Why Consistency Matters for UI Design
為何一致性對使用者介面設計意義重大
Interaction design relies on the learnability of your system.
互動設計依賴在您系統的可學習性(learnability)。
To put it simply, when a UI works in a consistent manner, it becomes predictable (in a good way), which means users can understand how to use certain functions intuitively and without instruction. This makes the product easier to use, which is a stepping stone to making it more desirable. Conversely, when a UI is inconsistent, it hinders learnability, provoking frustration in the user and leading to a bad experience.
簡單來說，當一個使用者介面在一致性方式下運作時，它變得可以預測（在好的方式下），這意味著使用者能了解如何直覺地使用某些功能而不需指引。這讓產品容易使用，對於讓產品更希望到手是個墊腳石。 換句話說，當一個使用者介面不一致時，它阻礙了可學習性，引發使用者挫折、有了糟糕地體驗。
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- Source: UXPin
But consistency is not limited just to your interface’s appearance and behavior.
但一致性不僅只是限定在您的介面外觀和行為。
Your users don’t spend all their time just with your product – the majority of their time is on other products, and all the while they are generating ideas and expectations from these other experiences. So if you’re consistent with these outside experiences, your UI’s learnability will increase without any extra work on your part.
您的使用者不只是花費所有時間在您的產品，他們大部份地時間是在其它產品，而且一直以來他們從這些其它體驗中產生想法和期待，所以如果你和這些外在經驗一致，你使用者介面的可學習性在你的部份不需任何額外功夫就能增加。
When in doubt, refer to the Principle of Least Astonishment. Delightful surprises are fine (like how Mailchimp surprises users with humor and fun), but your core functions should not stray far from the norm. Review doesn’t mean the same thing as Verify. Videos shouldn’t be mistaken for images. Don’t make buttons for primary actions appear only on hover.
當疑惑時可以參考“最少驚訝原則”，愉悅的驚訝是美好的（就像 Mailchimp如何用幽默和樂趣驚訝使用者），但你的核心功能不該偏離正常形式。審查不意味著跟驗證是同一件事情，影片不應該被誤認成圖片，不要設計只有把游標移到按鈕上時才會出現主要行動（primary action)。
In fact, if you’re still questioning the nature of consistency in digital design, Apple’s iOS Human Guidelines do a pretty good job of summarizing standards for consistency for their apps:
事實上，如果你依舊質疑數位設計裡一致性的本質，蘋果公司的 iOS Human Guidelines 在這方面做得相當好，它替他們的應用程式總結了一致性的標準：
Is the app consistent with iOS standards? Does it use system-provided controls, views, and icons correctly? Does it incorporate device features in ways that users expect?
這應用程式跟iOS標準有一致嗎？ 它有正確地使用系統提供的控件(controls) ,視野（views）, 圖標嗎？ 它有包含使用者期待的裝置功能嗎？
Is the app consistent within itself? Does the text use uniform terminology and style? Do the same icons always mean the same thing? Can people predict what will happen when they perform the same action in different places? Do custom UI elements look and behave the same throughout the app?
這應用程式內部本身有一致嗎？ 文字有使用均一的術語和風格嗎？ 一樣的圖標總是意味著同一件事嗎？當人們在不同場合執行相同的動作時， 人們可以預測接下來會發生什麼事嗎？客製化的使用者介面元素在應用程式裡始終外表和行為都一樣嗎？
Within reason, is the app consistent with its earlier versions? Have the terms and meanings remained the same? Are the fundamental concepts and primary functionality essentially un- changed?”
在合理情形下，應用程式跟早期版本有一致嗎？術語和含意仍然相同嗎？ 基本概念和主要功能本質上沒有改變嗎？
From what we’ve discussed above, we can divide design consistency into two categories: external and internal consistency. External refers to your UI’s consistency with other products, while internal is its consistency within itself. Let’s take a look at the best practices for both.
從我們上述所討論地，我們能把一致性區分成兩種：外部一致性和內部一致性，外部是指你產品的使用者介面和別家的一致性，而內部是指產品本身內部的一致性，咱們來看看兩者最好的實例吧！