User Interface and Experience

UI is the very important part of software component. Since most of the end users have to work with UI without much knowledge of database, so equal focus should be given to develop UI with good graphic designs and great user experience in comparison to database and business logic development. So forms we design should be interactive, menu driven with defined error code popups. Integrating dashboard features, calendar, email features would add on to great user experience. In model development approach UI development is simplified with User interface metadata similar to XML presentation approach and generators take care of generating HTML/JSPs. CSS3 can add text effects, animations and other presentation effects to content. 

Some tips from experts to follow while developing UI :

Consistency

Most important thing you can possibly do is ensure your user interface works consistently. If you can double-click on items in one list and have something happen, then you should be able to double-click on items in any other list and have the same sort of thing happen. Put your buttons in consistent places on all your windows, use the same wording in labels and messages, and use a consistent color scheme throughout.

Navigation between major user interface items is important

If it is difficult to get from one screen to another, then your users will quickly become frustrated and give up. When the flow between screens matches the flow of the work the user is trying to accomplish, then your application will make sense to your users. Because different users work in different ways, your system needs to be flexible enough to support their various approaches. User interface flow diagrams should optionally be developed to further your understanding of the flow of your user interface

Understand the UI widgets

You should use the right widget for the right task, helping to increase the consistency in your application and probably making it easier to build the application in the first place. The only way you can learn how to use widgets properly is to read and understand the user-interface standards and guidelines your organization has adopted.

Use color appropriately

Color should be used sparingly in your applications and, if you do use it, you must also use a secondary indicator. The problem is that some of your users may be color blind and if you are using color to highlight something on a screen, then you need to do something else to make it stand out if you want these people to notice it. You also want to use colors in your application consistently, so you have a common look and feel throughout your application.

Align fields effectively

When a screen has more than one editing field, you want to organize the fields in a way that is both visually appealing and efficient. I have always found the best way to do so is to left-justify edit fields: in other words, make the left-hand side of each edit field line up in a straight line, one over the other. The corresponding labels should be right-justified and placed immediately beside the field. This is a clean and efficient way to organize the fields on a screen

Don’t create busy user interfaces

Crowded screens are difficult to understand and, hence, are difficult to use. Experimental results show that the overall density of the screen should not exceed 40 percent, whereas local density within groupings should not exceed 62 percent.