Interaction design simplifies user experience and behavior with a product or service, focusing on how a user’s behavior affects functionality. It is used in software and product design, considering sensory interactions. Good interaction design balances usability and visual appeal, resulting in smoother, enjoyable interactions and positive reviews.
In computers, interaction design refers to a process used to simplify the experience for users and customers of a product or service. It focuses on how a user’s behavior affects the functionality of a product in an effort to improve the way a product works. While interaction design is most commonly used in software design, it can also be used to mean human interaction design in any product. Interaction design is often called IxD for short.
When using a product or service, a person can initiate an interaction in many ways using senses including sight, touch and hearing. A user can pick up an object, talk to it, or press a button to start interacting with it. Objects with creation processes involving interaction design typically include automatic teller machines (ATMs), smartphones, and kitchen appliances. Computers such as desktop and laptop personal computers are also created with the interaction between the user and the computer in mind.
An important field of interaction design exists in the world of software design. As with other things designed with user interaction in mind, software design professionals consider how the behavior of a software system will interact with the behavior of the user. The education and experience of those working in this field varies. Computer interaction designers often have a background that combines art with computer experience, especially programming or design software. Part of an interaction designer’s job is sketching potential projects, so a background in drafting or computer-aided design (CAD) can also be helpful in pursuing a career in interaction design.
In general, interaction design focuses on how things work when a human initiates communication with an object. It is very useful when making a product that people intend to use because it can help make a properly designed product easier, more efficient, and safer for the consumer to use. When a designer tailors an interaction to better serve a user, he often considers how the user’s goals might be better served by the look, behavior, and communication methods used during an interaction.
A user’s response to the aesthetic beauty of the product interface is part of an interaction, so many interaction designs result from working to maintain a balance between usability and the visual appeal of the design. Good interaction design can ensure that a product gets good user reviews, which can help bolster continued product sales. When an interaction is designed well, it goes more smoothly and is more enjoyable for the user. Poorly designed interactions typically run slowly, encounter frequent problems, and frustrate the user, which can mean bad reviews and poor sales.
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