Gradients and patterns lend a certain visual "depth" to an application, but apart from that, do they yield any discernible usability improvements?
+2
A:
I don't think so. It's a visual nicety, nothing more.
From my years of programming I've found that most usability improvements revolve around giving the users what they want in terms of functionality. Keyboard shortcuts, easy and intuitive application navigation, efficient (least keystroke) data entry and rich reporting features seem to be high on most users' lists for improved usability.
Chris Holmes
2009-03-10 22:32:54