User Interface Design

Ashish Kumar Dwivedi

Introduction
• User interface design creates an effective communication medium
between a human and a computer.
• Following a set of interface design principles, design identifies
interface objects and actions and then creates a screen layout that
forms the basis for a user interface prototype.
• A software engineer designs the user interface by applying an
iterative process that draws on predefined design principles.
Why UI?
• If software is difficult to use, if it forces you into mistakes, or if it frustrates your
efforts to accomplish your goals, you won’t like it, regardless of the
computational power it exhibits, the content it delivers, or the functionality it
offers.
• The interface has to be right because it molds a user’s perception of the
software.
• User interface design begins with the identification of user, task, and
environmental requirements.
• Once user tasks have been identified, user scenarios are created and analyzed to
define a set of interface objects and actions.
• Tools are used to prototype and ultimately implement the design model, and the
result is evaluated for quality.
Golden Rules
1. Place the user in control.
• Define interaction modes in a way that does not force a user into unnecessary
or undesired actions
• Provide for flexible interaction
• Allow user interaction to be interruptible and undoable
• Hide technical internals from the casual user
• Design for direct interaction with objects that appear on the screen
2. Reduce the user’s memory load.
• Reduce demand on short-term memory
• Establish meaningful defaults
• Define shortcuts that are intuitive
3. Make the interface consistent.
• Allow the user to put the current task into a meaningful context
• Maintain consistency across a family of applications
• If past interactive models have created user expectations, do not make
• changes unless there is a compelling reason to do so.
UI Analysis and
Design
• Four different models come into play when a user interface is
to be analyzed and designed.
• A human engineer (or the software engineer) establishes a
user model, the software engineer creates a design model,
the end user develops a mental image that is often called the
user’s mental model or the system perception, and the
implementers of the system create an implementation model.
• Unfortunately, each of these models may differ significantly.
Your role, as an interface designer, is to reconcile these
differences and derive a consistent representation of the
interface.
• users can be categorized as: Novices, Knowledgeable,
intermittent users, Knowledgeable, frequent users
Model
• The user’s mental model (system perception) is the image of
the system that end users carry in their heads. For example, if
the user of a particular word processor were asked to describe
its operation, the system perception would guide the response.
• The implementation model combines the outward manifestation
of the computer-based system (the look and feel of the
interface), coupled with all supporting information (books,
manuals, videotapes, help files) that describes interface syntax
and semantics.
 Process
• The user interface analysis and design process begins at the interior of the spiral and
encompasses four distinct framework activities:
• (1) interface analysis and modeling, (2) interface design, (3) interface construction,
and (4) interface validation.
• Interface analysis focuses on the profile of the users who will interact with the system.
• Skill level, business understanding, and general receptiveness to the new system are
recorded; and different user categories are defined. For each user category,
requirements are elicited.
• The construction activity involves prototyping—the only practical way to validate what
has been designed.
• Finally, analysis of the user environment focuses on the physical work environment.
Among the questions to be asked are:
• Where will the interface be located physically?
• Will the user be sitting, standing, or performing other tasks unrelated to the interface?
• Does the interface hardware accommodate space, light, or noise constraints?
• Are there special human factors considerations driven by environmental factors?
Process
• The goal of interface design is to define a set of interface objects and actions (and their screen
representations) that enable a user to perform all defined tasks in a manner that meets every
usability goal defined for the system.
• Interface construction normally begins with the creation of a prototype that enables usage scenarios
to be evaluated.
• Interface validation focuses on:
• (1) the ability of the interface to implement every user task correctly, to accommodate all task
variations, and to achieve all general user requirements;
• (2) the degree to which the interface is easy to use and easy to learn, and
• (3) the users’ acceptance of the interface as a useful tool in their work.
User Analysis
• The phrase “user interface” is probably all the justification needed to spend
some time understanding the user before worrying about technical matters.
• User Interviews. The most direct approach, members of the software
team meet with end users to better understand their needs, motivations,
work culture, and a myriad of other issues.
• Sales input. Sales people meet with users on a regular basis and can
gather information that will help the software team to categorize users and
better understand their requirements.
• Marketing input. Market analysis can be invaluable in the definition of
market segments and an understanding of how each segment might use
the software in subtly different ways.
• Support input. Support staff talks with users daily. They are the most
likely source of information on what works and what doesn’t, what users
like and what they dislike, what features generate questions and what
features are easy to use.
Task Analysis and Modeling
• The goal of task analysis is to answer the following questions:
• What work will the user perform in specific circumstances?
• What tasks and subtasks will be performed as the user does the work?
• What specific problem domain objects will the user manipulate as work is performed?
• What is the sequence of work tasks—the workflow?
• What is the hierarchy of tasks?
Interface Design Steps
The following steps:
• Using information developed during interface analysis, define interface objects and actions
(operations).
• Define events (user actions) that will cause the state of the user interface to change. Model this
behaviour.
• Depict each interface state as it will actually look to the end user.
• Indicate how the user interprets the state of the system from information provided through the
interface.