The document provides a comprehensive overview of user interface (UI) design, emphasizing its critical role in enhancing user experience and system usability. It outlines the UI design process, including requirements gathering, prototyping, and evaluation, while also highlighting principles for effective design and tools used in the industry. Best practices are shared to ensure accessibility, usability, and ongoing design improvement based on user feedback.

1. UI DESIGN
BY CALVIN DEUKE 2201200214

2. OVERVIEW
• Introduction
• Understanding User Interface Design
• Importance of UI Design in System Analysis
• Process of UI Design
• Interface design models
• Principles of Effective UI Design
• Tools and Technologies for UI Design
• Case Study: UI Design in Action
• Best Practices for UI Design
• Graphical User Interface
• Key points

3. INTRODUCTION
• User Interface(UI): is the point of interaction between users and
digital devices, systems, or applications.
• User interface (UI) design is the process designers use to build
interfaces in software or computerized devices, focusing on looks
or style.
• UI plays a crucial role in enhancing user experience, improving
system usability, and ultimately contributing to the success of
software projects.

4. UNDERSTANDING USER INTERFACE DESIGN
• What is User Interface Design?: User Interface Design is the
process of creating interfaces for software applications or systems
that focus on usability, accessibility, and user satisfaction.
• Components of UI Design : UI design involves various elements
such as layout, navigation, visual design, interaction design, and
information architecture.
• User-Centered Design Principles: User-centered design
emphasizes designing products and systems that meet the needs,
preferences, and expectations of users.

5. UNDERSTANDING USER INTERFACE DESIGN

6. IMPORTANCE OF UI DESIGN IN SYSTEM ANALYSIS
• Enhancing User Experience: Well-designed UIs enhance user
satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty.
• Increasing Efficiency and Productivity: Intuitive UIs streamline
tasks and workflows, boosting efficiency and productivity.
• Reducing Errors and User Frustration: Clear and consistent UIs
minimize user errors and frustrations, leading to higher user
satisfaction and adoption rates.

7. PROCESS OF UI DESIGN
• Requirements Gathering: Understand user needs, preferences, and goals through user
research and stakeholder interviews.
• Organize the interface: Define the basic components of the interface and how they
work together to provide functionality to users. User Interface Structure Diagrams(ISD)
• Define Standards: Classify decisions on all key interfaces to ensure consistency e.g use
standard interface icons like trashcan icon for delete, disk for save
• Develop prototypes: Iterate on designs based on user feedback. This can be through
sketches, wireframes, HTML prototypes etc
• Testing and Evaluation: Conduct usability testing and gather feedback to refine and
improve the UI design.

8. REQUIREMENTS GATHERING
• Users will likely have different goals and intentions when using a system.
• Use personas to develop their various characteristics

9. INTERFACE STRUCTURE DIAGRAM(ISD)

10. PROTOTYPING

11. INTERFACE EVALUATION
• Heuristic evaluation: compare design to checklist
• Walkthrough evaluation: Team simulates movement through
components
• Interactive evaluation: Users try out the system
• Formal usability testing: detailed use of special lab testing and can
be expensive

12. EVALUATION TECHNIQUES
• Questionnaires for user feedback.
• Video recording of system use and subsequent tape evaluation.
• Instrumentation of code to collect information about facility use
and user errors.
• The provision of code in the software to collect on-line user
feedback

13. THE DESIGN PROCESS

14. INTERFACE DESIGN MODELS
There are mainly four models used in Human Computer Interaction(HCI) design;
• The design model: expresses the software design.
• The user model: describes the profile of the end users. (i.e., novices vs. experts,
cultural background, etc.)
• The user’s model: is the end users’ perception of the system
• The system image: is the external manifestation of the system (look and feel +
documentation etc.)

15. PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE UI DESIGN
• Consistency: Maintain consistency in design elements, color,
terminology, and interactions throughout the UI.
• Clarity: Ensure that the UI elements are clear, understandable, and
easy to use.
• Simplicity: Simplify the UI design to reduce complexity and
cognitive load for users.
• Feedback: Provide immediate and informative feedback to users
for their actions.
• Flexibility: Design the UI to be adaptable to different user
preferences, devices, and contexts.

16. TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR UI DESIGN
• Graphic Design Software (e.g., Adobe XD, Sketch): Create visual
designs and assets for UIs.
• Prototyping Tools (e.g., InVision, Figma): Build interactive
prototypes to demonstrate UI functionality and flow.
• Collaboration Platforms (e.g., Miro, Slack): Facilitate collaboration
and communication among UI designers, developers, and
stakeholders.

