Designing a user interface is not easy. It requires creativity, an understanding of human-computer interaction, and deep knowledge of the product you’re designing for.
To get started, watch this video which will give you an overview of the field.
What is a User Interface?
A User Interface (UI) is the part of a computer application, website, program, or system that people interact with to use it. It includes anything that helps provide information or has buttons that allow you to buy things or save your work.
A user interface can also be called an “interactive user interface” (IUI).
Design Process
The interface design process is never-ending, but it usually starts with finding out who the users of your product are. This includes understanding what they’re trying to accomplish and the emotions they’re feeling, and their workflows and habits.
Once you’ve identified your target audience, one of the most important steps in the design process is sketching out your ideas.
This helps you brainstorm different designs for your interface, think about how they’ll be used, and identify strengths and weaknesses.
As you sketch out your ideas, make sure to keep up with usability testing. You’ll want to constantly ask yourself questions like: “How will this affect my user’s experience?”; “What does this feature do?”; “Is there a simpler way for this to be done?”; “Do I need this at all?”
Once you’ve figured out an interface design that works well, you can then create prototypes. Prototypes demonstrate how an interface will function by simulating its features through a simulation or interactive model. For example, if you were designing a video editing application for smartphones, a prototype might show how someone would use that app from start to finish.
Prototypes also help designers understand if something is too complicated.
Design Mistakes
So, what are some of the most common mistakes that designers can make? Here are just a few:
1. Not including enough white space. When people look at something on a screen, they need to see contrast and separation between different elements. Too much clutter or too many colors will make it difficult for people to read the content on the page.
2. Poor navigation. One of the things that people first notice about your site is how easy it is to get around your site and find what they want. A poorly organized or confusing navigation system can lead them to leave your site quickly in frustration.
3. Not using colors effectively. Colors can help highlight certain things on your website, like links or buttons that users should pay attention to. They can also be used for branding purposes to set your company apart from others who may be in the same industry as you.
4. Not understanding user needs when designing an interface for a mobile application or website. You may have designed an interface with ease-of-use in mind, but if you didn’t account for all of the ways in which people use their devices, then it could become very frustrating for someone trying to navigate through your design.
Tools of the Trade
Designers use their skills to bring life to the interface. They use the following tools:
• Sketching
• Paper prototyping
• Wire-framing
• Mockups
• Prototypes (clickable, coded)
Conclusion
In conclusion, user interface design is a challenging but rewarding field. If you’re interested in the user experience of both software and hardware, it’s a great area to explore in-depth.
Below, we’ve created a list of resources for you to research further:
– The Basics of UI Design
– The Designer’s Guide to UI Design
– Essentials of User Interface Design
– UI Design for Beginners
