One of the key concepts in UI design that is so often overlooked is really addressing why the user is there. What brought them to the site and how do you address their needs before they lose interest and navigate away from your site?
How the site visitor interacts with the user interface design is the core consideration. The use of language and graphics in the design is important, but above all, ensuring that the user can find their answers efficiently and intuitively is the goal.
By undertaking some simple steps, you can ensure that your user interface design is optimized and meets the goals of the majority of your site’s visitors.
1. Who is then user and why are they there?
You know that thing where you get so caught up in yourself that you forget that there’s a world out there? And they don’t all think like you? Well, this is one of the biggest potholes an organization can fall into when they’re designing how their users will interact with their site or software. And don’t just think about why they are there, try to also consider their personality traits – engineers are very different from managers who are very different from clinical technicians.
2. KISS (Keep it simple & succinct) Principle
Now don’t quote us on that definition as the KISS Principle has often been defined with a less flattering last word.
Keep your UI design simple and clear. Think about how a person looks at a page, where the eyes are drawn. And while we really thing being different is a great thing, there’s a good reason that many many applications and site stick to left navigation and upper right corner calls to action.
3. Think like a user
Assume nothing! Your User Interface design needs to be clearly intuitive or explanatory. Guide the user through what they are doing and tell them how far they have to go.
Keeping the User Interface design mindful of the end-user is the key, not to all end users, but to the majority of them. This will enhance your user satisfaction and above all, keep your support costs down.
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FREE USER INTERFACE DESIGN QUOTE |
User interface design
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
User interface design or user interface engineering is the design of computers, gadgets, appliances, machines, mobile communication devices, software applications, and websites with the focus on the user’s experience and interaction. Unlike traditional design where the goal is to make the object or application physically attractive, the goal of user interface design is to make the user’s interaction experience as simple and intuitive as possible—what is often called user-centered design. Where good graphic/industrial design is bold and eye catching, good user interface design is often subtle and invisible.
User Interface design is involved in a wide range of projects from mall kiosks to software applications to car navigation systems to e-commerce sites; all of these projects have some things in common yet also require some unique skills and knowledges. As a result, user interface designers tend to specialize in certain types of projects and have skills centered around their expertise, whether that be software design, web design, or industrial design. What all these projects have in common is, of course, the focus on how the user interacts with the device/system/application.
Processes
There are several phases and processes in the user interface design some of which are more demanded upon than others depending on the project. (note for the remainder of this section the word system is used to denote any project whether it is a web site, application, or device)
- Functionality requirements gathering - assembling a list of the functionality required of the system to accomplish the goals of the project and the potential needs of the users.
- User analysis - analyzation of the potential users of the system either through discussion with people who work with the users and/or the potential users themselves. Typical questions involve:
o What would the user want the system to do?
o How would the system fit in with the users normal workflow or daily activities?
o How technically savvy is the user and what similar systems does the user already use?
o What interface look & feel styles appeal to the user?
- Information architecture - development of the process and/or information flow of the system (i.e. for phone tree systems, this would be an option tree flowchart and for web sites this would be a site flow that shows the hierarchy of the pages).
- Prototyping - development of wireframes, either in the form of paper prototypes or simple interactive screens. These prototypes are stripped of all look & feel elements and most content in order to concentrate on the interface.
- Usability testing - testing of the prototypes on an actual user—often using a technique called talk aloud protocol where you ask the user to talk about their thoughts during the experience.
- Graphic Interface design - actual look & feel design of the final graphical user interface (GUI) based on the findings developed during the usability testing. This last phase is often handled separately by a graphic designer who also has knowledge in user interface design. However, some user interface designers are also proficient graphic designers.
User interface design needs good understanding of user needs..
