User Interface Design

In the preface to his book on user interface design, Ben Shneiderman states: anxiety and Frustration are category of daily life for several users of computerized information systems. They struggle to learn menu selecting or command language systems which are supposed to help them do their job. Some people encounter like serious cases of computer shock terminal or network neurosis in which they avoid using computerized systems. The problem to which Shneiderman alludes is real. We have all encountered interfaces which are hard to learn and hard to use confusing unforgiving and in various causes totally frustrating. Since someone spent energy and time building each of these interfaces and it is likely in which the builder did not build these problems purposely.

The User interface design has as much to do with the study of people as it do with technology issues. How does the user learn to interface with a new computer-based system? Who is the user? How does the user interpret information produced through the system? What will the user expect of the system? These are only a few of the several questions which must be asked and answered as part of user interface design.