Critical Evaluation * The main Ribbon across the top of the page
On Microsoft Word 2010, it includes a ribbon along the top which consists of a horizontal row of commands the user can navigate to; with tabs such as Home, Insert, Page Layout etc. In turn, this is then split up into different buttons and other controls the user can access quickly and efficiently. Evaluating this ribbon, I have also observed that the font and size of the text is clear for the user which increases the readability. The ribbon works very successfully because, for example when you paste a picture into the document and click on it, it communicates with the system and the tab for ‘Picture Tools’ appears. Having this feature is very beneficial because it means that the user can edit the picture/graphic almost immediately. This is a very constructive feature for the user because it increases the accessibility, due to the certain groups they are broken down in and the more experienced users would be able to produce very professional documents faster when they have got used to the concise system layout. However for a new user this may take more time to navigate to the control they wish, because of the vast number of controls they are able to access. If I was to improve the ribbon along the top of the screen, I suggest breaking the tabs down even more to be more specific and increase the suitability for users, who wish to navigate to sections quickly. * Quick access toolbar
Another useful element in Microsoft word is the quick access toolbar in the top left hand corner, which consists of the ‘Save’ button, ‘Undo’ button and the ‘Redo’ button. The benefits of including this are that the user can actually customize it for their own personal preferences by selecting the symbol of the drop down arrow. Once the user has clicked on this it displays a drop down menu, with buttons the user can