Apple iOS HMI guide

iOS 8 Man-machine Interface Guide (ii): Design strategy iOS 8 Man-machine Interface Guide (i): UI design basics 7 rules for creating a great UI (top) 7 principles for creating a great UI (bottom) user interface principle

A good human-machine interface specification adheres to the way users think and act, without succumbing to the performance of the device. A lack of appeal, complexity, or illogical user interface, but it will make the original excellent application becomes uninteresting. Turn

A beautiful, intuitive, and engaging interface enhances the functionality of the application and stimulates positive emotions in the user's mind.

The beauty of the whole

The beauty of the whole is not simply to refer to how beautiful the application interface is, but to see whether the application's appearance and function are perfectly combined. For example, an app that handles real-world work often simplifies the decorative UI elements and places the important position on the task itself, providing only standard controls and behaviors. The purpose and features of this app are simple and uniform for the user. Conversely, if a similar app offers a quirky, fancy interface, the user may not understand it, or understand it as contradictory and absurd.

Consistency

Consistency on the interface to ensure that users can learn from the previous use of the app's knowledge and experience. Consistent applications do not blindly copy others. Rather, it takes advantage of the experience of normalization and patterning.

To determine if an application adheres to the consistency principle, consider the following questions first:

N is the app compliant with IOS standards? Do you use the system's own controls, views, and icons correctly? Is it reliable to combine with the characteristics of the device?

N is the application itself consistent? are font styles and professional terminology uniform? Does the same icon mean the same thing? Can you predict the response of the system when the user performs the same operation in different scenarios? Does a custom UI have consistent appearance and behavior from beginning to end?

N is the current application consistent with the previous version? Are the terms and meanings of each version consistent? Is the basic concept never changed in nature?

Direct operation

When users can manipulate objects directly on the screen without having to manipulate them through controls, they are more likely to immerse themselves in the task itself and to understand the results of the operation more easily. Multi-Touch technology allows iOS users to truly experience the convenience of direct manipulation. By gesture manipulation, the user has more closeness to the interface, as well as a sense of control, because they no longer need to touch objects indirectly through intermediate media, such as a mouse.

In an iOS application, the following ways can allow the user to experience direct actions:

N affects objects on the screen by rotating or moving the device

n gestures to manipulate objects in the screen

N operation results are presented to the user in a visible, rapid manner.

Feedback

Feedback is a response to the user's actions, making them confident that their request is being processed. Users want to be able to receive immediate feedback when manipulating controls, and if the process is long, they need to update the progress of the operation.

The built-in application responds to every user action behavior. For example, list items are highlighted at the user point on time. For a few seconds, there will be a control to show the progress of the process, and, if appropriate, add supplemental text.

Subtle animations can be used as explicit feedback to clearly show the results of the operation. For example, a list of animations that add new rows can help the user track the change process.

Sound can also provide useful feedback, but this should not be the primary or only feedback mechanism, because in some places, users may not hear the sound, or they turn off the sound.

Metaphor

When objects and operations in an application are mapped by the real world, users can quickly master how to use the application.

A typical example of software metaphor is a folder: In the real world, people use folders to put things, so in the computer, put files into folders, it can be quickly understood.

The right metaphor, in terms of use or experience, does not need to be constrained by the real world. For example, a user can put as many files as possible into a computer's folder, which is impossible in reality.

iOS provides a great space for metaphor. iOS supports multiple image formats and gestures. The user actually interacts with the objects on the screen, and in many cases the operation is no different from the reality. Metaphors in iOS include:

n Tap the ipod playback control key

N in the game, drag, flip, slide out of the object

N Sliding bidirectional switch

N Flipping a photo

N-point slider selector to select

In general, metaphors can have a good effect as long as they are mapped. If the folder on the computer also needs to be organized into a virtual cabinet, it is often not good to use the gray!

Allow users to control

Let the user, not the program, trigger and control the operation. Although the program can advise on the operation, or warn of dangerous operations, it is not right to deprive the user of the rights to handle the error altogether. A good app can give users sufficient privileges and help them avoid dangerous consequences, which requires a balance.

Familiar and predictable controls and behaviors enhance the user's sense of control over the app. And when the operation is simple and straightforward, the user can easily understand and remember.

The user wants to have enough opportunities to cancel the operation before it is processed. And they want to have the opportunity to perform a potentially destructive operation to achieve their goals. Finally, they want to be able to gracefully stop the operation that is being performed.