17. CASE STUDY: UI DESIGN IN ACTION
• Overview of a Real-World Project: Provide a brief overview of a
specific project where UI design played a significant role.
• Challenges Faced: Discuss challenges encountered during the UI
design process.
• Solutions Implemented: Describe the solutions and strategies
implemented to address these challenges.
• Results Achieved: Share the outcomes and impacts of the UI
design efforts on the project.

18. BEST PRACTICES FOR UI DESIGN
• Conduct User Research: Understand user needs, behaviors, and
preferences to inform UI design decisions.
• Design for Accessibility: Ensure that the UI is accessible to users with
disabilities by following accessibility guidelines and standards.
• Keep UI Elements Intuitive: Design UI elements and interactions that are
intuitive and easy to understand for users.
• Prioritize Content and Functionality: Focus on prioritizing content and
functionality to deliver a seamless user experience.
• Test and Iterate Continuously: Continuously test and iterate on UI
designs based on user feedback and testing results to improve usability
and effectiveness.

19. GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI)
• A GUI design utilizes elements such as text, icons, menu and
images, as well as components, to allow a user to easily navigate
and interact with a system.
• It’s all about designing an engaging and intuitive visual interface
that allows users to interact with the system with ease.
• Without a good GUI design, using a digital product can be
confusing and frustrating.

20. GUI CONT…
Advantages
• Users feel in control and are less likely to be intimidated by the system
• User learning time is relatively short
• Users get immediate feedback on their actions
• mistakes can be quickly detected and corrected
Problems
• Finding the right user metaphor may be difficult
• It can be hard to navigate efficiently in a large information space.
• It can be complex to program and demanding to execute

21. DIRECT MANIPULATION
Advantages
• Users feel in control and are less likely to be intimidated by the system
• User learning time is relatively short
• Users get immediate feedback on their actions
• mistakes can be quickly detected and corrected
Demerits
• Finding the right user metaphor may be difficult
• It can be hard to navigate efficiently in a large information space.
• It can be complex to program and demanding to execute

22. COMMAND INTERFACE
This involves the user typing commands to give instructions to the
system.
• May be implemented using cheap terminals
• Easy to process using compiler techniques
• Commands of arbitrary complexity can be created by command
combination
• Concise interfaces requiring minimal typing can be created

23. COMMAND INTERFACE CONT…
Advantages
• Allow experienced users to interact quickly with the system
• Commands can be scripted
Demerits
• Users have to learn and remember a command language
• Not suitable for occasional or inexperienced users
• An error detection and recovery system is required
• Typing ability is required

24. ANALOGUE VS DIGITAL PRESENTATION
Digital presentation
• Compact i.e takes up little screen space
• Precise values can be communicated
Analogue presentation
• Easier to get an 'at a glance' impression of a value
• Possible to show relative values
• Easier to see exceptional data values

25. USER GUIDANCE
The user guidance system is integrated with the user interface to
help users when they need information about the system or
when they make some kind of error.
Includes
• System messages, including error messages
• Documentation provided for users
• On-line help

26. HELPSYSTEM
• Multiple entry points should be provided i.e the user should be able
to get help from different places
• The help system should indicate where the user is positioned
• Navigation and traversal facilities must be provided

27. ERROR MESSAGE GUIDELINES
• Speak the user’s language
• Give constructive advice for recovering from the error
• Indicate negative consequences of the error (e.g., possibly
corrupted files)
• Give an audible or visual cue
• Don’t make the user feel guilty

28. KEY POINTS
• User interface design principles should help guide the design of user
interfaces.
• Interaction styles include direct manipulation, menu systems form fill-in,
command languages and natural language.
• Graphical displays should be used to present trends and approximate values.
Digital displays when precision is required.
• Color should be used sparingly and consistent.
• The user interface design process involves user analysis, system prototyping
and prototype evaluation.
• The goals of UI evaluation are to obtain feedback on how to improve the
interface design and to assess if the interface meets its usability requirements

29. REFERENCES
• Interaction Design Foundation - IxDF. (2016, June 2). What is User Interface
(UI) Design?. Interaction Design Foundation - IxDF.
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/ui-design
• Norman, D. A. (2013). The Design of Everyday Things. Basic Books.
• Nielsen, J., & Loranger, H. (2006). Prioritizing Web Usability. New Riders.
• Garrett, J. J. (2010). The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design
for the Web and Beyond. New Riders.
• Shneiderman, B., & Plaisant, C. (2016). Designing the User Interface:
Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction. Pearson.
• Sommerville, I. (2004). Software Engineering.