USER INTERFACE

OVERVIEW

What is Human Computer Interface (User Interface)

principles of user interface design
What makes a good Interface
Why should we care about UI?
 GROUP MEMBERS

Abdulsemed Lezin
Habab Sadam
Michael Gebre
Ferhan Hussen
Amente Nigussie
 WHAT IS UI?
Visual part of computer application or operating system through which a
user interacts with a computer or a software.
It determines how commands are given to the computer or the program and
how information is displayed on the screen.
Three main types of user interfaces are
(1) Command language: the user must know the machine and program-
specific instructions or codes.
(2) Menus: user chooses the commands from lists displayed on the screen.
(3) Graphical user interface (GUI): user gives commands by selecting and
clicking on icons displayed on the screen.
 THE USER INTERFACE

System users often judge a system by its interface rather than its
functionality
A poorly designed interface can cause a user to make catastrophic
errors
Poor user interface design is the reason why so many software
systems are never used
Most users of business systems interact with these systems through
graphical user interfaces (GUIs)
In some cases, legacy text-based interfaces are still used
 GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI)
Graphical User interfaces rely much more heavily on the mouse. A
typical example of this type of interface is any version of the Windows
Operating System. The main advantages are:
1. Less expert knowledge is required to use it (more user friendly)
2. Easier to navigate.. can look through folders quickly in a guess
and check manner.
The main disadvantages are:
1. Typically decreased options (less powerful)
2. Typically less customizable. Not easy to use one button for tons of
different variations.
Graphical User Interfaces are more common than text-based
interfaces in modern computing.
 GUI ADVANTAGES
They are easy to learn and use.
Users without experience can learn to use the system
quickly.
The user may switch quickly from one task to
another and can interact with several different applications.
Information remains visible in its own window when
attention is switched.
Fast, full-screen interaction is possible with immediate access to
anywhere on the screen
 PROBLEMS

Actions involving logical conjunction (and) or disjunction (or) are

awkward to represent
If there are many choices, some menu structuring facility must be used
Experienced users find menus slower than command language
 USER INTERFACE EVALUATION

Some evaluation of a user interface design should be carried out to

assess its suitability
Full scale evaluation is very expensive and impractical for most
systems
Ideally, an interface should be evaluated against a usability
specification
However, it is rare for such specifications to be produced
 ELEMENTS OF USER INTERFACE

To perform user interface analysis, the practitioner needs to study and
understand four elements
 The users who will interact with the system through the interface
 The tasks that end users must perform to do their work
 The content that is presented as part of the interface
 The work environment in which these tasks will be conducted
THANK YOU
 TYPES OF USER INTERFACE

There are two main types of user interfaces:

1. Text-Based User Interface or Command-Line
Interface
2. Graphical User Interface (GUI)
 TEXT-BASED USER INTERFACE
This method relies primarily on the keyboard. A typical example of this
is UNIX. The main advantages of a Text-Based User Interface are:
1. Many and Easier to customization options
2. Typically capable of more powerful tasks
The main disadvantages of a Text-Based User Interface are:
1. Relies heavily on recall rather than recognition.
2. Navigation is often more difficult
 GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI)
Graphical User interfaces rely much more heavily on the mouse. A
typical example of this type of interface is any version of the Windows
Operating System. The main advantages are:
1. Less expert knowledge is required to use it (more user friendly)
2. Easier to navigate.. can look through folders quickly in a guess
and check manner.
The main disadvantages are:
1. Typically decreased options (less powerful)
2. Typically less customizable. Not easy to use one button for tons of
different variations.
Graphical User Interfaces are more common than text-based
interfaces in modern computing.
 PRINCIPLES OF USER INTERFACE DESIGN

The principles of user interface design are a way to improve

the quality of user interface design.
According to Larry Constantine and Lucy Lockwood in their
usage-centered design, these are principles of User Interface
Design
 UI DESIGN PRINCIPLE CONT..

The structure principle:- Design should organize the user interface

purposefully, in meaningful and useful ways based on clear, consistent
models that are apparent and recognizable to users, putting related
things together and separating unrelated things, differentiating
dissimilar things and making similar things resemble one another. The
structure principle is concerned with overall user interface architecture.
CONT..

• The simplicity principle: - The design should make simple,

common tasks easy, communicating clearly and simply in
the user's own language, and providing good shortcuts that
are meaningfully related to longer procedures.
CONT..

The visibility principle: The design should make all needed options and
materials for a given task visible without distracting the user with
extraneous or redundant information. Good designs don't overwhelm
users with alternatives or confuse with unneeded information.

The feedback principle: The design should keep users informed of

actions or interpretations, changes of state or condition, and errors or
exceptions that are relevant and of interest to the user through clear,
concise, and unambiguous language familiar to users.
CONT..

