Aaron Marcus

Dare we define user-interface design?

What do experts in user interfaces actually design? Many definitions have been proposed, some of which may leave out key ingredients. The author proposes a general definition.

Dashboards in your future

Whats happening? Whats happened? Whats going to happen? Check the dashboard.

The cult of cute: the challenge of user experience design

User-interface design is seeking to extend its concerns beyond usability to usefulness and appeal, especially to pleasurable user experience. It is worth cautioning designers about easy solutions that appeal to fast tracks to pleasure. The emphasis on cuteness in visual communication, product design, and branding is a lesson to be learned.

User-interface design and China: a great leap forward

If user-interface design seeks to encompass human-experience design, then computer-based communication and interaction designers need to keep Asian, specifically Chinese, users in mind. China, with approximately one-fifth of the worlds population, an economy that is growing quickly, and a manufacturing system that exports a significant percentage of the goods imported into the worlds countries, needs to be considered in revising concepts of user-interface and user-experience design.

Universal, ubiquitous, user-interface design for the disabled and elderly

User-interface design seeks to improve all human-computer communication and interaction. Increasingly, challenges for the disabled and elderly must be met. Experience gained can help solve fundamental challenges for the general population of users. A recent international conference in Japan, Universal Design, catalogues both the accomplishments and work to be done in this worldwide arena.

The next revolution: vehicle user interfaces

Imagine having to think about safety, usability, and aesthetics issues for the user interface of a two-ton mobile device hurtling through space at 100 km/hr. Now you get the picture.

The emotion commotion

The computer-human interaction (CHI) communitys interest in emotions is heating up. Beyond usability, professionals are taking part in provocative discussions of appeal, desire, pleasure, even frustration---and, no doubt, pain. Before we get carried away, lets review the territory.

Patterns within patterns

Design patterns enable people to envision the future: not only developers, but all stakeholders.

Culture class vs. culture clash

The events of September 11, 2001, changed the perceptions of many people in the United States. One good result of this terrible day was peoples increased awareness of and interest in other cultures, religions, and ways of thinking. In this process, user-interface development was catalyzed toward further maturity of its philosophy, principles, and techniques. We cant go back. Many people who are living outside the United States, or Americans who have traveled extensively abroad, are thankful for an increased global awareness of connectivity, conflicts, and possibilities of mutual cooperation. Much of their hope stems from understanding other cultures better and communicating with people better. User-interface developers may need to go to culture class in order to minimize culture clashes in their designs.

Metaphors and user interfaces in the 21st Century

Fast Forward is a new column that the editors of interactions have kindly permitted me to write. It presents an opportunity for me to think about where our profession of user-interface design has been over the past three-and-a-half decades in which I have worked and about its future. I hope you will enjoy and benefit from joining me in this discussion. Your feedback is welcome.