User Interface User Interface DesignDesign

What is a User Interface?

UI is the basic format allowing a user to operate a programCommand Line (CLI) is text-basedGraphical User Interface (GUI) relies on

pictures Both user interfaces can be applied to

biomedical informaticsBut when?

UI Components

Most common GUI configurationWIMP – window, icon, mouse, pointer

CLI configurations can varyScriptsTUI – looks like graphic, but comprised of text

characters

Design Principles

Know your users!Needs and goals

Special professional jargonComputer literacy

Emulate a familiar system Nobody loves an ugly GUI

Human-Computer Interaction

Study of interactions between computers and people Interdisciplinary field draws from informatics,

psych, cog. sci., comp. sci., etc. Clear understanding of HCI improves user-

friendliness

Clinical Contexts Identify need

Clinical, administration, research A precise definition of the problem

Tech solution is unacceptable if it misses the point

Technology addresses the need Development driven by tech often fails

To do or not to do?

Buy It? Develop It?

Off-the-shelf softwareLess expensiveExpensive to customize If it works well enough, BUY it!

Custom developmentExpensiveCan we actually do this? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

When Things Go Awry

If the user is not comfortable with the interface, he/she will give up

Mistakes can be ¢o$t£y Case example (Ch. 5)

How to Make It All Better

User involvementModel user habits indirectlyDirect user involvement better, but

complicated Medical information specialists

Mediate between users and software developers

How to Make It All Better (con’d)

User testingPrototypingSpiral model

Evaluation Case example (Ch. 5)

THE END