User research method Purpose
Terminology evaluation This type of evaluation provides feedback on the terms used across the
application.
Best practice: Organizing content on the screen
Consider the following guidelines:
• Stay focused on users' immediate task. Display only the information that users need at any one moment.
• If there are many components on a screen, group the components where possible.
• Minimize the number of times that users need to click the trackpad or touch the screen to complete a task.
• Use clear, concise labels that map to the naming model.
• Leave enough space in your UI for translated text. The height and the width of text might expand when translated from
English to other languages.
• Avoid overloading users. For example, allow users to select an item from a list instead of making users type the name of
an item.
• Verify that the actions that are available in the menu are relevant to users' current context.
• Address any physical challenges. For example, if the application displays a lot of content, avoid designing screens that
require users to repeatedly scroll to the top of the screen to initiate an action.
• Try to reduce the amount of time between a user action and the desired result. If an operation takes longer than users
expect, provide a meaningful message. If you can determine the duration, display a progress indicator. Otherwise,
display an activity indicator.
If you follow the BlackBerry platform conventions, users know what to expect from their BlackBerry devices.
• Use BlackBerry UI components in consistent patterns and layouts. Even if you customize a component (for example,
change the color) the behavior and layout of the component should stay the same across applications.
• Make sure that the default menu item for each screen initiates the same action that occurs when users click a trackpad
or tap a touch screen. This approach keeps behaviors consistent across devices, including devices that have both a
trackpad and a touch screen.
• Display the application name or screen title, and useful notifications, in the title bar.
• Design for vertical scrolling. Avoid horizontal scrolling where possible.
• Avoid making users scroll in dialog boxes.
Stage 4: Incorporating visual design
During this stage, focus on creating an application that is engaging and motivating to users. Add richness to the design.
Incorporate branding elements such as icons and colors.
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