User and Interface Design

Chapter 7

User Interface Design

User interface design is the first task in the systems design phase of the SDLC. Designing the interface is extremely important because everyone wants a system that is easy to learn and use.

The chapter describes output, data security and control issues, prototyping and the next steps in the systems design process.

Systems Design Phase Overview

Because the components of the systems are interdependent, the design phase is not a series of clearly defined steps. At the end of this phase, you will prepare a systems design specification and deliver a presentation to the management.

The goal of the systems design is to build a system that is effective, reliable, and maintainable.

(1) effective

* can support business requirements

* can meet user needs

(2) reliable

* can handle input errors, processing errors, hardware failure, or human mistakes

(3) maintainable

* can be flexible, scalable, and easily modified.

Will it succeed?

A system might have advanced technology and powerful features, but the real test is wheter users like it and feel that it meets their needs.

Suggestion for successful design:

* Think like a user

* Anticipate future needs – In 1999, there was a widespread concern about what was called Y2K issue because many older programs used only 2 characters to store the year, and might not have recognize the start of new century.

* Provide flexibility – let user enter the amount. Or you could start with a default value that displays automatically.

* Manage date effectively – A secure systems also includes audit trails that can log every instance of data entry and changes.

Chapter Overview:

Traditionally, a chapter on user interface design started with the discussion on output because output is what users touched, viewed, and needed to do their jobs. Today, the entire focus has shifted, for several important reasons:

* User can design their own output – System designers are more aware of user...