Minimalism Human-Computer Interfaces.fm

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An Application of the Principles of Minimalism to
the Design of Human-Computer Interfaces
JoAnn T. Hackos, PhD
This paper was originally presented as a keynote speech at the
German HCI conference, Software-Ergonomie ‘99
Minimalism in information design, specifically as applied to
user tutorials and manuals, was introduced in the early 1980s
through the work of Dr. John M. Carroll, then a cognitive psychologist
at the IBM Watson Research Center. Since that time,
theorists and practitioners have further elucidated the principles
of minimalism and have attempted to apply it to a variety
of situations in which people attempt to learn how to use a
software application. Most recently, a new exposition of minimalist
principles and practices was published by MIT Press.
This work, Minimalism Beyond the Nurnberg Funnel, represents
the work of leading theorists and practitioners in the field.
I have long been in the habit of describing the user interface
as an element of information design and thus amenable to
the basic design tenets underlying information design. And, I
have…