User Interface Design

Question 1

Cardinal Axiom of

User Interface Design

Answer 1

“A user interface is well-designed when the program behaves exactly how the user thought it would.”

-Joel Spolsky,

User Interface Design for Programmers

Question 2

UI Design

Guidelines (6)

Answer 2

• Recoverability
  
  • Ensure “UNDO” works in every situation
• Reduce User’s Memory Load
• Establish meaningful default values
• Use Metaphors:
  
  • helps establish a user’s conceptual model
• Provide Help
  
  • (but make it sparing and highly context specific)
• Be consistent in your design

Question 3

UI Design

Constraints/Assumptions (6)

Answer 3

• Users DO NOT read the manual
• Users won’t read more than 2 or 3 words at a time
• Users always click ‘OK’

Users don’t like

• making choices
• being frightened (Error alerts)
• being confused/lost

Question 4

Reducing User’s Memory Load:

Design assumptions

about the human brain

and choices

Answer 4

The Human Brain:

• Never searches for or compares all options
• Prefers small sets of options (4 or less)
• Picks the first option that looks good enough
• Makes a compromise between speed and accuracy

Question 5

UI Design

Process Stages

Answer 5

Note: May return to stages multiple times throughout the process

• Analyze and understand User Activities
• Produce “Paper” Design Prototype
  
  • Evaluate with End Users
• Design Prototype
• Produce Dynamic Design Prototype
  
  • Evaluate with End Users
• Executable Prototype
• Implement Final User Interface