In EndNote X6 (Mac), the interface is worse than it was in EndNote X5 (Mac):
(1) The icons for “Local library mode”, “Online search mode”, and “Integrated mode” are too small for many. The same is true for other small black icons such as “Copy to local library” or “Find full text”.
Also, it is very hard if not impossible to figure out what these icons are supposed to mean because the pictures that were chosen to represent their functions are ambiguous to say the least. Therefore, users should be given the option to add labels below the icons to make their meaning obvious - as in the toolbar in EndNote X5. At the same time, adding labels will increase the button size, making it much easier to hit the buttons (Fitt’s law!).
(2) The “Search” button needs to be placed to the lower right of the window section containing the search fields. Humans tend to scan displays from left to right and from top to bottom. That is why “OK” button in standard dialogs are in the lower right of the dialogs.
The user’s steps are, for instance, (I) enter author name, (II) enter year, (III) hit “Search”. Following this sequence, the (Author Name and Year) search term fields should be at the top left, followed by the “Search” button in the lower right of the search window section.
(3) The buttons also give almost no feedback when they have been hit by a mouse click. For instance, when in “Online search mode”, the “Copy to local library” button does change its appearance to indicate that it has been hit by a mouse click; users need to switch to the Local library mode" to see whether a selected reference has actually been copied.
(4) The buttons should also be redesigned to take advantage of the new Retina Displays. In their current version they look pretty ugly on a Retina display.