UI design

30.6.04

Interface deisgn is a essential factor for a good program.
Users usually resist softwares with unpleasant interface, no matter how wonderful its functions are.But not many programmers/ developers can be strong in both coding and UI design. Some programmers I know are good at coding, but the interfaces of their programs are really terrible.

Today I find a book in Amazon called User Interface Design for Programmers by Joel Spolsky. In the book he says:
I think most programmers' fear of UI programming comes from their fear of doing UI design. They think that UI design is like graphics design: the mysterious process by which creative, latte-drinking, all-dressed-in-black people with interesting piercings produce cool looking artistic stuff. Programmers see themselves as analytic, logical thinkers: strong at reasoning, weak on artistic judgment. So they think they can't do UI design.

If you want to get more details about UI design, you can read the first nine chapters in Joel Spolsky weblog.


Comments:
There is definitely an art to good GUI design. In my experience 75% + of developers are simply not good at it. Of these 50% dont even recognise that the UI they have just developed is terrible. This can be frustrating. One thing I have found that helps is before developing a new app have a look the different UI's of other apps and what you like about them and take the best elements. If your app looks nothing like anything else you have seen, there is probably a good reason for it!

posted by Blogger Craig : 6/30/2004 3:06 PM
Agree! It is also my practice too :-)

posted by Blogger Gloria : 6/30/2004 7:41 PM
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