User Interface Design Principles and Interaction

Flashcards covering key concepts of user interface design principles, cognition principles, search frameworks, and various interaction patterns.

Visibility

Users should always see what actions are possible and what the system is doing.

Feedback

The system must respond to user actions so they know what happened.

Constraints

Limit user actions to prevent errors and guide correct behavior.

Consistency

Similar actions and elements should look and behave the same.

Affordance

The design should suggest how it is meant to be used.

Cognition: Attention

Interfaces should avoid overload and help users focus.

Cognition: Perception

Information must be easy to interpret visually.

Cognition: Recognition

Interfaces should support recognition over recall.

Cognition: Memory

Reduce memory load by providing cues and structure.

GOMS Model

Breaks tasks into Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection rules.

KLM (Keystroke-Level Model)

Predicts task time by summing keystrokes, pointing, homing, mental prep, and system response.

Fitts’s Law

Movement time depends on distance to the target and target size.

Usable Security

Balancing strong security with ease of use (e.g., passwords).

A/B Testing

Comparing two interface versions to measure user behavior.

Five-Phase Search Framework: Information Need

User realizes they need information.

Five-Phase Search Framework: Initiation of Action

User starts the search (typing, clicking).

Five-Phase Search Framework: Refinement

User filters or adjusts the search.

Five-Phase Search Framework: Review

User examines results.

Five-Phase Search Framework: Retrieval

User selects and obtains the information.

Search Pattern: Exact Match

User knows exactly what they want; system returns precise results.

Search Pattern: Faceted Search

User filters results by categories like price or type.

Search Pattern: Autocomplete

System predicts queries as the user types.

Search Pattern: Browsing / Exploratory

User navigates categories when they don’t know exactly what they want.

Search Pattern: Advanced Search

Multiple fields or operators for precise control.

Search Pattern: Recommender Systems

System suggests items based on behavior or similarity.