User interface design tips
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Posted On :
Feb-09-2011
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Article Word Count :
679
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Why is consistency important? Because people need to learn how to use a system, and once they have found out how it functions, they develop habits and expectations. Satisfying these expectations makes it easier for people to use an interface and to be comfortable while doing so. So, consistency makes people feel comfortable.
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Below are a few important tips to keep in mind when creating an interface design:
Consistency: When embarking on the creation of a new interface design, begin by thinking about consistency. Why is consistency important? Because people need to learn how to use a system, and once they have found out how it functions, they develop habits and expectations. Satisfying these expectations makes it easier for people to use an interface and to be comfortable while doing so. So, consistency makes people feel comfortable. For example, if you have buttons, put them in all the same places with the same fonts and terms on all pages of your interface design. This is consistent, it is easy, and it adds to a great user experience. This will likely increase the popularity and success of your interface design.
Don’t be busy, be simple: Crowded user interfaces can frustrate users. They are often difficult to understand quickly, which makes them difficult or time-consuming to use because identifying or discerning information and filtering out your options as a user becomes harder. Don’t fill your interface design with unnecessary graphics and exotic font styles. Find a way to make your interface design clean, simple, but also interesting.
Prototype and then test your interface design’s usability:
Prototypes (for example wireframe prototypes) and usability tests are a critical aspect of successful interface design. Prototypes are rudimentary working models of your interface design (or of any type of design for that matter). They range from simple wireframe prototypes consisting of placeholder boxes to detailed high-fidelity prototypes. Usability test are designed to evaluate your interface design by testing design concepts with end users, giving you direct input about how users use your system and how well they can understand it. During the creative process, you should keep in mind what objectives the end users of the application want to achieve. Consequently you should be prototyping and thinking about or rather measuring how your users will react to your interface design. Conducting a usability test is one of the only ways in which you can ascertain this important information. There are various methods of conducting usability tests which we will not discuss here, but one example of how to conduct a usability test is to use software that allows you to create wireframe prototypes of your interface design and then usability test them via the web. Pidoco has such a program, offering wireframing, low fidelity prototyping and remote usability testing capacity. This means that you can test potential users from the comfort of their own home or work environment. Pidoco wireframe prototypes also enable you to work out the relationship between the pages in your interface design, as well as the feature, and basic design layout. If you are designing a user interface, the benefits of prototyping, usability tests, and real-time collaboration are worth checking into, as is pidoco.com.
In conclusion…
The more you learn about interfaces, the more you realize how deeply they permeate nearly every aspect of not just human life, but also all forms of biological life and inanimate objects. The communication and connection between two autonomous points is what makes processes in the world possible. One of the foundation stones of computer science, and more narrowly website design, is understanding how great interface design functions and why it is so important. If you want to be a successful web designer, you must make usable, functional interface designs at the crux of your work. This will contribute to the success of not only your company (or whatever entity you design for), but also yourself. A popular interface design is something you can take pride in and will get you future contracts.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_User interface design tips_51993.aspx
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Author Resource :
Pidoco.com – Interface Design, Wireframe Software, Wireframe Tools, Interface Design Software, Clickable Wireframes, Usability Testing and Digital Paper Prototyping. Fast wireframe creation and remote website usability testing lead to an improved conversion!
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Keywords :
interface design, interface design software, wireframe software, GUI Prototyping Tool, wireframe tool, software prototyping, ,
Category :
Computers
:
Software
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