Systems Analysis & Design 5 th Edition Chapter 7 User Interface, Input, and Output Design.

Systems Analysis & Design

5th Edition

Chapter 7

User Interface, Input, and Output Design

22

Chapter Objectives

● Explain the concept of user interface design and human-computer interaction, including the basic principles of user-centered design

● List specific guidelines for user interface design

● Describe user interface techniques, including screen elements and controls

● Explain input design concepts, techniques, and methods

33

Chapter Objectives

● Describe guidelines for data entry screen design

● Use validation checks for reducing input errors

● Design effective source documents and input controls

● Discuss output design issues and various types of output

● Design various types of printed reports, and suggest output controls and security

44

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

55

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

66


● 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

77


● 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

88


● Human-Computer Interaction– 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”

99


● Human-Computer Interaction– The user rights cited by Dr. Karat include

• Perspective• Installation• Compliance• Instruction• Control• Feedback• Dependencies• Scope• Assistance• Usability

1010


● Basic Principles of User-Centered Design– Understand the underlying business

functions– Maximize graphical effectiveness– Profile the system’s users– Think like a user– Use prototyping

• Usability metrics

1111


● Basic Principles of User-Centered Design– Design a comprehensive interface– Continue the feedback process– Document the interface design

1212


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– Follow eight basic guidelines

1. Focus on basic objectives2. Build an interface that is easy to learn and

use3. Provide features that promote efficiency4. Make it easy for users to obtain help or

correct errors5. Minimize input data problems

1313


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– Follow eight basic guidelines

6. Provide feedback to users7. Create an attractive layout and design8. Use familiar terms and images

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

1414


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– 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

1515


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– 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

1616


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– 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

1717


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– 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

1818


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– 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

1919


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– 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

2020


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– 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

2121


● Guidelines for User Interface Design– 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 Windows-based applications

2222


● User Interface Controls– Menu bar– Toolbar– Command button– Dialog box– Text box– Toggle button

2323


● User Interface Controls– List box – scroll bar– Drop-down list box– Option button, or radio button– Check box– Calendar control– Switchboard

2424


● User Interface Controls

2525

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– Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO)– Data capture– Data entry

2626

Input Design

● Input and Data Entry Methods– Batch input

• Batch

– Online input• Online data entry• Source data automation• Magnetic data strips or swipe scanners• POS, ATMs

2727

Input Design

● Input and Data Entry Methods– 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

2828

Input Design

● Input Volume– Guidelines will help reduce input volume

1. Input necessary data only2. Do not input data that the user can retrieve

from system files or calculate from other data

3. Do not input constant data4. Use codes

2929

Input Design

● Designing Data Entry Screens– Most effective method of online data

entry is form filling– Guidelines to help design data entry

screens1. Restrict user access to screen locations

where data is entered2. Provide a descriptive caption for every field,

and show the user where to enter the data and the required or maximum field size

3030

Input Design

● Designing Data Entry Screens– Guidelines to help design data entry

screens3. Display a sample format if a user must enter

values in a field in a specific format4. Require an ending keystroke for every field5. Do not require users to type leading zeroes

for numeric fields6. Do not require users to type trailing zeroes

for numbers that include decimals

3131

Input Design


screens7. Display default values so operators can press

the ENTER key to accept the suggested value8. Use a default value when a field value will be

constant for successive records or throughout the data entry session

9. Display a list of acceptable values for fields, and provide meaningful error messages

3232

Input Design


screens10. Provide a way to leave the data entry screen

at any time without entering the current record

11. Provide users with an opportunity to confirm the accuracy of input data before entering it

12. Provide a means for users to move among fields on the form

3333

Input Design


screens13. Design the screen form layout to match the

layout of the source document14. Allow users to add, change, delete, and view

records15. Provide a method to allow users to search for

specific information

3434

Input Design

● 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

3535

Input Design

● Input Errors– At least eight types of data validation

checks1. Sequence check2. Existence check3. Data type check4. Range check – limit check5. Reasonableness check

3636

Input Design

● Input Errors– At least eight types of data validation

checks6. Validity check – referential integrity7. Combination check8. Batch controls

3737

Input Design

● Source Documents–Source document –Form layout–Heading zone–Control zone–Instruction zone–Body zone–Totals zone–Authorization

zone

3838

Input Design

● 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

3939

Input Design

● Source Documents– Dr. Jakob Nielson believes that users scan

a page, picking out individual words and sentences

– As a result, Web designers must use scannable text to capture and hold a user’s attention

– Layout and design also is important on Web-based forms

4040

Input Design

● Input Control– Every piece of information should be

traceable back to the input data– Audit trail– Data security– Records retention policy– Encrypted – encryption

4141

Output Design Issues

● Before designing output, ask yourself several questions:– What is the purpose of the output?– Who wants the information, why it is it

needed, and how will it be used?– What specific information will be

included?– Will the output be printed, viewed on-

screen, or both?

4242


● Before designing output, ask yourself several questions:– When will the information be provided,

and how often must it be updated?– Do security or confidentiality issues exist?

● Your answers will affect your output design strategies

4343


● 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

4444


4545


● Types of Output– Automated facsimile systems

• Faxback systems

– Computer output microfilm (COM)• Microfilm

– Computer output to laser disk (COLD)

4646


● 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

4747

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

4848

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

4949

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

5050

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

5151

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

5252

Printed Output

● Report Design Principles– Column Spacing

• Space columns of information carefully

– Field order• 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

5353

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

5454

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

5555

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

5656

Printed Output

● Printing Volume and Time Requirements– High volume of reports can significantly

increase a system’s TCO– Length calculations– Time calculations

• Ppm (pages per minute)• Line printers

5757

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

5858

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 system’s users, think like a user, use prototyping, design a comprehensive interface, continue the feedback process, and document the interface design

5959

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

Systems Analysis & Design

5th Edition

Chapter 7 Complete

Systems Analysis & Design 5 th Edition Chapter 7 User Interface, Input, and Output Design.

Documents

Transcript of Systems Analysis & Design 5 th Edition Chapter 7 User Interface, Input, and Output Design.