Importance of Good User Interface for Websites

Introduction:

Today, our interactions with the digital world surpass our human interactions. User interface (UI) defines the way we interact with information systems. In a digital world, where experiences matter,a website’s User interface must be appealing, user-friendly and facilitate a visitor to learn more about the portal and its offerings.

A User interface prompts a visitor to seek further information, navigate the site, make a registration or purchase decision through a dialogue or a series of clicks. In this modern era of digital marketing, User interface plays a pivotal role in increasing conversion rates as well as customer loyalty.

User interface – Meaning, Components:

A User interface is a simple, intuitive means for a user to interact with PCs, smart mobile devices, websites, communication devices, and software applications. UI mainly features two components – input and output.

Typical UI elements, mostly comprised of keypads and touch-screens. In a computerized environment, UI refers to the software developed to handle the physical elements in an ergonomic style.  For instance, a web-based User interface accepts input and generates output as web pages on the Internet. A user can access the same on a web browser.

Additionally, latest UIs such as touch User interface, gesture interfaces, and intelligent User interface continue to enrich user experience. Interface elements range from input controls (buttons, dropdown menus, data fields), navigational components (search field, slider, icons, tags), informational components (progress bars, notifications, message boxes) to containers (accordion).

Significance of User interface:

Though a website provides a broad array of offerings, absence of a proper means to interact with that website will make it worthless. A Good User interface focuses on making the user’s interaction simple and efficient. Users appreciate interesting websites with intuitive User interfaces that guide them towards their task in the most engaging style.

The job of web designers is to create functional sites that easily attract customer’s interest and propel online traffic. In the present era, where a vast number of businesses depend on the Internet for their survival and success, a simple and effective User interface plays a prominent role in web development.

A bad UI design bounces away visitors to seek a more reliable website. Every single second a user spends on a website is directly attributable to the usability of a good UI. User experience (UX) evolved as a critical aspect of web development that focuses on human engagement and experience. A successful UX design is a blend of cognitive psychology, skillful graphics and relevant content.

A Good User interface – Characteristics:

• Multi-language support
• Screen fit
• Tooltip
• Address the specific requirements of a website
• Functionality
• Help
• Typography
• Ghost text
• Fast loading
• Proper spacing and positioning of icons
• Simple, organized, consistent, recognizable layout
• Appealing graphics
• Lightweight UI components
• Added functionality with task panes/ side bars
• Guided Navigation via train pattern (for websites that offer functionalities such as payments, registrations, training and tests)

The task of creating a User interface gets more complicated with the growing need to create more intuitive, simple, effective and fun User interface. Designers need foresight and shrewd planning to comprehend the behind-the-scene tasks for delivering measurable results.

Advancements:

Today, graphic User interface (GUI) has become the norm, where graphics are utilized to augment the interface’s usability. The design aims to strike a balance between technical functionalities and visual elements.

Furthermore, human-computer interaction is set to become more intuitive through cutting-edge natural User interface (NUI), innovative brain controlled interfaces (BCI) and head up display (HUD).A typical NUI features intuitive actions built around natural human behavior. Few intuitive-type NUI comprise gesture recognition (touchscreen) and voice recognition.

Career Prospects:

User interface design is gaining prominence both on and off the tech background, in corporations, startups and government agencies alike. Interface design offers huge job potential that is both entertaining and high paying.

Designing the User interface requires a blend of both creativity and technology. The job to design a website that is both functional and appealing to the front-end user requires a little understanding of human psychology alongside a degree in technology.

According to a study by PayScale, the yearly pay scales for a junior-level UI designer range from US$ 46,000 to US$ 115,000, while a senior can expect somewhere between US$ 73,000 to US$ 138,000.

Jobs in the UI domain basically require skills such as Javascript, CSS and HTML alongside proficiency in design programs, including Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. A typical UI job involves understanding website requirements, organizing information, liasioning with researchers, incorporate user preferences, test design models, use of coding languages, among others. Additionally, a UI designer would be responsible to maintain and update the website or database, monitor and take repairing action for any imperfections as well as undertake training programs.

Conclusion

In the coming years, a huge number of businesses are expected to unveil websites and applications in the digital world. The market would pose demand for talented User interface developers within all programming-based domains such as software, web applications and mobile application development.

Aspiring tech-professionals with a creative bend would find the User interface job market more lucrative and challenging. A combination of soft skills such as communication, people management, teamwork and an understanding of human cognitive processes would make one an ideal candidate for a designer job.

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