USER INTERFACE, INPUT, AND OUTPUT DESIGN

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
1. Explain the concept of user interface design and human-computer interaction, including the basic
principles of user-centered design
2. List specific guidelines for user interface design
3. Describe user interface techniques, including screen elements and controls
4. Explain input design concepts, techniques, and methods
5. Describe guidelines for data entry screen design
6. Use validation checks for reducing input errors
7. Design effective source documents and input controls
8. Discuss output design issues and various types of output
9. Design various types of printed reports, and suggest output controls and security
INTRODUCTION

User interface, input, and output design continues the systems design phase of the SDLC

User interface design includes user interaction with the computer, as well as input and output issues

USER INTERFACE DESIGN

After the logical model is constructed, systems analysts turn their attention to the physical design

A key design element is the user interface (UI)

Consists of all the hardware, software, screens, menus, functions, and features that affect two-way
communications between the user and the computer

EVOLUTION OF THE USER INTERFACE

As information management evolved from centralized data processing to dynamic, enterprise-wide

systems, the primary focus also shifted from the IT department to the users themselves

User-centered system

Requires an understanding of human-computer interaction and user-centered design principles

HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION

Human-computer interaction (HCI) describes the relationship between computers and people who
use them to perform business-related tasks

IBM uses its Almaden computer science research site to focus on users and how they experience
technology

IBM traces the history and evolution of the human-computer interface beginning with users typing
complex commands in green text on a black screen, through the introduction of the graphical user
interface (GUI)

Dr. Clare-Marie Karat states that in this new computer age, the customer is not only right, the
customer has rights

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF USER-CENTERED DESIGN

1. Understand the underlying business functions
2. Maximize graphical effectiveness
3. Profile the systems users
4. Think like a user
5. Use prototyping

Usability metrics

6. Design a comprehensive interface

7. Continue the feedback process
8. Document the interface design

GUIDELINES FOR USER INTERFACE DESIGN

Follow eight basic guidelines

1. Focus on basic objectives
2. Build an interface that is easy to learn and use
3. Provide features that promote efficiency
4. Make it easy for users to obtain help or correct errors
5. Minimize input data problems
6. Provide feedback to users
7. Create an attractive layout and design
8. Use familiar terms and images

Good user interface design is based on a combination of ergonomics, aesthetics, and interface
technology

GUIDELINES FOR USER INTERFACE DESIGN (DETAILS)

1. Focus on basic objectives

Facilitate the system design objectives

Create a design that is easy to learn and remember
Design the interface to improve user efficiency and productivity
Write commands, actions, and system responses that are consistent and predictable

2. Build an interface that is easy to learn and use

Label clearly all controls, buttons, and icons
Select only those images that a user can understand easily
Provide on-screen instructions that are logical, concise, and clear
Show all commands in a list of menu items
3. Provide features that promote efficiency
Organize tasks, commands, and functions in groups that resemble actual business
operations
Create alphabetical menu lists
Provide shortcuts so experienced users can avoid multiple menu levels
Use default values if the majority of values in a field are the same
4. Make it easy for users to obtain help or correct errors
Ensure that Help is always available
Provide user-selected Help and context-sensitive Help
Provide a direct route for users to return to the point from where Help was requested
Include contact information
5. Minimize input data problems
Provide data validation checks
Display event-driven messages and reminders
Establish a list of predefined values that users can click to select
Build in rules that enforce data integrity
Use input masks
6. Provide feedback to users
Display messages at a logical place on the screen
Alert users to lengthy processing times or delays
Allow messages to remain on the screen long enough for users to read them
Let the user know whether the task or operation was successful or not
7. Create an attractive layout and design
Use appropriate colors to highlight different areas of the screen
Use special effects sparingly
Use hyperlinks that allow users to jump to related topics
Group related objects and information
8. Use familiar terms and images
Remember that users are accustomed to a pattern of red = stop, yellow = caution, and green
= go
Provide a keystroke alternative for each menu command
Use familiar commands
Provide a Windows look and feel in your interface design if users are familiar with Windowsbased applications

USER INTERFACE CONTROLS

1. Menu bar

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Toolbar
Command button
Dialog box
Text box
Toggle button
List box scroll bar
Drop-down list box
Option button, or radio button
Check box
Calendar control
Switchboard

INPUT DESIGN

Input technology has changed dramatically in recent years

The quality of the output is only as good as the quality of the input

INPUT AND DATA ENTRY METHODS

1. Batch input
Batch
2. Online input
Online data entry
Source data automation
Magnetic data strips or swipe scanners
POS, ATMs
3. Tradeoffs
Unless source data automation is used, manual data entry is slower and more expensive than
batch input because it is performed at the time the transaction occurs and often done when
computer demand is at its highest
The decision to use batch or online input depends on business requirements

INPUT VOLUME
GUIDELINES WILL HELP REDUCE INPUT VOLUME
1. Input necessary data only
2. Do not input data that the user can retrieve from system files or calculate from other data
3. Do not input constant data
4. Use codes

