"Microsoft Inductive User Interface Guidelines," MSDN, 9 Feb 2001

This 18 page doc gives good ideas on making better task based user interfaces. The four basic steps are outlined as:
1. Focus each screen on a single task.
2. State the task.
3. Make the screen's contents suit the task.
4. Offer links to secondary tasks.
I think the suggestion of getting writers involved in the early stages of design to name the screens can make a big difference in software. I just the way word people think. They have a lot to offer development and marketing teams.