Human Factors: User Interfaces

Every computer system has an interface that consists of software and hardware, which are needed for users interacting with the system. User interfaces allow people to input commands to the computer, read the computer's output, structure information, and complete certain tasks that may be related to business, education, government, medical, military, industrial, scientific, or home environments. Different types of interfaces allow users to perform a multitude of tasks on a computer, such as creating documents, searching the Internet, or sending and receiving e-mail messages. A user interface may enable a user to enter, locate, manipulate, analyze, monitor, or retrieve information.

Effective user interfaces are extremely important. Many users find computer interfaces difficult to use, and a user's ability to perform tasks on a computer is directly related to the effectiveness of the computer interface. Human-computer interactions should be structured and...