Future of interface design
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The document discusses the evolution of user interface (UI) design, emphasizing the shift from traditional hardware-focused interactions to more sophisticated graphical user interfaces (GUIs), which democratized access to technology. It highlights the importance of user experience and usability in designing effective interfaces, noting the emerging trends in voice user interfaces (VUIs) and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR). As technology evolves, it urges designers to consider new interaction methods and to continuously adapt to changing user needs and expectations.
Future of interface design
- 1. TECHLAUNCHER | MARCH 2018 The Future of Interface Design Copyright © 2018 Todd Soulas. All rights reserved.
- 2. The User Interface (UI) is the dimension that lies between humans and machines. It is the plane of interaction between the operator and the device (or software). Alternatively put – the (UI) is the connection point between your technical solution and the user – it is the means by which you connect users to value. The way that this has occurred has changed over time as we shifted from a hardware focus to a mixture of hardware and software. We leapt from behind mechanical levers, into pneumatic tubes and punch cards, to command line interfaces, and landed in a sea of GUI. The point A User Interface connects users with the value of your solution
- 3. Beyond the concept of UI itself there are two other important concepts to keep in mind when designing technical solutions User Interface Design • User Interface Design is the intentional composition of elements on a device in which a user interacts with. • The main considerations when designing for UI are maximization of usability (the measurement of ease and learnability of an interface) and user experience (the user’s response to their interaction with the interface). • These concepts are important to keep in mind, because machines are, in most cases (at present anyway), made by people, for people. Graphical User Interface • A Graphical User Interface, or GUI, allows users to interact with a computer through secondary interactions, such as icons and input fields, as opposed to learning command-line interfaces (CLIs), which today we would call “coding”. • This technology can be seen as a step change in the history of human-machine interaction as it essentially democratised access to computers. • Whilst a GUI is still the dominant form of interaction with computers this is changing – and those building new technical solutions need to be aware of that. Take note
- 4. No matter how many features or how advanced and precise you want your solution to be remember - bad UI can destroy lives Please no
- 5. Before you design - research what is out there, look at competitors, ‘Google it’, or do what I do for almost everything, and go search ProductHunt (and sometimes Medium) First step
- 6. So what? The landscape • Screens dominate our current approach to UI but that is changing. • ’Good’ companies are becoming more ‘design-led’ than ‘engineering-led’ and this applies in areas outside of tech. • On the precipice of an explosion in UI due to the growth in platforms such as voice and AR/VR. Tips for young players • Good design is expected and there are a plethora of tools to help you achieve this. • There is a clear distinction between aesthetics and good User Interface Design make sure you invest your limited resources wisely. • UI and UX are related but not the same. Each has a special place in building great products. As technology has advanced and many solutions have become commodity-like in nature there has been a shift to highlight the importance of design
- 9. What’s next? GUI democratised technology and shaped the direction of human-machine interaction for decades – Voice User Interfaces can go further What does tomorrow look like? • Voice User Interfaces (VUI) are already here albeit in primitive form. • Human-machine interaction becoming ‘invisible’ due to VUI and computer-brain interfaces but living on in our minds. • Will machine-machine interaction change in nature to resemble human-machine interaction? Why should you care? • You need to consider if your technical solutions can coexist with alternative UI concepts and multiple points of interaction • You need to think about how to design for user interaction in a post GUI world. • Understanding the possibilities of UI can unlock new value propositions (consider VUI v GUI).
- 10. Todd Soulas +61 404 047 844 twitter.com/toddsoulas linkedin.com/in/toddsoulas [email protected]