Designing a system interface is a critical aspect of system design and development. Systems are only used when they are easy to use and useful. Interfaces should be designed to be intuitive and logically structured to allow easy input and retrieval of information stored in the system. Another major objective in system interface design is to minimize data entry errors by means of validation. Some examples include ensuring that:

• Entered values are within a given range.
• Values contain the correct number of characters.
• Dates are within acceptable and valid ranges.
• Required fields not left empty.
• Email addresses contain @ that points to a valid domain.

To Prepare for This Discussion

1. Conduct research on system interface design characteristics.
2. Describe three or more characteristics associated with a good system interface design.
3. Describe three or more common mistakes made in new system interface development.