GUI & Modern UI Design

Graphical User Interface (GUI)
GUI allows users to interact with
electronic devices through
graphical icons and visual
indicators
GUIs were introduced because users use to take a lot of time to learn command-line
interfaces which require commands to be typed on the keyboard.

User Interface Design
User Interface (UI) Design focuses on anticipating what users might need to do and ensuring that the
interface has elements that are easy to access, understand, and use to facilitate those actions.
• Input Controls:
• buttons, text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdown lists, list boxes, toggles, date field
• Navigational Components:
• breadcrumb, slider, search field, pagination, slider, tags, icons
• Informational Components:
• tooltips, icons, progress bar, notifications, message boxes, modal windows
• Containers:
• accordion

USER INTERFACE DESIGN TECHNIQUES

UI Useful Modern Techniques
One of the most significant elements of a good user interface is visibility of the system’s status.
Users must notice immediately what’s going on behind the scenes and whether their actions have
actually led to the expected results. To achieve a more sophisticated level of system visibility, Web
applications these days use AJAX (of course), which allows users to update portions of a Web page at
any time without having to refresh the whole page. AJAX brings the level of responsiveness and
interactivity of Web apps much closer to desktop-grade applications.
Highlight Important Changes

As the advanced features of modern Web applications (such as dragging and dropping, modal
windows, etc.) steadily gain on those of desktop apps, developers of these applications are trying to
offer users more responsive and interactive user interfaces. One of the techniques used to achieve this
is the integration of keyboard shortcuts or navigation. Just as with classic applications, this little
feature can significantly improve the workflow of your users and make it easier for them to get their
tasks done.
Enable Keyboard Shortcuts In Your Web Application

If your application features several subscription plans, make sure to remove any interface friction for
customers deciding to upgrade. Most users like to try the basic version of an application first to get a
better sense of what it offers and how it works. If they are convinced the application meets their
expectations, they will consider upgrading to a more advanced plan.
Upgrade Options From The Account Page

Advertise new features in your application. These would usually go in the sidebar, out of the way of
the main functions. If a user is nearing the maximum capacity of a certain feature for her chosen
subscription plan, you should point this out and give her an option to quickly upgrade.
Advertise Features Of The Application

Some applications feature feeds that aggregate various types of content. For example, you may have
a project management application that shows you all the latest messages, tasks and files on the home
page. If these items all appear together in one list, it may be difficult to tell what’s what. Many
applications use color coding to help visually distinguish between different types of entries. A
simple way to do this is to place a text label inside a colored box. This way, the list becomes easily
scan-able.
Use Color-Coded Lists

Many applications provide custom workspaces for people and businesses. Personalization can help
make your users feel more at home. This can be done by giving users options to customize the look
and feel of the application interface. Let them select the color theme, the link colors, the background
and so on. Even a small amount of customization will allow your users to make their pages their own.
Offer Personalization Options

Every Web application is different and has its own way of doing things. If the function of a particular
element isn’t immediately apparent, you can provide short help messages to get people started.
One important thing to note is that if you want to help people who aren’t sure what they’re doing yet,
you need to attract their attention to this message. One way to attract attention is with color – putting
a yellow “sticky” message in the sidebar, for example, is sure to stand out.
Display Help Messages That Attract The Eye

A good practice here is to do a couple of things. First, color code the different types of messages.
Messages that notify users of successful actions are usually colored green. These employ the traffic-
light analogy of green meaning “Go.” Warning and error messages are colored yellow. Same traffic-
light analogy here: yellow means slow down and wait. You can also distinguish between warning
messages and error messages by coloring errors red and warnings yellow.
Design Feedback Messages Carefully

Many Web applications have adopted the tabbed navigation approach for their main navigation menu.
Tabbed navigation is a menu that looks like each item is a tab on a file folder, with the active tab
connected to the body of the page. Tabbed navigation isn’t just eye candy; it provides a usability
benefit.
Use Tabbed Navigation

The sign-up form is potentially one of the biggest barriers between you and potential customers. The
longer the form, the more effort your visitors will have to make before becoming members of your
website or, perhaps, paying customers. To minimize the barrier, we’ve got to speed up the process.
This means removing all optional elements from the form and leaving only the core essentials. The
optional stuff can be filled in later.
Short Sign-Up Forms

USER INTERFACE DESIGN TRENDS

GUI & Modern UI Design

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