User Interface Design

What is a User Interface? UI is the basic format allowing a user to operate a program Command Line (CLI) is text-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) relies on pictures Both user interfaces can be applied to biomedical informatics But when?

UI Components Most common GUI configuration WIMP – window, icon, mouse, pointer CLI configurations can vary Scripts TUI – looks like graphic, but comprised of text characters

Design Principles Know your users! Needs and goals Special professional jargon Computer 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 software Less expensive Expensive to customize If it works well enough, BUY it! Custom development Expensive Can we actually do this? If it aint broke, dont 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 involvement Model user habits indirectly Direct user involvement better, but complicated Medical information specialists Mediate between users and software developers

How to Make It All Better (cond) User testing Prototyping Spiral model Evaluation Case example (Ch. 5)

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