Design Tips for Better HMIs: Grids, Alignment, and Removing Visual Clutter

Summary

Steven Fong, Web and Technology Manager at Inductive Automation, discusses key principles for designing user-friendly interfaces. He emphasizes reducing cognitive load by eliminating visual clutter and distractions, making systems easier to understand and navigate. Fong also highlights the importance of alignment and grids in interface design, using a structured 12-column grid to organize content and improve user flow. By applying these design principles, he showcases how Inductive Automation enhances web products, ensuring users can focus on essential tasks with greater efficiency and clarity.

Takeaways

• 😀 Cognitive load can be reduced by minimizing visual distractions and organizing information more efficiently.
• 😀 Poorly designed interfaces are not only unpleasant but can also lead to mistakes and inefficiency.
• 😀 Visual clutter adds to cognitive load, making it harder for users to understand and use the system effectively.
• 😀 Simplifying graphics, removing unnecessary animations, and cutting out distracting elements can make an interface much clearer.
• 😀 Alignment and grids help organize information and make different elements of an interface appear related.
• 😀 Grid systems, such as the 12-column grid, provide a structured layout that enhances user understanding and navigation.
• 😀 Well-aligned elements create a sense of order, helping users anticipate how to navigate a new interface.
• 😀 By using a grid layout, it's easier for users to find and interact with primary and secondary information.
• 😀 Applying a grid-based layout leads to a more predictable and familiar experience across different screens.
• 😀 The careful realignment of interface elements can help users' eyes follow a logical path, enhancing usability and clarity.
• 😀 Frameworks like Foundation or Bootstrap help speed up development by providing ready-made grid systems for building interfaces.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Steven Fong's presentation?

Steven Fong's presentation focuses on improving the design of user interfaces, specifically in the context of Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs). He discusses reducing cognitive load and using grid alignment to create more efficient and user-friendly designs.

What is cognitive load, and why is it important in interface design?

Cognitive load refers to the mental effort required to process and understand information. In interface design, reducing cognitive load is important because it helps users more easily understand the system, make quicker decisions, and avoid mistakes.

How can cognitive load be reduced in HMI design?

Cognitive load can be reduced by removing unnecessary visual elements, simplifying graphics, and organizing information in a way that helps users understand the data better without distractions.

What are some examples of visual clutter in the provided HMI example?

Examples of visual clutter in the HMI example include distracting animations, extraneous graphic elements like cutaway effects on tanks, and non-critical information that does not contribute to the operator's understanding of the system.

What changes were made in the revised version of the HMI layout?

In the revised HMI layout, distracting animations were removed, unnecessary visual elements were eliminated, and the graphics were simplified. The result was a cleaner, more iconic design that is easier to read and understand.

What is the significance of alignment and grids in interface design?

Alignment and grids help organize elements visually, making the interface more intuitive. Alignment creates relationships between elements, and grids introduce rhythm and order, providing users with a predictable layout that enhances usability.

How do grids help in creating a better user experience?

Grids provide a structured layout that users can easily navigate. They create visual rules that users can anticipate, allowing them to find information quickly and understand how to interact with the interface, even if they haven't seen a particular screen before.

What are some common grid structures used in design?

Common grid structures include 2, 3, 4, 8, and 12-column grids. The 12-column grid is particularly popular because it offers flexibility, allowing it to be divided into multiple spans for different types of content.

What is the role of the Foundation framework at Inductive Automation?

The Foundation framework at Inductive Automation is used to streamline the development of web interfaces by providing a grid system and pre-built components. This allows developers to quickly create layouts that follow consistent design patterns.

How does realigning elements on the screen improve usability?

Realigning elements helps create visual 'swimlanes' that guide the user's eye and make it easier to locate related information. By ensuring that similar items are grouped together and aligned properly, users can more easily navigate the interface and understand its structure.