App Design Strategy

Define your application

Use a descriptive statement to clearly define the main purpose and audience of your app.

Defining your app in the early stages of development can help you successfully translate product ideas and features into consistent application offerings. In the development process, this definition is used to help you determine which potential features and behaviors are meaningful. Please follow the steps below to define your app.

1. list features that all users might like

Start brainstorming now and you'll get all the relevant tasks related to your product's main ideas. Don't worry that the list will be too long; you can reduce it later.

2 . Identify your users

Your users are likely to be moving, and want the app to have beautiful pictures, simple interactions and efficient performance, how to subdivide it? You can ask yourself what is important to the user, taking the convenience store shopping app as an example:

n users usually cook at home or prefer Bento

n the user is a coupon control or not a cold

N likes to try new ingredients or not

n dogmatic adherence to recipes or the courage to innovate

n the way to shop is a small number of times or a lot less

n is to list what you need on a shopping list or on the way home to buy what you need

It doesn't matter if you recognize a brand

After pondering these questions, you may be given 3 characteristics that best describe your audience: dependent recipes, busy, frugal.

3 . Streamlined app features list

Depending on the demographics of the audience, the app feature List is streamlined, and the last few app features are left behind, which makes the great iOS app highly focused on the tasks users need to accomplish.

For example, consider the long list of features you have listed in step one, though useful, but not for all users. Nor will all users appreciate the features you provide.

Once you've checked the list, you'll end up with 3 key features: Create a list, activate and use vouchers, and get recipes.

Now you can build your app's definition statement to get an accurate overview of who is using the app and what it does. Or this convenience store Shopping application example, a good definition statement may be:

Those who love cooking and thrift create a shopping list tool.

4 . It's not over yet .

Use this definition throughout the development process to define app features, the controls used, and the appropriate terminology.

Design for equipment App

You know your app's capabilities and user base, and at the same time, you need to make sure that it's an app on an iOS device, just from the look and feel. This is critical because the user has high expectations for the applications that are installed on the device. If your app feels like it's designed for another device, or if it's like an app on a Web page, users won't be very positive about your app.

Hug IOS UI Mode

Users who are accustomed to the appearance and behavior of built-in apps will have similar experience expectations for those downloaded apps. You don't have to imitate every detail of these built-in apps, but it's helpful to understand the design patterns. Start by understanding the features of various iOS devices and running apps. Then, keep in mind the following few things:

Let the control appears to be a tap. iOS controls, such as buttons, selectors, sliders, all with outlines and gradients, which guide the user to tap.

App the structure is clear and easy to navigate. iOS provides navigation for multi-level content in the navigation bar.

tailored for user tasks UI

The best apps make custom UIs clear and easy to use. To do this, the UI customization problem should be taken into account at the beginning of the design. The reason is that branding, originality, and marketing considerations often impact UI-tailored decisions, and the process continues until you consider the impact of customization on the user experience.

With the iOS SDK, you can choose to customize the UI as much or as little as possible. Because there are no restrictions on the number of customizations, you need to consider how this customization will affect the tasks provided by the app. With regard to tasks, you need to consider how often the user is executed and under what circumstances.

do not customize for custom purposes. Ideally, a customized UI makes it easier for users to handle tasks and enhance their user experience. As much as possible, you should let the app task itself decide whether and how to customize the UI. For example:

N If your app needs to handle a lot of specific data, users will very much want to provide an interface that is easy to understand, use standard controls as much as possible, and efficiently navigate.

N If your app is just for browsing content, users often don't want the UI to be too prominent.

N If your app is a game, or a simulation of the real world, with a storyline app, the user would like to enter a strange world, full of beautiful pictures and rich interaction.

Do not add to the user's cognitive burden. users are accustomed to the appearance and behavior of standard UI controls, and they don't have to stop to think about how to use them. Users cannot take advantage of previous knowledge and experience when it comes to UI controls that look and behave differently from the standard. Unless your specially crafted UI helps users streamline their work, they are less willing to take the time to learn about this uncommon usage.

maintain consistency. the more UI you customize, the more you need to ensure that the UI looks and behaves the same as the app. When users take the time to use unfamiliar controls that are specifically customized, they expect a hint of what to use from your app.

content to the top. standard controls are too familiar to users to compete with content for the user's attention. When you are customizing your UI controls, be aware that it is not distracting and should ensure that users can focus on what they care more about. For example, if your app can play a video, you might customize the Play control button. When you're hesitant about choosing a custom or standard control, you might as well take the time to consider whether the control disappears after the user starts watching the video.

thinking over and over again can help you better customize. If you want to customize a control that is better than a standard control, make sure that the control you design provides as much information as the standard control. For example, you create a button image away from the user concept, no rounded corners and no three-dimensional effect, users will not realize that this is a click. Or, if you create a bidirectional switch without showing a reverse value, the user may not be aware that this is a two-way switch.

ensure a customized UI do a full user test. during testing, observe the tester closely to see if it can predict the behavior of the control and whether it can interact easily. For example, if you design a control that can tap a region less than 44*44pixel, the user cannot easily press the location.

