Q. What is a User Interface?
A. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The user interface is the part of a system exposed to a user. In general, the system can be any kind of system with which a user may interact at will, such as a mechanical system or a computer system. For example, in an automobile the user interface consists of the steering wheel, the accelerator pedal, the brake pedal, the various instruments that the user requires, and similar facilities. In a computer system the user typically interacts with an operating system or with application software such as a spreadsheet or a word processor. With these the user interacts using menus, icons, keystrokes, mouse clicks, and similar capabilities.
Recently, as systems have become increasingly complex, and thus more difficult to control, much thought has been given to the design of interfaces that enable a user to operate the system naturally thus increasing its usability by allowing the user to form a mental model of the system. The term user friendliness has been coined as a measure of how well the user interface fulfills this goal.
Within the Community Network, the user interface is the consistent design that appears on every page. There is always a section in dark blue at the top with your own info on it, then tabs to take you to the major sections of the network. Whatever tab you click provides more options. Information that is common to all pages on the Community Network appears at the bottom. Because the designers were very careful with how they organized the Community Network, it is easy to get used to where you will find various options, which means the environment can become familiar and comfortable with use. When you find yourself on "autopilot" when using the Community Network, thank the designers for the friendliness of our user interface!
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