Styles of User Interface

Learning Objectives: By the end of this topic you should be able to: describe the characteristics of different styles of user interface, describe appropriate uses of different styles of user interface.

Styles of Interface

What are the characteristics of these Styles of Interface? Command Based Forms Dialogue Natural Language WIMP

Command Based (CLI) command prompt on screen -e.g. MSDOS prompt commands are typed -text-based via keyboard need to know command language -only for experts -technical problem solving requires very little processing power

Forms represents piece of paper to fill in on-screen -used for data entry -e.g. registering as new member prompts giving assistance -labels boxes to enter data user can be given choices -list boxes, drop-down menus, radio buttons validation checks can be made -certain fields can be made compulsory input useful for novice users

Dialogue dialogue box shown prompts given questions asked -choices to be made responses given

Natural Language

user types or speaks in normal everyday language -computer responds to commands (or reserved words) -e.g. Microsoft Help & Google search engine useful for novice users - no need to understand the computer software to use it. vocal input (via microphone): -useful for physically handicapped people. e.g. writing a letter/searching the web -difficult to use in noisy areas -need to train software to recognise accents

GUI

Graphical User Interface (GUI) WIMP Window: area of the screen contains grouped icons/elements Icons: use of pictures to represent objects or actions Menus: predefined, grouped list of options (pop-up/drop down) Pointers: pointer shape indicates action to be performed memory & processor intensive direct manipulation interface -‘drag & drop’

GUI

Menus/Submenus Features: series of related items which can be selected with pointer -that drop down/pop up -can be cascaded – contextual -submenus structured into options -separated by function

Menus/Submenus