---

Principles and Guidelines for Creating Great iPhone Content

Great iPhone content embodies many of the characteristics of great computer applications and is informed by many of the same design principles. One such principle, understanding your users, is a cornerstone of user experience and user interface design, whether you are designing a webpage, an iPhone web application, or a computer application. (Read “Design for Your Users” for more information on how to define your user audience and create a product definition statement.) This chapter describes the essential principles of human interface design behind great iPhone content and provides guidelines that help you incorporate these characteristics in your webpage or iPhone web application.

At a high level, the advice and guidelines in this chapter are applicable to both webpages and iPhone web applications. After all, characteristics such as simplicity, focus, and clear communication are essential ingredients of a great user experience, whether that experience involves reading a webpage or using an application. The differences lie primarily in the interpretation and implementation of the guidelines.

For example, one of the ways to achieve simplicity is to avoid the clutter of too many visual elements that compete for the user’s attention. In a webpage, you might do this by reducing the number of ads, images, and links. In an iPhone web application, you might do this by reducing the number of controls, shortening the displayed text, avoiding purely decorative elements, and ensuring adequate spacing between controls.

Contents:

Simplicity and Ease of Use
Focus
Communication
Consistency
Responsiveness
Interoperability
Adaptability

---