Bounding boxes and divider lines are frequently overused.

Usually applied by using controls like group frames, panels, lines, and shapes, they end up cluttering the screen and creating unnecessary visual noise that only requires the user to process more pixels.

Now I'm not saying that bounding boxes are categorically bad. No way! They are great for creating hierarchies and otherwise organizing parts of the screen. But bounding boxes and lines should be used in moderation (isn't that like all things???).

This example comes from a very popular program that I am sure you will recognize. After some members of the developer team attended one of my seminars, they came up to me somewhat sheepishly and told me that it would eventually get fixed. I am happy to say that it has been.

Remember: First, an original, untouched screenshot will be shown. Take a look at the screenshot and try to identify what you would change, how, and why. When you are finished with your observations click the graphic. With each click, one more set of errors will be revealed. Then, they will all be shown together (a reprise). The next click will show the makeover.