User Interface Design

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:

--- What would the user want the system to do?

--- How would the system fit in with the users normal Workflow or daily activities?

--- How technically savvy is the user and what similar systems does the user already use?

--- 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 a 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 Design er who also has knowledge in user interface design. However, some user interface designers are also proficient graphic designers.

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User Interface Design