A lot has been written on the process of joining a startup, and I’ve written a bit on the topic. Less is written about what to do once you join. Truth is, that’s when the fun starts, and it’s important to optimize your experience from day one. There are a few things I wish someone had told me…
1. Nail the basics
The core scenarios—the primary reasons people use your Windows® program—are far more important than the fringe scenarios—things people might do but probably won’t. Nail the basics! (And if you do, users will overlook fringe problems.)
Wizards are one of the keys to simplifying the user experience. They allow you to take a complex operation, such as configuration of a program, and break it into a series of simple steps. At each point in the process, you can provide an explanation of what is needed, and display controls that allow the user to make selections and enter text.
