User interface design

Interface Design (German: interface design) is a discipline of design that deals with the design of user interfaces between man and machine. For the conditions, objectives and obstacles of this interaction are investigated by both human and technical side and later - if possible - optimized to serve humanity. Goal of interface design is a user interface that is designed so that the widest possible range of users finds an optimal Wunsch-/Bedürfnis-/Zielerfüllung by appropriate action steps. While designers (English: Interaction Design ) across in the course of interaction design in detail with the behavior and the design ( use cases ) employ a product, it comes in the interface design for the concrete design, though not only visually, an interface. Both disciplines are difficult to separate from each other, the boundaries are blurred, because every interaction designers designed mostly in the process, a graphical interface. Typical fields of work of interface designers are software design, usability research, web design or product design.

In the definition of Jef Raskin limits the importance not only to the design of graphical user interfaces ( GUI), but uses the term interface on behalf of an " interface between man and machine or human-computer ". Speech recognition is therefore also an interface. Specifically, he says: " An interface called namely the way how a product performs a specific task - that is what the user can do and how the system responded " In this sense, the term interface design of the German translation "Interface Design" more appropriate, so you not only deals exclusively with the visual, graphic design. A successful definition of the terminology interface design and interaction design is the consideration of the interaction design as a design of a process, while the interface design designing a final product comes closest.

Field of work

The interaction with a single user interface - usually a screen, but also machines or machines, for example - will run from the user interaction request landscaped feedback mechanisms (input and output of data via keyboard / controller / targeted action) within a reasonable time to a self-contained meaningful result. An important aspect of this is that the user should experience a positive user experience possible user experience when interacting.

By far the largest field within the Interface-/Interaktionsdesigns is the interaction with a computer. Here Interface Design is part of the field of human-computer interaction. The objective is the optimal finding, evaluating, modifying, and storing information that the user executes within a digital knowledge space (website, database, program, offers all kinds). Here are conceptual ( measurable and controllable, "hard ") and aesthetic (individual, "soft" ) takes into account aspects of the interaction. For this test are in practice usually carried out at the respective target group already during the design phase.

History

Interface Design is a young discipline, whose birth to the end of text-driven computer control, and the beginning of visual user interfaces accompanied ( working with the mouse, graphical representation of content; see also user interface of the Apple Macintosh circa 1980 ). With the increase of computer workstations, the concept of software ergonomics, which is fixed in Germany since 2000 by law or in software producers in developing internal policies originated.

The Internet, with its global spread from the late 90s brought the concept of usability, examined under the first individuals ( Jakob Nielsen ) the new medium on usability by heterogeneous user groups. The continued worldwide use and acceptance of digital offerings, coupled with their high interactivity, led to the current academic and commercial "Usability research," the structured problem areas in human- machine interaction investigated.

Nomenclature

A distinction is made in each case the terms Interaction Design and Interface Design, even if both merges together.

The term interface design, the emphasis is placed on the appropriate design of interactive surfaces. But these can only be successful if you know the involved users, data, and goals of the process under investigation, and this includes with. The term "interface", however, implies focusing on the interactive controls for an interactive product. In short, the focus is on surface and presentation of information, taking into account a dynamic environment.

The interface design allows the dialogue between the user and the machine between the transmitter and receiver. This applies to both analog and digital devices. The question about the "What" or "How?" Is clarified. "What is it? How it works? How is it to use? "

This is an interface more than just a machine or product. It represents a situation and represents an interactive interaction between man and machine. " Here, but rather it is about the anticipation of behaviors and needs and the expectations that directs a user to a product. Interface design is not only used to enable communication and information based on a formal design, but also to self- initiate behavior and to be able to dynamically respond to it. Interface design is then contribute the information and the dialogue out of the experience and environment can significantly cause a material and its interactive nature is perceived by the user, ideally as an oriented human system. "

When the general term interaction design interaction concept is meant, which is behind the surface. The consideration is holistic - it is not for an existing product an interface defined for a user, but the product is re-imagined from the desired interaction out. For this purpose, interactive interfaces are then of course needed, without which these processes can not be successful. In short, focus on usage scenarios and processes, dynamic environment and information transport, taking into account the necessary interaction elements.

The Interaction Design describes the Funktionsweg and the way how the user is encouraged to act and interact. The question about the " Which way? " Is communicated and has a major impact on the perception of the content from. " The functional aspects of the interactive work are not an end in itself, but an essential component of the content and the overall design. The Interaction Design can enable new experiences during the User and retrieve new. "

Literature, research, teaching

Important names in this context (including the highly relevant for the interface design field of cognitive psychology) are Donald Norman, Jef Raskin, Ben Shneiderman, Bruce Tognazzini, Jakob Nielsen and Steve Krug, all with a focus on the "Common Sense Approach" place. Here would be for the design of the design theorist Dr. hc To call Gui Bonsiepe of 1993 the first professorship for interface design at a college of design in Germany had generally interpreted and design as designing interfaces ( KISD at the Department of Design at the University of Applied Sciences Cologne, today).

In the U.S. there is a very dedicated faculty at MIT. In Europe, currently being built constantly new course offerings to this discipline. Chairs with recognized reputation are represented by their own courses of study on this topic, for example, the University of Malmö in Sweden and the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam. The College of Design Umeå (Sweden ) offers a master's degree in Interaction Design. In addition, the IT product design master's program is taught at the University of Southern Denmark.

In Germany, in addition to the Muthesius Art College in Kiel and the University of Magdeburg- Stendal ( Master of Arts in Interaction Design ) offer to the University of Potsdam and since the autumn of 2007, the University of Design Schwäbisch Gmünd based courses. The University of Fulda has on the subject since 2005, an interdisciplinary and cross- departmental center of excellence for human-computer interaction.

In this context, also the interface laboratory of the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, the Institute HyperWerk the College of Art and Design University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland ( FHNW) in Basel / Switzerland, the study area Interaction Design at the School of Art and Design Zurich and the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea in Italy to call.

In the environment of computer science Konstanz University offers the specialization in human-computer interaction in the Bachelor 's or Master's degree in Information Engineering, which moves in the interdisciplinary field of tension between computer science, design, and psychology. A similar course of study can be found at the University of Duisburg -Essen. There is the Master's program " Cognitive and Media Studies " with a focus on Human Computer Interaction (specialization computer science or psychology).

The term interface design should not be confused with the single term interface. The interface concept is in design discourse more broadly, the relationship between people, products ( or tools ) and actions. It is in this specific sense, a common denominator between different design disciplines.

Related fields of knowledge

Since the interface design of complex processes are to be successfully linked together, provide other areas of knowledge insights and inspiration for interface design:

• Design and creation - especially in typography, color theory, layout (see Screen Design)
• Heuristics - the science of the general repeatable practices in learning, cognition and problem-solving processes. That is how man appropriates knowledge and mentally organized.
• Psychology - in particular cognitive psychology, ie the knowledge of our reception and evaluation of communication.
• Archiving - science and practice about how to store data to a successful recovery by third parties and to be provided.
• Media theory - the more theoretical investigation, which typologies and inherent properties have media and how these are worn during use by the media -using people.
• Computer science, programming, and artificial intelligence (AI ) - As an interface always a map of the underlying data agglomeration, and the procedures and conditions for data processing must be known.
• Sociology - a knowledge area that is still little to do with the interface design, but will gain importance in the future: How to meet different ages and cultures a man-machine interface?