Apple Human Interface Guidelines

Abstract

These guidelines are designed to assist you in developing products that provide Mac OS X users with a consistent visual and behavioral experience across applications and the operating system. Following the guidelines is to your advantage because: Users will learn your application faster if the interface looks and behaves like applications theyre already familiar with. Users can accomplish their tasks quickly, because well-designed applications dont get in the users way. Users with special needs will find your product more accessible. Your application will have the same modern, elegant appearance as other Mac OS X applications. Your application will be easier to document, because an intuitive interface and standard behaviors dont require as much explanation. Customer support calls will be reduced (for the reasons cited above). Your application will be easier to localize, because Apple has worked through many localization issues in the Aqua design process. Media reviews of your product will be more positive; reviewers easily target software that doesnt look or behave the way true Macintosh applications do.