User Interface Design Principles

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of the navigation area in an interface?

To enter data and view reports
To provide status information
To facilitate user movement within the application (correct)
To group similar information together

What is the recommended approach to arranging areas and information in an interface?

To prioritize aesthetics over usability
To randomize the placement of areas
To use a single area for all information
To minimize user movement between areas (correct)

What is the purpose of breadcrumbs in an interface?

To show the navigational path (correct)
To highlight menu selections
To indicate the current location
To provide a visual hierarchy of menus

What is a key principle of content awareness in interface design?

Providing clear titles and menu information (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to use dates and version numbers in an interface?

To aid system users in understanding the system (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the work area in an interface?

To enter data and view reports (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why is consistency important in interface design?

To reduce user effort (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key principle of layout design in an interface?

To minimize user movement between areas (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which method of interface design prototyping involves creating a sequence of drawings to depict a user's interaction over time?

Storyboarding (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary disadvantage of formal usability testing?

It is expensive (C) Signup and view all the answers

In interface evaluation methods, what does a walkthrough evaluation involve?

Simulating movement through components (A) Signup and view all the answers

What kind of prototype is created using HTML?

HTML prototype (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which principle of navigation design involves ensuring that no commands are displayed if they cannot be used?

Prevent mistakes (C) Signup and view all the answers

According to the principles of navigation design, users should be assumed to have which of the following?

No external help readily at hand (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does the heuristic evaluation method of interface evaluation involve?

Comparing the design to a checklist (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which prototyping method creates a dynamic model of the interface but can be costly and time-consuming?

Language prototype (B) Signup and view all the answers

What purpose does a use scenario serve?

Outline steps users perform to accomplish part of their work (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the Interface Structure Diagram (ISD) show?

The relationships between screens, forms, and reports (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which component is NOT typically part of an Interface Structure Diagram?

Icons (D) Signup and view all the answers

What tool is suggested for organizing a website's interface?

Site map (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does a site map help in website development?

It establishes the hierarchy of information on the site (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which element is NOT part of defining interface standards?

Network configuration (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which is an example of an interface metaphor?

Calendar (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which standard interface element is used to represent and perform actions?

Interface actions (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Interface Design Principles

Key principles for user interface design include layout, content awareness, aesthetics, usage level, consistency, and minimizing user effort.

Layout Concepts

The screen can be divided into three boxes: navigation area (top), status area (bottom), and work area (middle).
Information can be presented in multiple areas, and like areas should be grouped together.
Areas and information should minimize user movement from one to another, and ideally, areas will remain consistent in size, shape, and placement.

Content Awareness

All interfaces should have titles, and menus should show where you are and where you came from to get there.
It should be clear what information is within each area, and fields and field labels should be selected carefully.
Use dates and version numbers to aid system users.

Interface Design Prototyping

A mock-up or simulation of screens, forms, or reports can be created using methods such as paper sketches, wireframe diagrams, storyboarding, wireflow diagrams, HTML prototypes, or language prototypes.

Interface Evaluation Methods

Evaluation methods include heuristic evaluation, walkthrough evaluation, interactive evaluation, and formal usability testing.

Basic principles of navigation design include assuming users have not read the manual, have not attended training, and do not have external help readily at hand.
All controls should be clear and understandable and placed in an intuitive location on the screen.
Prevent mistakes, simplify recovery from mistakes, and use consistent grammar order (action-object, object-action).

Organization of the Interface

Define the basic components of the interface and how they work together to provide functionality to users.
Use Interface Structure Diagram (ISD) to show how all screens, forms, and reports are related and how users move from one to another.
For Web sites, use a site map to show how all the information on the site fits together and to establish the hierarchy of information on the site.

Defining Standards

Clarify decisions on all key interface elements to ensure consistency, including basic common elements, interface metaphor, interface objects, interface actions, interface icons, and interface templates.