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| By N2H | ||||||||||||||||||||||
User Interface design: Summary
June 24, 2008
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1) The interface should be easy to learn, transparent and obvious. It should not require the user to make undue effort to learn its operation.
2) Ideally there should be consistency between various parts of the interface and various interfaces to various applications.
3) The various methods used are not always interchangeable. It depends on the task being performed and the user.
4) Direct manipulation systems may be easy to learn, but have some drawbacks.
5) Command language systems can lack transparency, but can be very efficient and powerful once learned.
Attention
It is important to remember where systems do not take into consideration the users capabilities. Stress is likely to be the result. For the purposes of designing computer systems, it is important to take into consideration the following:
1) Reaction time
2) Movement time
3) Attention.
The following forms of attention need to be considered
a) Selected attention
b) Focused attention
c) Divided attention
d) Sustained attention (vigilance, monitoring)
Sustained Attention:
Design consideration and guidelines:
1) Work& rest schedules should be provided and different tasks done in order to reduce the amount of time spent on vigilance.
2) The signal should be as conspicuous as possible.
3) Uncertainty about where the signal is likely to occur should be reduced.
4) Artificial signals and feedback should be provided.
5) There should be adequate training and the skills acquired should be maintained.
6) Motivation is important.
7) Environmental distraction and stress should be minimized.
Selected Attention
This requires monitoring several channels in order to perform the task. As the number of channels increase, the individual performance decreases.
Guidelines:
1) The number of channels on display should be kept to a minimum.
2) The relative importance of the various channels should be made clear.
3) Environment should be as stress free as possible.
4) Information should be available as to where the next likely source of information will be.
5) Users should be trained to scan effectively.
6) Multiple channels should be as close together as possible.
Focused Attention
This is the ability to attend to one event from what amounts to a mass of competing stimuli in the environment. The problem in designing for focused attention is to maintain the single channel of information without distraction.
Guidelines:
1) Competing channels should be as far apart as possible.
2) Competing channels should be kept to a minimum.
3) The channel of interest should be bigger, brighter and more demanding of attention.
Divided Attention
1) Potential services of information should be limited as far as possible.
2) The user should be encouraged to priorities
3) The task should be as easy as possible.
4) The task should be dissimilar in terms of input, output and modality so as to reduce the likelihood of confusion between them.
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