User Interface Design and How it Could Be Done Better

One of the problems causing a disconnect between users and software developers is a certain snobbishness about user interface development. Sometimes programmers/developers consider that it is OK to develop the core functionality of the program first, and add the interface after. But this makes it impossible to test that what the program does is what users want it to do. Also, this means that the user interface is not tested until very late in a software development project. Then it can be difficult to change the user interface as it has already been determined by the structure of the program.

There is also a certain snobbery about visual and web development languages, and that:
Programmers who use these programming languages are developers, but those who use non visual languages are ‘real’ programmers. There is some kind of difference between the 2 types of developers/programmers. And that non visual developer/programmers are in some way more skilled and should be higher paid.

It would be much better to develop the user interface and software in step, and a RAD (Rapid Application Development) approach addresses this. However, still much software is developed, influenced by this approach. Also it is important in many cases to link the structure of the software and its functionality, with that of the user interface, and vice versa; so that users can really see what the software is doing.

These problems have eased somewhat, but still exist. If they are eased further, developers/programmers can be closer to users’ thinking and needs without losing track of the core functionality and software construction, and users feel more involved, included, and empowered.

My Research blog - http://userdrivenmodelling.blogspot.com/.

Modelling - http://sites.google.com/site/userdrivenmodellingprogramming/.

I am a Researcher in the final year of my PhD. I specialise in applying Semantic Web techniques. My current research is on a technique of ‘User Driven Modelling/Programming’. My intention is to enable non-programmers to create software from a user interface that allows them to model a particular problem or scenario. This involves a user entering information visually in the form of a tree diagram. I am attempting to develop ways of automatically translating this information into program code in a variety of computer languages. This is very important and useful for many employees that have insufficient time to learn programming languages. I am looking to research visualisation, and visualisation techniques to create a human computer interface that allows non experts to create software.

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