What is User Interface Design?

According to the folks at Interaction Design Foundation [www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/ui-design], user interface (UI) design is the process designers use to build interfaces in software or computerized devices, focusing on looks or style. Designers aim to create interfaces which users find easy to use and pleasurable. UI design refers to graphical user interfaces and other forms—e.g., voice-controlled interfaces.

It can be generally accepted that there are five prevalent types of user interface and each has a range of advantages and disadvantages:

  1. Command Line Interface
  2. Menu-driven Interface
  3. Graphical User Interface
  4. Touchscreen Graphical User Interface
  5. Conversational UI

Tasks:

  1. Select ONE (1) of the five prevalent types of user interface (UI) design methods listed above.
  2. Write a graduate-level paper NOT LESS THAN three (3) pages, in which you describe the UI design method that you have selected.

Your paper should provide MUCH more than a basic definition and your paper should aim to address the W’s

  • What is it?
  • Where is it used?
  • When (under what conditions would it be best used/utilized)?
  • Why is this method/approach considered better than the other approaches? Or is it?
  • Who would be the “targeted audience” for this selected UI design? Why?
  • What are the benefits of using this UI design?
  • What are the shortfalls or downside to using this UI design?