No question the UI in electronic devices today is playing a larger role in the success of a device. Get the UI wrong and your product will have little chance of surviving. And it isn’t enough to deliver a UI that is merely functional: it has to look good too. Studies have shown that a good cosmetic design can encourage users to explore the full range of features and often, can engender the perception that a product is easier to use, which can make consumers more tolerant of product deficiencies. Learn more today!
NUCLEUS GRAPHICS: A NEW APPROACH TO USER INTERFACE CREATION FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICES
May 2009
ABSTRACTThe success of any consumer electronic device depends to a large extent on the appeal of the user interface (UI) and how easy the device is to use. Studies show that a good cosmetic design can encourage users to explore the full range of features and often engenders the perception that a product is easier to use. So if the benefits of great looking, easy-to-use UI are so clear, why are so many products still falling short of customer expectations?
The solution lies in taking a fresh new approach to the role the UI plays. By identifying common UI functionality and implementing it in a reusable and customizable manner, we can make it far easier for embedded engineers to deliver visually engaging and easy-to-use products.
Author: Geoff KendallMarketing Manager, Nucleus Mobile & Consumergeoff_kendall@mentor.com
Mentor Graphics Corporation8005 SW Boeckman RoadWilsonville, OR 97070 USA
www.mentor.com/embeddedTHE PROBLEM WITH TODAY'S CONSUMERELECTRONIC DEVICESNo question the UI in electronic devices today is playing a larger role in the success of a device. Get the UI wrong and your product will have little chance of surviving. And it isn't enough to deliver a UI that is merely functional: it has to look good too. Studies have shown that a good cosmetic design can encourage users to explore the full range of features and often, can engender the perception that a product is easier to use, which can make consumers more tolerant of product deficiencies.
So why, if the benefits of a great looking, easy-to-use UI are so obvious, many products continue to fall short of customer expectations?
The answer is that changing an embedded device UI is not easy. Even something as simple as migrating to a new screen size can cause major development headaches. To do something more ambitious - such as create a slick look and feel that takes full advantage of a new graphics processor - is often not an option.
What's more, the problem gets worse as new product features are introduced. Time-to-market pressure means that enhancements are often just "bolted on" to the UI, rather than being integrated in a more intuitive manner. The result is a market awash with products whose list of features might look good on paper, but whose user experience ultimately fails to satisfy.
The solution to this problem lies in taking a fresh look at the role that a consumer electronic device UI plays. By identifying common UI functionality and implementing it in a reusable, customizable way, we can make it far easier for embedded engineers to deliver visually engaging and easy-to-use products.
A NEW LOOK AT THE ROLE A CONSUMERDEVICE UI PLAYS The TV set-top boxes, media players, and mobile phones may be very different in terms of form factor and function, but in terms of user interaction they have a lot in common. In fact, for all such devices, much of the UI's work is reduced to performing just two conceptual steps, one after the other:
Step 1: Present the user with a set of options to choose between.
Step 2: Wait for an option to be chosen, and respond with an appropriate action.
Common design situations that fit this interactive model include:
?? Mobile Phone: Looking for an entry in the address book, clicking it and then choosing "Call" from the popup menu that appears; previewing and playing ring tones.
?? Media Player: Browsing and selecting MP3 files by artist, title, etc; navigating folders on a memory card to view photos.
www.mentor.com/embedded 22?? TV Set-Top Box: Scrolling through channel listings and setting reminders for particular programs; selecting a particular channel to watch.
Though these examples cover a diverse range of functions and form factors, what is happening at an interactive level is very similar. In each scenario, the user is being presented with (and asked to choose between) a number of options, which ultimately lead to a particular action being performed (e.g. a phone call is initiated; an MP3 file is played).
All such activity could be managed by a single menu system, albeit an extremely flexible and generic one, capable of presenting a wide range of content from an equally wide range of sources. By taking this menu-cen... [download for more]
