The Humanization of Computer Interfaces : An engineers view of an users interface

Presented by: Chandralekha Ray(BAM10021) Monalisa Das(BAM10040) Angikar Borgohain(BAM10032) Mithun Kumar Biswas(BAM10011)

WHAT THE CASE IS ABOUT..??

The data processing department gave an account number to the engineer. Two days later, a terminal was moved into his office and handed the user's manual to him.

Contd..
Soon he started to explore the system and after he had turned the terminal on, he was asked LOGON. Pressing of the "/" key stopped printing in the computer. Pressed Return Key ACCESS DENIED.

Contd..
Called Woman from the Computer Center Different Programs worked differently, different terms for different programs same item had different names and operation in different programs.

Contd..
6 months later problem with one his programs ----- woman in the call centre asked him to replace the old program with a new one.

Why can't computer people apply this same approach to their programs?

User Interface defined..

A user interface is the system by which users interact with a machine. The user interface includes hardware (physical) and software (logical) components. User interfaces exist for various systems, and provide a means of:

The user interface of a mechanical system, a vehicle or an industrial installation is sometimes referred to as the humanmachine interface (HMI).

Why do we need to have a great user interface..??

The goal of human-machine interaction is to produce a user interface which makes it easy, efficient, and enjoyable to operate a machine in the way which produces the desired result. It means that the operator needs to provide minimal input to achieve the desired output, and also that the machine minimizes undesired outputs to the human.

Contd..
Usability is the degree to which the design of a particular user interface takes into account the human psychology and physiology of the users, and makes the process of using the system effective, efficient and satisfying.

Engineers Complaints
How can a computer read without printing? Why do same items have different names and operations in different programs? Why there are no well defined user friendly methods for operating a program?

Contd..
Are there tests that can be applied to programs comparing ease of use? Why no mock- tests are conducted after developing a program to check its usability?

Consideration in design of a User Interface

User analysis Usability Testing Screen Design(GUI) Feedback and Assistance Error Control

User analysis analysis of the potential users of the system.

What would the user want the system to do? How would the system fit in with the user's 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?

Usability Testing:
Done to test whether the system can work effectively and efficiently.

Screen Design (GUI):

clear , uncluttered and free of irrelevant information. Provide information that is essential for making a decision.

Provide all data related to one task on a single screen.

Feedback and Assistance:

System should acknowledge every user request in some way
Additional assistance should be available on request.

Error Control
Error tolerant i.e. despite evident errors in input, the intended result may be achieved with either no or minimal action by the user. Error prevention and error detection

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING A WELL-DESIGNED INTERFACE

Consistency & Clarity

Context & Navigation

Search

Flexibility

Personalization

Consistency & Clarity

Usage of consistent language and tone throughout, with words, phrases and concepts similar to users, rather than system oriented terms Icons or words/commands indicating actions and options should be clearly differentiated so that users can readily tell them apart. Example: Labels for items such as full text and citation should appear with the icon.

The same words/commands should perform the same functions throughout the interface.

Functions of words/commands should be consistent with widely accepted standards.

Context & Navigation

The interface should be structured so that, at any given point, users can identify where they are in relation to the supported options and functions.

Links should clearly indicate to users where they will end up, preventing errors. It should be clear how to exit or back up from an activity at any point in the process.

Search
Should provide multiple ways for users to intuitively refine a query by grouping, sorting, and limiting from the results page Should offer choices from a menu of pre-defined syntaxes Documentation of the range and scope of searchable materials must be easy accessible

Flexibility
There must be a minimal learning curve for first time users, and as well as provisions for more advanced users to learn features as they become appropriate Mechanisms should be available to speed up the interaction for expert users

Contd..
Should always keep users informed about the status of reported problems through appropriate feedback Error messages should be expressed in plain language, precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution

Personalization
User defined display options should be available.
Example: Users should be able to change the size of icons, or choose a certain number of results to display

Thusin a nutshell
It's not your fault. !! Simple things should stay simple.
In today's consumer culture, what should be blamed on bad interface design is instead blamed on the "incompetence" of users. Its absolutely right and proper for complicated tasks to take time and expertise to accomplish some things that are fundamentally simplelike changing the time on a wristwatchshould stay simple. The less burdened a user's mind is with irrelevant decisions, the more clear their mind is to accomplish what they need to get done. When one ensures that a machine can't lose a user's work, interfaces become a lot simpler Good interfaces make forming good habits really easy, and they make forming bad habits nearly impossible.

Fewer choices mean fewer worries. Your data is sacred.

Good interfaces create good habits.