User Interface Design

Most importantly though, there are misconceptions about the relationship between product complexity and usability when it comes to good user interface. There’s an implicit assumption among many in the appliance design world that, all other things being equal, a product with more features will be a product that is more difficult to use. Some have portrayed “technology” as the enemy of usability, as technology drives the growth in features and complexity.

In reality, we have seen some products that utilize technology to improve usability, such as the Apple iPhone, and others where technology gets in the way of usability, such as BMW’s original in-car iDrive system (currently going through a re-launch with significant user interface design improvements). But, the difference between the iPhone and the iDrive is not one of complexity, at least in a technical or functional sense of the word. If you calculate the number of options and actions supported by both the iPhone and its similarly named automotive foil, they are roughly equivalent in their user interface complexity. The usability differentiator – what makes a good user interface -- between comparably featured products is not simplicity vs. complexity, but clarity – the users ease of perceiving and interacting with the provided functions.

The iPhone delivers clarity through good user interface in a number of ways, most notably via direct manipulation of the interface (i.e. touch to open, pinch to reduce size, etc). The iDrive fails to be effectively clear, in part because it requires significant coordination between spatially separated tactile (controller) and visual (display) user interaction points – all while competing with a drivers already taxed visual and tactile resources. In other words, it’s not the quantity of technology that the user interacts with, but the quality of its implementation, that differentiates a good user interface from -- a product that is quickly understood and adopted, from one that is returned because it is perceived to be “broken” or requires special training.

To find out more about how we can help develop your next user interface, from improving the usability of an existing interface, to developing an interactive product from the ground-up, contact Rob Tannen.

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