Design

What makes a good user interface?

A successful user interface is one which supports a natural interaction between the user and the system. Users should be able to achieve their goals whilst forgetting about the system they're using.

The design process involves:

• identifying the tasks the user needs to perform
• deciding how the UI should support the users as they carry out their tasks
• choosing which tasks to allocate to the system and which to the users
• designing the underlying structure of the new user interface
• defining the relationships between the different parts of the system and the functions that those parts will support.

Translating the user requirements into a physical design requires an understanding of how users interact with systems, knowledge of design principles and techniques and an eye for detail.