sites out there that might present ideas about the "look and
feel" of an app. Say background of parent window; menu buttons (in toolbar);
form borders; buttons on forms. Things that I can do to make it look a little
bit unique and different.

And of course how-to.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

Yes, I have some comments here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/UseAbility/UserFriendly.htm

In the above, I simply state that if you make your appcation look like, an
function like the rest of office, or most other applications, then you can
SUBSTANTIALLY reduce the learning curve for your users.

There is also some forms and ideas here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/Grid.htm

And, here is some ideas on searching:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Search/index.html

Fro the most part, much of what you do is a matter of taste. As much as
concentrating on the look, what you really want to concentrate on is making
the application easy to use. Looking good, and easy to use are two separate
issues.

Here is a great on-line book on building great software tat is easy to use:

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/uibook/chapters/fog0000000057.html
(and, there is also a book version of the above link available)