Designing a Usable Interface

Okay, we've been talking about usability and accessibility issues now for some time. This week’s topic is user interface design. But before we begin, we need to make sure that we share an understanding of the notion of interface. Just what is an “interface?” A Google search of “interface” returns about 37 million hits, and “user interface” reduces that to a mere 6.8 million. Webopedia has a concise definition, while Wikipedia goes into a bit more detail. Once we grasp the meaning of user interface, understanding “interface design” is the next step. For online definitions see this web page, and the Usable Interface Design Primer.

Before you go any further, write down your own definition of “interface design” and add it to your 336.html web page.

Okay, now back to the subject at hand.



All joking aside, good interface design should avoid the reaction displayed above. As someone once said, “As far as the customer is concerned, the interface is the product.” A website or software application with poor interface design is destined to fail. Think about some examples of poorly designed interfaces that you’ve encountered. Now, think of some good examples. That's more difficult. Why? Because good interface design becomes invisible or "transparent." Your thoughts?