DESIGNING DATA ENTRY SCREENS

Most effective method of online data entry is form filling

Guidelines to help design data entry screens
Restrict user access to screen locations where data is entered
Provide a descriptive caption for every field, and show the user where to enter the data and the
required or maximum field size

GUIDELINES TO HELP DESIGN DATA ENTRY SCREENS

Display a sample format if a user must enter values in a field in a specific format
Require an ending keystroke for every field
Do not require users to type leading zeroes for numeric fields
Do not require users to type trailing zeroes for numbers that include decimals
Display default values so operators can press the ENTER key to accept the suggested value
Use a default value when a field value will be constant for successive records or throughout the
data entry session
Display a list of acceptable values for fields, and provide meaningful error messages
Provide a way to leave the data entry screen at any time without entering the current record
Provide users with an opportunity to confirm the accuracy of input data before entering it
Provide a means for users to move among fields on the form
Design the screen form layout to match the layout of the source document
Allow users to add, change, delete, and view records
Provide a method to allow users to search for specific information

INPUT ERRORS
Reducing the number of input errors improves data quality
A data validation check improves input quality by testing the data and rejecting any entry that
fails to meet specified conditions

AT LEAST EIGHT TYPES OF DATA VALIDATION CHECKS

Sequence check
Existence check
Data type check
Range check limit check
Reasonableness check
Validity check referential integrity
Combination check
Batch controls

SOURCE DOCUMENTS

Source document
Form layout
Heading zone
Control zone
Instruction zone
Body zone
Totals zone
Authorization zone

SOURCE DOCUMENTS
Information should flow on a form from left to right and top to bottom to match the way users
read documents naturally
A major challenge of Web-based form design is that most people read and interact differently
with on-screen information compared to paper forms

INPUT CONTROL
Every piece of information should be traceable back to the input data
Audit trail

 Data security
Records retention policy
Encrypted encryption

OUTPUT DESIGN ISSUES

TYPES OF OUTPUT
In the systems design phase, you must design the actual reports, screen forms, and other
output delivery methods
Internet-based information delivery
E-mail
Audio
Automated facsimile systems
Computer output microfilm (COM)
Computer output to laser disk (COLD)

SPECIALIZED FORMS OF OUTPUT

An incredibly diverse marketplace requires a variety of specialized output
Output from one system often becomes input into another system
Although digital technology has opened new horizons in business communications printed
output still is the most common type of output

PRINTED OUTPUT
Although many organizations strive to reduce the flow of paper and printed reports, few firms
have been able to eliminate printed output totally
Because they are portable, printed reports are convenient, and even necessary in some
situations
Turnaround documents

PRINTED OUTPUT
TYPES OF REPORTS

Detail reports
Detail line
Control field
Control break
Control break report
Can be quite lengthy
Better alternative is to produce an exception report

Printed Output
Types of Reports

Exception reports

Are useful when the user wants information only on records that might require
action

Summary reports

Reports used by individuals at higher levels in the organization include less detail
than reports used by lower-level employees

Printed Output

User Involvement in Report Design

Printed reports are an important way of delivering information to users, so recipients

should approve all report designs in advance
To avoid problems submit each design for approval as it is completed, rather than waiting
to finish all report designs
Mock-up

Printed Output

Report Design Principles

Printed reports must be attractive, professional, and easy to read

Report headers and footers

Page headers and footers

Column heading alignment

Printed Output

Report Design Principles

Column Spacing

Field order

Space columns of information carefully

Fields should be displayed and grouped in a logical order

Grouping detail lines

It is meaningful to arrange detail lines in groups

Group header

Group footer

Printed Output

Report Design Example

Revisit the Employee Hours report shown in Figure 7-36. Although the report follows
many of the design guidelines discussed, you still could improve it
Too much detail is on the page, forcing users to search for the information they need

Printed Output

Other Design Issues

Good design standards produce reports that are uniform and consistent

When a system produces multiple reports, each report should share common design
elements
After a report design is approved, you should document the design in a report analysis
form

Printed Output

Designing Character-Based Reports

Many systems still produce one or more character-based reports

When report designers create or modify a character-based report, they use a traditional
tool that still works well, called a printer spacing chart

Printed Output

Printing Volume and Time Requirements

High volume of reports can significantly increase a systems TCO

Length calculations

Time calculations

Ppm (pages per minute)

Line printers

Printed Output

Output Control and Security

Output must be accurate, complete, current, and secure

Output security

The IT department is responsible for output control and security measures

Many companies have installed diskless workstations

Chapter Summary

The chapter began with a discussion of human-computer interaction concepts and

graphical user interfaces (GUIs)

You learned that user-centered design principles are used to understand the business
functions, maximize graphical effectiveness, profile the systems users, think like a user,
use prototyping, design a comprehensive interface, continue the feedback process, and
document the interface design

Chapter Summary

An effective way to reduce input errors is to reduce input volume

The section on output included a discussion of output design issues and a description of
various types of output

Finally, you learned about output control and the various measures you can take to
achieve adequate output control to ensure that information is correct, complete, and
secure

Chapter 7 Complete