Buzz
Surely, you've heard the term UI before, haven't you? But its true name, meaning, and how many types of UI are there, few people may have explored.
What is User Interface, when do you use it, and where?
1. What is UI?.
2. Summary of UI history.
3. Types of UI and basic design requirements.
1. What is UI?
UI stands for User Interface, translating to giao diện người dùng in Vietnamese. Simply put, UI encompasses everything a user interacts with when using a digital product or service. That includes everything on the screen, keyboard, sound, and even light. Nearly all electronic devices we use in our daily lives, from mobile phones, computers, TVs, car systems, iPads, ATMs, industrial control systems, any device with a display screen, requires a UI.
When designers create user interfaces, they work to give the product a distinctive feel and bring about an aesthetic refresh. Whenever someone accesses your website, the first thing they'll see is the user interface, and it's also one of the crucial factors that determine whether users stay on the page for a long time or not.
Designing User Interface (UI) is closely linked with User Experience (UX) design. Both are crucial for the success of a digital product, and the terms are often used interchangeably. However, they're not the same. UI design focuses on creating interfaces concentrating on surface, appearance, and style, while UX design encompasses the entire user experience with a website or application (where UI is just a part). To understand the evolution of UI, let's delve into its history.
2. Summary of UI History
In the early computers, there were very few user interfaces apart from a few buttons on the control panel. Many of these early computers used punched cards as the main input method, often using keypunch machines for data entry.
Going back to the 1970s, if you wanted to use a computer, you had to use a command-line interface. The graphical interface used today didn't exist in the market. To operate a computer, users needed to communicate through programming languages, requiring seemingly endless lines of code to complete a simple task.
In the 1980s, computer scientists at Xerox PARC developed the Graphical User Interface (GUI). With this groundbreaking innovation, users could now interact with personal computers by visually sending commands through icons, buttons, menus, and checkboxes.
This technological shift meant that everyone could use computers without needing to code, marking the beginning of the personal computer revolution. In 1984, Apple Computer released the Macintosh personal computer accompanied by a computer mouse. The Macintosh was the first commercially successful home computer to use this type of interface.
The rise of mobile applications also influenced UI, leading to something called Mobile UI. Mobile UI specifically focuses on creating interactive interfaces usable on the smaller screens of smartphones, tablets, and enhancing features such as touch control.
3. Types of UI and basic design requirements for each type
Most digital products nowadays utilize Graphical User Interface (GUI) comprising text, links, buttons, and images. GUI was developed to replace the Command-Line Interface (CLI).
UI design underwent a significant revolution with the advent of touch devices, introducing a new type of interface called touch interface. While GUI relies on visual perception, touch UI relies on tactile sensation to complete tasks. This adds another level of interaction, especially for visually impaired users.
A further step forward is gesture interfaces, enabling users to control computers through body movements and gestures without needing to touch a keyboard, mouse, or screen.
Conversational user interfaces (CUI) mimic real conversations and can exist in the form of chatbots or voice assistants like Alexa or Siri. As interfaces evolve towards screenless or Zero UI, they may change how we search for information or perform tasks. Because when UI becomes simpler and more intuitive, users can interact with it 'implicitly' while driving, working, or communicating.
In conclusion, the user interface is the access point of a computer, product, or device that humans interact with. For UI to truly be user-friendly (whether it has a screen or not), it must be functional, reliable, usable, and engaging. They are a critical element of the user experience. Additionally, learn more about What is a Security Vulnerability here.
