Interface design principle - by Tan Ding Chao

1.0  Introduction
The principles of interface design is help to the designers to improve the quality of the product design. Larry Constantine is a good interface designer. He have some interface design principles are already talk to the social. There are structure principle, simplicity principle, feedback principle, tolerance principle and reuse principle. This 5 principle are always use by the designers now. Beside to these principle. There are also have different principle and also useful. There are some good example of the interface design.

Figure 1.1 Microsoft word 2010

Figure 1.2 Smartphone interface

2.0  Principle of the design

2.1 Structure Principle

The designer should organize the user interface purposefully. This make it useful and meaningful based on clear. Because it make the user consistent models apparent, recognizable and consistent models apparent. For the designers also need to put the related material together and separate or remove the unrelated material.

2.2 simplicity principle

This is a very important principle. This is because the designers need to think a design to make it simple and can clearly know what the information is given to their users. For the example, the designers can communicate simply in user’s own language or using common tasks simple to do communicate clearly. This principle also provide good shortcuts related to longer procedures.

2.3 The visibility principle

A good interface design need to give the user know what the important things they can use. So, the designers must keep all the needed option to their user.  Figure2.3.1 show a car user interface. This is a good user interface design because it can let the users faster know what it can use during driving. Figure 2.3.2 is a watch design. The design is too complicate to the user. A very good example of the visibility is the ATM. ATM using very straight forward visibility to the users.

Figure 2.3.1 Car interface

Figure 2.3.2 Watch interface

Figure 2.3.3 ATM

2.4 The feedback principle

For the feedback principle, the interface should inform actions or interpretation the information clearly to the users. The most usual example we always can see is the road direction sign board. If the sign board not describe clearly, that may cause many problem to all the drivers.  Some of the design also use to inform or condition and changes of state. A good feedback include mode of feedback, message, mode of feedback and feedback wit good exit. Lastly, the design must me keep the mode of communication. It has to clear and in language familiar to user.

2.5 One primary action per screen

When we design an interface, we need to give the screen of an action of real value. This principle can make it easy to use and understand to the user. When we design a poster, we need to give a main and simple picture to give the user have a strong impression and easy to understand.

2.6 Reuse principle

Sometimes you will realise some of the design with the same designers is almost same. This concept of them using is reuse principle. The reuse principle is using the behaviour and internal and external component to maintain the same topic difference from the old to new.  This principle help to save the time of the designers complete the product to the users.

2.7 Know your user

A user is a very important person and it is a goal to the designers. Before you start design an interface you should know what interface is your users like. Do some research and on your research first and it will make your design more easy to achieve the goal.

Conclusion

From this background study, I understand the principle of Larry Constantine use. His principle are really useful when we are designing the interface. I can realise the important principle of the interface design. I trust I will use what I learn from here to procedure my project. 

 Reference

1.      10 User Interface Design Fundamentals - Treehouse Blog. 2014. 10 User Interface Design Fundamentals - Treehouse Blog. [ONLINE] Available at: http://blog.teamtreehouse.com/10-user-interface-design-fundamentals. [Accessed 25 February 2014].

2.      Principles of User Interface Design. 2014. Principles of User Interface Design. [ONLINE] Available at: http://bokardo.com/principles-of-user-interface-design/. [Accessed 25 February 2014].

3.      Tolerance Principle in User Interfaces. 2014. Tolerance Principle in User Interfaces. [ONLINE] Available at: http://idyeah.com/blog/2011/04/tolerance-principle-in-user-interfaces/. [Accessed 26 February 2014].