What is UI (User Interface)?

What should a properly designed Graphical User Interface (GUI) look like?

The GUI design should be well thought out and tailored to the needs of the target audience and the context in which it will be used. From the user's point of view, the UI should be:

• intuitive to use

• consistent

• accessible

• helpful

• aesthetically pleasing and visually appealing

• responsive

• effective

What does a Graphic Interface consist of?

UIs can vary widely depending on the type of digital product, the purposes they are intended to serve, and the functionality. They can vary because of the users themselves. For example, the final look of an application for seniors, visually impaired people will be designed differently than for people without various types of limitations.

GUI uses structural elements that together define the appearance of the interface.

GUI components can be assigned to 4 groups:

1. Input controls - include input fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, buttons, switches.

2. Navigational components - navigational components - breadcrumbs, icons, pagination, menus, search box, sliders, tags, tabs.

3. Informational components - informational components - notification windows, pop-up, progress bar, tool tip.

4. Containers - Containers (containers) - accordions.

UI design principles

It is said that a well-designed GUI is "invisible". The user does not pay attention to whether an element is placed in the right place. If this element is integral, perceived as helpful - it fulfills its function.

To design an "invisible" ui designer uses a number of principles.

Here are some principles according to Lucy Lockwood and Larry Constantine, the application of which makes design much more effective.

They focus on user experience in their design approach.

1. The principle of structure

2. The principle of simplicity

3. The principle of visibility

4. The principle of feedback

5. The principle of tolerance

6. The principle of reuse

The principle of structure

The principle of structure refers to the architecture and how elements are organized.

Under this principle, the interface should be carefully planned and organized to allow users to easily understand and navigate.

The main aspects of this principle are:

• Hierarchy of information - elements should be organized hierarchically in such a way that there is a clear relationship between them.

• Grouping and categorization - related elements should be grouped together, clearly separated from other elements.

• Navigation - the structure should include a clear navigation system.

• Consistency - the user interface should be consistent throughout the project, both in terms of style and functionality.

• Clarity - the structure should be clear and easy to understand. Users should be able to quickly locate the information and functions they need, without unnecessary effort or confusion.

The principle of simplicity

This principle speaks for itself - the interface must be simple, it should facilitate the performance of simple, typical tasks, foster communication between the user and the application in the user's language - using clear, simple words. Elements of the interface should be unambiguous and not confusing. Buttons and labels (graphic elements) should be clear and precise so that users know what will happen when they click on them.

Visibility principle

This principle ensures that information and functions are easily visible to the user at the right time and in the right context. Its purpose is to eliminate ambiguity, confusion and difficulty in locating needed information and functions.

Feedback principle

It is important to provide the user, through clear and specific messages, with appropriate information about the effects of his actions.

This is an important design principle to inform the user about results, states, errors or other events related to interaction with the interface.

Tolerance principle

The purpose of this principle is to minimize the consequences of erroneous user actions by providing flexibility and forbearance in interacting with application elements. Interface design should take into account potential mistakes that users may make and prevent or minimize their impact on system performance. For example, if a user has not filled in all the required fields of a form, the interface can provide a warning or indicate the missing fields. The interface should provide users with helpful hints and contextual information to help them understand how to use various functions and how to avoid errors.

Reuse principle

The interface should allow for reuse and re-use of elements in different contexts. The goal of this principle is to increase design efficiency and consistency throughout the interface, thus reducing the need for users to rethink and remember information.