Graphical User Interface Design

How to build graphical user interfaces that users want to use

Course contents:

Course benefits

Who should attend

Prerequisites

What you will learn

What you will cover

How you will learn

Duration and availability

Course of the month

Course directory

Public schedule and prices

Terms of business

Course benefits:

Many organisations' early experiences with building graphical user interfaces were less than satisfactory. Users did not receive the expected benefits, and IT departments were caught out by the complexities of delivering such applications. Graphical interfaces are not just character-mapped screens with a few menus and buttons. The design process is wholly different and requires a fundamental change of thinking and approach. Well-designed interfaces gain better acceptance from users and lead to far greater efficiency of use. The application of a consistent approach by developers leads to faster and more effective developments. Design templates become re-usable components for future applications, and productivity on both development and maintenance increases.

Adherence to the principles taught in this course will avoid the pitfalls of an ad hoc approach. The course is distinguishable from others in this area by its emphasis on interface effectiveness through support for, and integration with, the user's environment, and also by a fully object based approach.

Who should attend:

This course is intended for each of

• Project Leaders required to deliver GUI applications
• Analysts / Designers specifying GUI based applications
• Developers of GUI applications

Prerequisites:

Some experience of design is required. This may be GUI or windows design.

What you will learn:

This course focuses upon the key principles and concepts that IT staff must understand in order to achieve the effective design and development of graphical user interface systems.

On successful completion of the course, attendees will be able to:

• Describe and apply the key concepts and principles that are the fundamental basis for effective GUI design
• Analyse interface requirements
• Design GUIs using a set of object based techniques
• Proceed with GUI development based upon a development process specifically targeted at such projects

What you will cover:

• Objects - What objects are and how to define them; why we use an object based approach; how to describe objects; the object action paradigm
• User Object Modelling - The user object modelling technique
• User Task Analysis - Identifying and describing tasks; defining task scenarios; the use of task models within the design process
• Prototyping - Types of prototype and why they are needed; prototyping techniques; scoping the prototype and how to avoid over-engineering what is produced; prototype development and evolutionary design
• GUI Design - What a GUI consists of; the key drivers for GUI design; the theory behind human interface design; the principles and guidelines of GUI design; interface usability and usability measures; design techniques; views, windows and report definitions; interface optimisation; incremental delivery; quality issues and quality improvement; client / server issues affecting the interface design

How you will learn:

The course begins by teaching a number of 'foundation' concepts and principles. Then a series of techniques to progressively analyse, specify and design the interface required. The course combines lectures with a major case study. Attendees receive a comprehensive set of notes and worked examples based on a recent application development project. Each practical session reinforces the techniques taught during the lectures. The approach is generic and suitable for any implementation technology.

Duration and availability:

Two days non-residential. In-house only.

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