Words of Positivity
Browse the A to Z index4,633 ENTRIES

User-friendly

adj.kind, capableprofessional

What it means

Designed so intended people can understand and operate it with little friction.

Reach for it when Praising a product, service, instruction, or environment that supports the user.

The user-friendly kiosk offers spoken directions and large physical buttons.

Choose between these

6
  • playful

    foolproof

    mistakes are difficult to make

    not when can insult users and overstate error prevention

  • everyday

    easy to use

    plain language suits a broad audience

    not when does not explain whether the design is welcoming

  • warm

    approachable

    beginners feel comfortable starting

    not when can describe tone more than successful operation

  • professional

    accessible

    disability-related barriers have been removed

    not when requires stronger evidence than general ease

  • professional

    intuitive

    operation can be inferred with little instruction

    not when often assumes prior conventions or experience

  • professional

    well-designed

    the wider quality of the solution is praised

    not when a beautiful design may still frustrate users

Said against

3
  • user-hostile
  • confusing
  • cumbersome

It naturally appears in

3
  • user-friendly interface

    A user-friendly interface shows only the controls needed now.

  • user-friendly design

    User-friendly design made the permit form possible on a phone.

  • more user-friendly

    Shorter labels made the booking screen more user-friendly.

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.