UI (User interface) is among the most important parts of any website or product. It is the solid determinant of what a user can make the program do for them. For all professionals, trying to manually UI design for any program can be a painstaking process. It is highly time consuming and the prospects of coming up with flawless user interface are very slim. This is why professionals nowadays depend on UI design software.
Today, the market is full of many user interface design tools. Obviously they do not deliver the same outcome. The main aim of user interface design is to maximize the user experience. In other words, it makes the user’s interaction as simple as it can possibly be when it comes to accomplishing user goals. In the end, a good user interface design should facilitate the accomplishing of a task at hand without having to draw unnecessary attention to itself. It is therefore necessary to use the right user experience tools.
Characteristics of Good UI Design Software
Any professional needs to know the characteristics of good software for designing user interface. This is whether the interface is for machines or software such as computers, mobile devices, home appliances, as well as other electronic appliances. As a matter of fact, graphical user interfaces that use windows, icons and pop-up menus have become standard on PCs. Here is what good UI development software should achieve:
*Reduced engineering time: This is perhaps the most important reason why professionals use this software. The software should be capable of reducing engineering time by a good percentage (as much as 50 percent).
*Versatility: The chips or systems on which such software work range from low end to high-end systems. Good software for developing user interface design should be versatile as to be used with all these systems. Besides, it should be compatible with any OS or even no OS at all.
*Clarity and conciseness: The software must be able to deliver a very clear but concise user interface. This will enable people to easily figure out how the application really works. Conciseness eliminates over-clarification and keeps the interface clutter free.
*Organization: This is another very important element of good user interface design software. The concepts of organization include consistency, relationships, screen layout and navigability. Organization ensures the interface is not chaotic or disordered and therefore frustrating to use.
*Communication: Good user interface development program should be able to provide interfaces that match the presentation with the capabilities of the user. It would be counterproductive if the interface is nicely done but too complex for an average user to comprehend.
*Customizability: Since different electrical appliances have different applications, there are no one-size-fits all when it comes to user interfaces. Good UI design software must be able to produced customizable GUI development.
The above described are just a few of the most important characteristics of user interface development program but there are many more. It often difficult to know for sure is particular GUI design software would deliver the desired results. The only way is to talk to someone who has used the software before successfully. You can also see the templates of interfaces produced.
What Is The Best User Interface Design Software?
There is no simple answer to this question. Since the invention of the technology, many software programmers have managed to come up with a number of such software. Each designer claims theirs is the best. For a professional just entering the market, this can be extremely confusing. However, with research and consultation, you can find the software all professionals use to design user interface.
There are many user forums over the internet where you can the information. Read the user reviews and visit the official websites of the major contenders. In such websites, you are likely to find templates and vivid description of the capabilities of the software. It is even possible to get free trial of the software just to know what it is capable of achieving. If there is something you do not understand then you can talk directly to customer care on these sites to get direct and reliable information before you commit to purchase the software.
Based on these parameters, consultations with UI design experts and personal experience, the recommended UI design software all professionals use include:
*Altia: This is currently the smartest, fastest ways to get brand defining and client pleasing interfaces even on the lowest costing hardware. It offers great features including Altia Design which allows users to build, integrate as well as animate their elegant, custom GUI.
*DHTMLX: Professionals use DHTMLX Use the Visual Designer tool to create web application interfaces built with the dhtmlxSuite library.
*Adobe Fireworks: it is incontestable fact that Adobe Fireworks remains the best software for UX design. It is highly versatile, smart, easy to use and time saving.
*Balsamiq: this design software provides rapid, effective and fun-filled wire-framing software. Professionals love it for its simplicity and great outcome.
*Antetype: This software is known to offer one of the most efficient ways to design wonderful, highly responsive user interfaces for apps, enterprise software and websites.
Conclusion
It is not possible to underestimate the importance of UI design software. It is beneficial for both the software and the hardware. For you as the user, such program will enable you to do a clean job that is client-pleasing and personally gratifying and stick to the recommended user experience guidelines.
In the end, maximum user experience is the goal. However, you must choose the right software for the job. Do your research, consult and try the popular UI design software and see what they can do for you. You must also consider your budget. If you can afford the expensive user interface design software, that is well and good but expensive does not always equate to quality.
