The desktop interface brings greater ease-of-use and a consistent interface to UNIX. This provides many advantages to both end users and application developers. Among these advantages are:
An easier to use interface enables users to learn the system quickly and use it efficiently.
Consistency between UNIX platforms enables users to move from one computer to another with minimal difficulty. It also enables programmers to write a single application that can be compiled for each platform, significantly reducing development effort.
The desktop provides as much consistency as possible with the Microsoft Windows and IBM OS/2 environments. This enables users to easily move between these environments and the desktop.
Unlike many competing operating systems, several built-in productivity applications enable the desktop user to be productive before buying application software.
The desktop specifications have been submitted to the X/Open standards organization, ensuring that desktop is "open" and will not tie the user to proprietary solutions.
These days, good UI design has to be responsive. In other words, you should ensure that your site is as usable on a smartphone screen as it is on a 40” desktop monitor. Don’t neglect the impact of less horizontal space on your design!
In short, good UI design will help your website feel seamless and intuitive – and simply provide greater convenience to your users. That, in turn, will mean they spend more time on your site – and return to it more often. And that, in the end, is the greatest benefit of good UI design.
User Interface Design is one of the reasons that your website will start to see an influx in traffic. It draws people in and keeps them there. It is what makes people recommend your site and become loyal customers. Regardless of what anyone says, it should never be overlooked.
One thing that takes people by surprise is how big of an impact even the smallest adjustments in UI Design can have. For instance, did you know that the shape of a button could determine whether or not someone knows how to accomplish a task? It is a crazy phenomenon to think about, but it’s true. People have certain instincts based on visual details that play into how they interact with a website and web and software development companies need to take these into consideration. Design speaks to people and should be taken seriously if you want to be successful.
As you’ll make UX and UI decisions relatively early, this process will help you to define precisely how you need to satisfy the expectations of your audience. It will also clarify who you are and what you want to do, ultimately helping you to communicate exactly what makes you stand out from your competition.
A large part of standing out from the crowd involves being visionary in your approach. Too many businesses overlook the importance of truly understanding their customers. Often incorrect assumptions of users wants, expectations and frustrations are based on minimal user insights, and as such a poor online experience is delivered. By investing in professionally-led UX and UI design for your web application, you have an opportunity to challenge the status quo and to make an impact that will guarantee your memorability (for the right reasons) long into the future.
Good UI design will give your potential customers confidence in your company and your brand. If elements of your site don’t work properly or look shoddy, they will interpret this as a direct reflection on your company. If you can’t deliver a good looking website, how can you deliver a great product or service?
One of the major benefits of UI design, based on UX insight and best practice, is that it helps your audience to intuitively locate exactly what they’re looking for, even if they aren’t entirely sure what that thing is. It’s not wizardry, it’s just skilful design.
Part of good design is predictability. Your audience is going to want to know what every cue is prompting them to do and where they will end up when they click on a link or a button. A well-designed UI will intuitively communicate all the information your visitors need to know, precisely when they need to know it. This just as important for web applications or portals, keeping the interface intuitive means that people can work more efficiently, saving time which improves productivity.
User interface is important to meet user expectations and support the effective functionality of your site. A well-executed user interface facilitates effective interaction between the user and the program, app or machine through contrasting visuals, clean design and responsiveness. When designing a UI for your site, it's important to consider the user's expectations in terms of accessibility, visual aesthetic and ease of use. An optimal mix of effective visuals and efficient responsiveness will improve your site's conversion rates, as it anticipates the needs of the user and then satisfies those needs.
More specifically, here are the most important overarching elements of a great UI:
Information architecture: The functionality of a site is built according to the IA. Structuring and organizing your website's content in a logical way is important to help users navigate the site with minimal effort. Components of IA include three main types of organizational structures: hierarchical (level of importance), sequential (logical order of steps) and matrix (in which the user chooses the organization of the content they see).
Example: Navigation elements (buttons, tabs, icons), labels (terminology), search features (search bar) and organization systems (categories).
Interactive design: Elements of ID aim to turn passive readers into active participants by presenting instances of user input. Keeping the user in mind while creating the UI will help to improve the interactivity and execution of specific behaviors that satisfy user needs. Additionally, efficiently-designed interactive UIs can 'learn' to anticipate and remedy any problems that may come up before they negatively impact the user's experience.
Example: Social-share features, toggles, buttons.
Visual design: The importance of your site's aesthetic value cannot be underestimated. Effective design utilizes color, contrast, font, video and photo elements to attract visitors and make it easy for them to read and works with the content, rather than around it, to create a logical, intuitive flow of functionality. Example: Contrast, color white space, typography, mobile optimization.
(BASIC OF UI DESIGN)
Here are some common myths or misconception about UI designer:
Ø UI and UX are not the same
One of the most heavily misunderstood concepts is when people confuse UI and UX for being the same thing. They are not the same, however, people have known to use it interchangeably, while referring to an interface. This can include the buttons, fields, screens, fonts, and colors as well. UI deals with the interface, however, UX does not. The name signifies what each design aspect focuses on. However, UX does deal with some of the interfaces, but it primarily attends to other aspects of design as well.
Ø It is not easy
Another misconception about UI designer that it is an easy job. But, this is completely untrue. Even with simple interface design, UI tends to have a lot of work gone behind it, however simple the look may be. A lot goes into creating and putting it out there—whether it’s how the interface looks and what has gone into making it as well.
Ø Withholding less important information is not a good idea
We can think that some information that isn’t absolutely necessary can be hidden, however, for good UI, you will need to think of the appropriate spacing, typography, color needed to position and align the content accordingly. Hiding controls or information that is less important will lead to the interface with a bad UI.
Ø It’s not our design
UI designers are creating the design for an interface that belongs to a company. These designers were paid to create the design for the interface. Therefore, the company has every right to dictate the movement of the designers. If the employers do not like your design, they have all the right to make you change a few aspects of it that they disapprove. Business owners can lay out what they expect and even if it does not coincide with your ideas, you have been paid for it, therefore it is not your design.
Misconceptions arise about these areas because of a lack of knowledge on how these things work, and also because of the advancements in technology and the internet. These job titles are much wider than the name itself. With a little background knowledge about how these titles work—whether related to the user interface or user experience—these misconceptions can be pushed aside and the roles can be given the proper understanding that they deserve.