Microsoft Access 2021 Advanced: Helping End Users

Name: Microsoft Access 2021 Advanced: Helping End Users
Author: John Varan

Learn how to design applications to guide end users through workflows and prevent mistakes

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Course: On-Demand

Hello, my name is John Varon, and in these lessons, you will learn about helping end users. In this lesson, I will show you about user -centered design. When I say user -centered design, I'm simply talking about designing the user interface with a focus on what benefits the end users. There is also a specific design process and methodology called user -centered design, or UCD for short. Just to be clear, that's not what we're talking about in this lesson. I'm using the phrase in a more general sense. Sometimes it can also be called UX, or user experience design. A user -friendly design is one that makes it easy for users to learn and use the application. Everything should be intuitive, so that users don't need to read an entire user manual before being able to use your application. The user interface should also flow in a logical manner, following the same process as the user's own workflow. Therefore, going from how they normally do their job to using the application should be a seamless process. In general, a user -centered design should focus on five key areas. Number one is how easy it is to learn. The first time a user has to use certain functionality, they shouldn't be completely lost. It should usually be fairly clear where they need to go and what they need to do. Number two is efficiency. Doing something should not be overly complicated. It can help to think in terms of clicks, meaning mouse clicks. How many mouse clicks does it take to accomplish a task? The goal should be to minimize the number of clicks without compromising the other key aspects. Number three is recall, or how easy it is for users to remember what they've learned. If users pick things up quickly but then forget all of it by the time they use the application the next time, it's a problem. Therefore, keeping processes simple and easy to remember is a big advantage. Number four is mistakes. How many errors or mistakes do users make when they use the application? The goal should obviously be to minimize the number of errors. One way to do that is to prevent users from making mistakes. Another way is to guide them in the proper direction instead of leaving things open -ended where the user could choose incorrectly what to do. Number five is enjoyment or satisfaction. This one is simply about how enjoyable the application is to use. This is where things like artistic style and color palette can make a difference. While it would be great if we could address all five of these key areas, the reality is that we aren't creating standalone applications that we have full control over. These database applications are running inside of Microsoft Access, so we are limited by what Access can and cannot do. Some of the key areas are difficult for us to address and mostly out of our control, but not all of them. Namely, numbers one, two, and three, ease of learning, efficiency, and how easy it is to remember are largely governed by Microsoft Access itself. Although our design can definitely make a difference in those areas, we're not going to focus on them too much because we only have so much control over Microsoft Access's user interface. Number four, reducing the number of mistakes is one we have a lot of control over and one that Microsoft Access gives us a lot of tools which we can use to accomplish our goal. This is the main key area we will focus on, especially since it's usually the most important one in most business or corporate environments, which are the most common environments where Microsoft Access database applications are used. Number five, how enjoyable the application is to use, is also one we do not have a lot of control over. Microsoft Access does allow a tremendous amount of customization options, but it's limited by Access's own interface. Even so, we can change color palettes, background images, icons, and even use different user control visual styles. However, we will not be focusing on this key area much either, as it is largely artistic in nature and also involves design choices specific to particular groups of users or demographics. Thanks for watching. Stay tuned for the next lesson where I will show you about guiding users through the desired paths.

Advanced Provider : John Varan 3 Lessons · 17m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

User interface, or UI, design is an important and complex field, and much can be said about how much of an impact it can have on the experience of end users. Understanding the basics of UI and how to best implement it within the limitations of Microsoft Access 2021 can help you design with the end user in mind. You can increase user efficiency and productivity with minimal confusion by designing your application with the end user in mind. Organizations often want to maintain the integrity of the data in their database, which is why we will also explain how to use validation rules and calculated values to block invalid input from end users.

In this course, you will learn how to design a user interface with a focus on end users. We will discuss how to guide users efficiently and easily through the desired paths of your workflow. We will also explain how to prevent users from making the most common types of mistakes so that your data stays consistent and correct. By the end of this course, you will be able to create a functional database application that appeals to your end users.

What You'll Learn

Discuss the components of proper UI design within Microsoft Access 2021
Explore best practices for guiding users through the application along desired workflow paths
Apply validation rules and calculated values to prevent users from creating bad or invalid data
Design a user-centered interface that increases end-user efficiency and productivity
Prevent users from following undesired paths and making common mistakes
Create a functional database application that appeals to end users

Key Takeaways

UI design has a significant impact on the experience of end users and can increase their efficiency and productivity with minimal confusion.
Designing an application with the end user in mind helps guide users efficiently through the desired paths of a workflow.
Validation rules and calculated values can block invalid input from end users and help maintain the integrity of data in a database.
Preventing users from making common types of mistakes keeps data consistent and correct.
Working within the limitations of Microsoft Access 2021, you can design a functional database application focused on end users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

It is for those who want to design a Microsoft Access 2021 user interface with a focus on end users, guiding them efficiently through workflows and preventing common mistakes.

What will I be able to do by the end of this course?

By the end of the course, you will be able to create a functional database application that appeals to your end users.

What topics does this course cover?

It covers the components of proper UI design, best practices for guiding users through the application, preventing users from creating bad data, and best practices for creating a friendly UI. Lessons include User-Centered Design, Guiding Users Through the Desired Paths, and Preventing Users From Using Undesired Paths.

How does this course help keep data accurate?

It explains how to use validation rules and calculated values to block invalid input from end users, helping maintain the integrity of the data in your database.

What skills does this course help develop?

It helps develop skills in Data Access, End-User Training and Support, Interface Design, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Data Access Components, and User Assistance.