1. Output and User Interface Design
Chapter 8
Output and User Interface Design

2. Phase Description
Systems Design is the third of five phases in the systems development life cycle (SDLC)
Now you are ready to begin the physical design of the system that will meet the specifications described in the system requirements document
Systems design tasks include output and user interface design, data design, and system architecture

3. Introduction
Output and user interface design is the first task in the systems design phase of the SDLC
Output design focuses on user needs for screen and printed forms of output, while user interface design stresses user interaction with the computer, including input design and procedures 4

4. Output Design Before designing output, ask yourself several questions:
What is the purpose of the output?
Who wants the information, why it is needed, and how will it be used?
What specific information will be included?
Will the output be printed, viewed on-screen, or both? What type of device will the output go to?
Your answers will affect your output design strategies

5. Output Design Types of Output Internet-based information delivery
Blogs, Instant Messaging
Digital audio, images, and video
Automated facsimile systems
Faxback systems
Computer output microfilm (COM)
Microfilm, microfiche
Computer output to laser disk (COLD)

6. Printed and Screen Output
Few firms have been able to eliminate printed output totally
Turnaround documents
Output documents later entered back as an inputs of another IS, e.g. telephone bills (7-11收款)
Overview of Report Design
Reports must be easy to read and well organized
Database programs include a variety of report design tools
Character-based reports

7. Printed and Screen Output
Reports (p. 339)
Detail reports
Detail line
Control field
Control break
Control break report
Can be quite lengthy
Better alternative is to produce an exception report
An example of a control break report

8. Printed and Screen Output
Reports
Exception reports (p. 340)
Summary reports (p. 340)

9. Printed and Screen 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 you complete it, rather than waiting until you finish all report designs
Mock-up (sample for users to review), includes typical field values and contain enough records to show all the design features

10. Printed and Screen 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
Column spacing

11. Printed and Screen Output
Report Design Issues
Too much detail is on the page, forcing users to search for the information they need
Good design standards produce reports that are uniform and consistent
When a system produces multiple reports, each report should share common design elements

12. Printed and Screen Output
Report Design Example

13. Printed and Screen Output
Output Control and Security
Output must be accurate, complete, current, and secure
The IT department is responsible for output control and security measures
Many companies have installed diskless workstations

14. User Interface Design Short name: UI or GUI
Consists of all the hardware, software, screens, menus, functions, and features that affect two-way communications between the user and the computer
Human-Computer Interaction (人機互動)
Industry leaders Microsoft and IBM both devote considerable resources to user interface research

15. User Interface Design 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
Storyboard (initial layout)
Usability metrics (use software to record interactivity)

16. User Interface Design Basic Principles of User-Centered Design
Design a comprehensive interface
Continue the feedback process
Document the interface design

17. User Interface Design Guidelines for User Interface Design
Follow eight basic guidelines
Focus on basic objectives:有用
Build an interface that is easy to learn and use：易用 ex. 354
Provide features that promote efficiency, p. 354
Make it easy for users to obtain help or correct errors, 如：Undo, Confirmation before deletion
Minimize input data problems (ex. Predefined values, input masks abilities, etc.)

18. User Interface Design Guidelines for User Interface Design
Follow eight basic guidelines
Provide feedback to users
Create an attractive layout and design
Use familiar terms and images (H for help, E for exit, F for file, etc.)
Good user interface design is based on a combination of ergonomics（人體工學）, aesthetics（美學）, and interface technology

19. User Interface Design User Interface Controls (p. 358) Menu bar
Toolbar
Command button
Dialog box
Text box
Toggle button

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

21. 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

22. Input Design Input and Data Entry Methods Batch input Online input
Online data entry
Manual vs. automation
Source data automation
RFID tags or magnetic data strips
POS, ATMs
QR code

23. 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

24. Input Design Input Volume Guidelines to reduce input volume
Input necessary data only
Do not input data that the user can retrieve from system files or calculate from other data
Do not input constant data
Use codes

25. Input Design
Input Volume

26. Input Design Designing Data Entry Screens p. 363 (self study)
Most effective method of online data entry is form filling
Guidelines will help you design data entry screens
Restrict user access to screen locations where data is entered, Fig 8-36
Provide a descriptive caption for every field, and show the user where to enter the data and the required or maximum field size

27. Input Design Designing Data Entry Screens
Guidelines will help you design data entry screens
Display a sample format if a user must enter values in a field in a specific format
Require an ending keystroke for every field
Do not require users to type leading zeroes for numeric fields
Do not require users to type trailing zeroes for numbers that include decimals

28. Input Design Designing Data Entry Screens
Guidelines will help you design data entry screens
Display default values so operators can press the ENTER key to accept the suggested value
Use a default value when a field value will be constant for successive records or throughout the data entry session
Display a list of acceptable values for fields, and provide meaningful error messages

29. Input Design Designing Data Entry Screens
Guidelines will help you design data entry screens
Provide a way to leave the data entry screen at any time without entering the current record
Provide users with an opportunity to confirm the accuracy of input data before entering it
Provide a means for users to move among fields on the form

30. Input Design Designing Data Entry Screens
Guidelines will help you design data entry screens
Design the screen form layout to match the layout of the source document
Allow users to add, change, delete, and view records
Provide a method to allow users to search for specific information

31. 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

32. Input Design Input Errors p. 365 (self study)
At least eight types of data validation checks
Sequence check
Existence check
Data type check
Range check – limit check
Reasonableness check

33. Input Design Input Errors
At least eight types of data validation checks
Validity check – referential integrity
Combination check:多重條件時的checking
Batch controls – check totals

34. Input Design
Source Documents: a form to request and collect input data
Form layout, p. 367
Heading zone
Control zone
Instruction zone
Body zone
Totals zone
Authorization zone

35. 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

36. 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, p. 368 for possible ways of design.

37. 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