Prototypes and Iterations

It's a good idea to make prototypes for user testing before putting your design into practice. Even if you can only invite a handful of colleagues to test your prototypes, you'll benefit from a new perspective on your app's functionality and user experience.

In the early stages of your design, you can use a paper prototype or wireframes to lay out the main views and controls, and to determine the transition map between the screens. Prototype testing can provide some useful feedback, but the lack of prototype information can also mislead testers. It's hard to imagine how the app's experience will become in real data.

If you can run a freshly baked app on a real machine, you'll get more valuable feedback. When users interact with the prototypes on your real machine, it's easier to see which features are not implemented and where the user experience is too complex.

The simplest way to create a reliable prototype is to use Xcode's template, create a new basic app, and populate it with the appropriate placeholder content. The prototype is then installed on the device, providing a realistic test environment for the user. You don't have to provide a lot of data, and you don't have to do every control with a tap. Only testers can give constructive feedback by clicking on an area of the screen to jump to the next logical view, or to complete the main task.

When you use Xcode to make prototypes, you can easily modify the prototypes. Once the change cycle is shortened, you have time to do multiple rounds of iterative testing to ensure that your final design is refined and finalized prior to development.

User Experience Guide

Seize the main task

When the application is focused on the core tasks, it can make people feel satisfied and happy. Your app definition statement will help you focus on the core tasks. To keep an eye on it, you need to identify the most important parts of each piece of content and screen.

Analyze each screen and what is required. When you consider what each screen needs to show, ask yourself, this key information and features that users need now? If the answer is no, consider whether it is essential in context, or it may not be important at all.

Content first

For non-gaming applications, consider designing a simple UI framework that you can do in the following ways:

minimize the number of controls and the position they occupy to mitigate their presence in the UI the specific gravity of the interface. in the photo application, place some obscure controls in a translucent bar.

When customizing the controls, try to be as perfectly integrated as possible with your picture style.

The user stops interacting with the control, and after a certain amount of time, consider hiding the control.

Consider from top to bottom

The top of the screen is most easily noticed by the user. The user holds the device, usually with the following interactive methods:

N Hold (or lie flat on a flat surface) with their infrequently used hands and manipulate them with the fingers of a common hand.

N Hold it in one hand and manipulate it with the thumb

N in both hands, and with two hands of the thumb simultaneous operation

Put the most commonly used information on top, where it is easiest to find and reach. When the user accesses the screen from top to bottom, the information presented should be from generic to special, from high to low level.

Logical path

logical information path that makes it easy for users to make predictions. Also, use the tag, for example, on the Back button where the mark will fall back to where the user knows the current location and where it will fall back.

In most cases, you have only a unique path to access a screen. If you need to access the same screen in different scenarios, consider how the mode view is.

Make everything simple and obvious

You should try to make your application easy to understand, because you cannot determine whether the user is willing to take the time or effort to study it.

to show the core function straight to the point. The following methods are used to achieve:

n reduce the control to make the user choose

n reasonable use of standard controls and gestures, and attention to consistency

n the label of the control needs to be clear, so that users can clearly know what they are doing

Consistent with the usage specifications used by the built-in application. The user knows how to navigate between screens with hierarchical relationships, edit the contents of the list, and switch between the programs ' modules through the tab bar. It's all made easy by strengthening the user experience.

Use terms that can be understood by the user

When using text to communicate with users, use terms that can be understood by the user. In particular, try to avoid technical jargon in the interface. The user's point of view is to consider whether the words used are appropriate.

The WiFi network settings interface uses plain text to explain how iOS responds to user preferences.

Minimize the necessary inputs

Entering information takes time and effort, whether you tap the control or the keyboard input.

MORE: Http://www.apple.com.cn/developer/iphone/library/documentation/UserExperience/Concep

Apple iOS HMI guide