What does a good options / settings dialog do?

Question

I was browsing through the worst user interface ever used when I realized that many of them are related to the options dialog of some application. This is obviously an area where a developer can easily get lost, as there are often a large number of options available that are difficult to organize. (Especially for a stereotypical programmer)

So, since I am ready to develop a settings dialog for my own application, I was wondering: what makes a good settings dialog?

Tab? A hierarchical tree like Visual Studio looks like tabs? (I'm leaning towards this now)

What do you think?

Answer 1

Parameter windows tend to be crowded, cluttered, and confusing, making it difficult for the user to find the right option. They are often combined at the last minute of design, without hesitation and without coordinating with the rest of the design. This is what makes them a common target of ridicule. Here's how to avoid this fate.

Limit the number of options. The fewer the options, the less that what the user really wants is hidden.

• Limit parameters to those that take into account the well-known individual differences in your users. For example, if your users come from different legacy systems, you may be able to emulate keyboard shortcuts on each system.

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