The tolerance principle: The design should be flexible and tolerant,

reducing the cost of mistakes and misuse by allowing undoing and
redoing, while also preventing errors wherever possible by tolerating
varied inputs and sequences and by interpreting all reasonable actions.

The reuse principle: The design should reuse internal and external
components and behaviors, maintaining consistency with purpose
rather than merely arbitrary consistency, thus reducing the need for
users to rethink and remember.
 LAWS OF UI DESIGN
According to Jef Raskin in his book The Humane Interface, there are
two laws of user interface design
1, First Law: - A computer shall not harm your work or, through
inactivity, allow your work to come to harm.
2, Second Law: - A computer shall not waste your time or require
you to do more work than is strictly necessary.
Jef Raskin also mentions that "users should set the pace of an
interaction," meaning that a user should not be kept waiting
unnecessarily.
THANK YOU
 WHAT MAKES A GOOD USER INTERFACE?

A good interface makes it easy for users to tell the computer what
they want to do, for the computer to request information from the users,
and for the computer to present understandable information. Clear
communication between the user and the computer is the working
premise of good UI design.
 Good interfaces are:
Clear
A clear interface helps prevent user errors, makes important information
obvious,
and contributes to ease of learning and use.

Consistent
A consistent interface allows users to apply previously learned knowledge
to new tasks.
Effective applications are both consistent within themselves and consistent
with one another.
Simple
The best interface designs are simple. Simple designs are easy to learn
and to use and give the interface a consistent look. A good design requires a
good balance between maximizing Functionality and maintaining simplicity
through progressive disclosure of information.

User-Controlled
The user, not the computer, initiates and controls all actions.
Direct
Users must see the visible cause-and-effect relationship between the actions they
take and the objects on the screen.

This allows users to feel that they are in charge of the computer's activities.

Forgiving
Users make mistakes.
User actions should be reversible.
A good interface facilitates exploration and trial and
error learning.
Provide feedback
Keep the user informed and provide immediate feedback.
Also, ensure that feedback is appropriate to the task.

Aesthetic
Every visual element that appears on the screen potentially competes for the
user's attention. Provide an environment that is pleasant to work in and
contributes to the user's understanding of the information presented.
THANK YOU
 4. WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

4.1 Finance
4.2 Impact
4.3 Ethics
 4.1 FINANCE
Cost savings of usability testing.
For commercial organizations, greater usability leads to increased sales
and greater competitive advantage.
 FINANCE(CONT..)

• For non-profits, “conversion rates” (e.g. transforming a casual

user to a signed-up and engaged user) are still important: a
resource that addresses the needs of its users is more likely to
lead to greater use and (repeated) engagement.
• Reduce support costs.
 4.2 IMPACT

• Increased user engagement in design This can lead to more

user-focused resources which in turn can increase a
resource’s impact.
• Impact important consideration when creating funding
applications.
 4.3 ETHICS

• All resources have users or potential users.

• Jef Raskin, The Humane Interface (2000): laws of interface design:
• A computer shall not harm your work or, through inactivity, allow your work to
come to harm.
• A computer shall not waste your time or require you to do more work than is
strictly necessary.
 USER INTERFACE (ADVANTAGE AND
DISADVANTAGES)

Graphical User Interface

Menu Driven Interfaces
Command Line Interface Applications
 ADVANTAGES (GUI)

It can be user-friendly and speed up the user's work.

It can be more attractive for non-technical people.
In general, it looks more professional (but this does not mean it is
always the best solution).
 DISADVANTAGES

 When it is not properly built, it can be very difficult to work with.

 It generally requires more memory resources than a non-graphical one.
 It might require the installation of additional software, e.g., the "runtime
environment" in the case of java.
 Depending on the programmer, it might require more time to be implemented.
 MENU DRIVEN INTERFACES

Menu Driven Applications

• ATM
• Mobile Phone
• MP3 Player
• Video recorder
• Household Devices
• Digital/Cable TV
 ADVANTAGES (MENU DRIVEN INTERFACES)

No need to learn complex commands/language

Easier for a novice to learn/use
Ideal when there are a limited number of options (efficient)
 DISADVANTAGES

• Can be frustrating for experienced users i.e. the command

they want to use is buried 5 levels deep!!!!
• User interface may be limited by screen space and number
of options available
 COMMAND LINE INTERFACE APPLICATIONS

System administration
Engineering applications
Scientific applications
And for other specific application
 ADVANTAGES (COMMAND LINE INTERFACES)

Very flexible with the use of “switches” (options)

Good for “expert” users - can quickly access commands
Uses the fewest system resources
COMMAND LINE INTERFACES(DISADVANTAGE)

Requires the user to learn “complex” commands or language

“Hidden” features i.e. if you don’t know the commands you wont know
the features are there!
Not very good for novice users