I like this quote:
The GUI is the only contact the user has with the application.
that I found in this presentation:
which I found while surfing thru my Sitemeter stats.
An obvious fact. Yet…
When talking to software developers, I often hear complaints about the quality of code (especially if somebody else programmed the app). While I understand that wild, unruly code creates maintenance problems and is more error prone, I would expect the same care, investment and commitment on the GUI level. At the very least.
See also Leah Guren’s presentation at In Other Words on “It may be GUI…”.
It’s true about the coding complaints… have you asked those programmers what they themselves do about organized code? You often hear about how they refuse “to clean up after the others”, and “if they don’t care, why should I”. Argh.
There are standards… why not just use them?