Good user interface is one of the most important things which let you achieve your objectives and goals. The result is that you get happy, engaged and satisfied users. Here are the few fundamentals explained while starting a new interface.
1. Identify your users
It is very important to learn about your users because their goals are your goals. Learn about their experiences and expertise, and what they require. Find out about their interface interests and observe them. Do not imitate designs or get carried away to make your space. Your first priority is your users so it is important that you focus on them. This will let you achieve your goals.
Your users expect consistency because they need it. Once a thing is done can be performed again and again. Layout, language and unique designs are just a few elements of the interface that require consistency. This enables users to have a better understanding on how things work which will increase their graph of efficiency.
3. Provide opinion
Feedbacks and opinion are important aspects which lets interface speak to users whether they are wrong, right or misunderstood. Informing them will help them improve. Inform them about errors, changes, errors or expectations. Simple messaging or visual clues can show your users whether their actions can have expected results or not. Also see effectiveui blog for more user interface design tips.
4. Walk along with them
All interfaces need copywriting of some level. Keep things informal, not exciting. Provide your users with concise and clear labels for actions and keep your interactions simple. Your users are definitely going to appreciate your this action because they won’t be able to hear you instead they will hear themselves.
5. Forgive all
No matter how good or best your design is, users are going to make mistakes because it is in human nature. But a tolerance is also a quality of humans which you have to add in your UI. Design such interface that has undo actions and be forgiving. If users create mistakes use your tool of messaging as a teaching situation by showing what went wrong and assure them they know how they can prevent errors.
6. Use visual commands
Design your UI in such a way that allow them to stay focused on important things. The color, size and elements placement work altogether creating a simple path so that you can understand interface. A clear command will go a long way in reducing complexity even if actions are complex.
7. Patterns are important
Users spend a lot of time on interfaces rather than yours (My Space, Facebook, bank of America, bloggers, news websites, school/university etc.)There is no requirement of inventing new things. Already existing interface can solve problems that users come across while one you are developing. By using familiar UI patterns, your users will have homely feeling.
Once users got expertise with your interface it is time to reward them and stop their training. Provide them with more abstracts and keep moving forward.