User Interface Design essential for the success of your product

On the last day of WoTS we pay special attention to it user interface design (UID) of devices and machines. A current topic that has a major influence on the sales success of a product. The UID must be attractive and user-friendly. The user wants to understand at a glance how a product works. During the day the seminar, on September 30 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the World of Electronics, UID specialists will explain the entire development process, from design to realization and security.

Before the designer starts working, it must be clear what the customer wants and why. Yassin Chakkar from Comate kicks off the seminar with the customer question. Using practical examples, Chakkar explains how he and his colleagues arrive at an initial design. An interesting example is the ice cream maker that Comate designed for the startup Cupple. This product is not yet available on the market but is already attracting the attention of journalists and future buyers. The smart and sleek design of the interface of the device is partly responsible for this, as Chakkar will demonstrate during his presentation.

Technology behind a successful design

The customer's specification wishes always guide the design, but must be feasible. Johan Vonk van Betronic therefore focuses on the technical aspects of a successful UID. From an LCD segment display to a full-colour IPS Touch display: there is a suitable one for every application user interface technology. Vonk discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques and which technique is best applicable in specific situations. Afterwards, Gilles Hendrikx talks about Logic Technology about streamlining the interaction between the front-end and back-end developers. Where previously every change to the front-end led to frustration for the back-end developer, nowadays there are solutions that circumvent this problem and greatly increase productivity. By choosing modern tools with a parallel workflow designers can develop good GUIs without any code knowledge. Hiring a software engineer is often no longer necessary.

Protection and UID

An essential part of any UID design is the protection of a product. Equipment and machines are expensive and must therefore literally be able to withstand a knock or two. It is important that the device is resistant to electromagnetic influences and that the housing is in order. But the designer must also think about practical matters, such as ease of use and the layout of the workplace. After all, users do not always interact with a device in the way the designer intended. A good UID takes this into account. Harms Jansen van Phoenix Mecano discusses several during his presentation cases and the solutions that Phoenix Mecano has applied.

CE mark

Before a new device can go to production, it has to be done compliant comply with European guidelines and have the CE mark. An important requirement for this quality mark is that the product meets the standards in the field of Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC), says Paul Berning of Schurter Electronics. Other electrical devices in the immediate vicinity must not affect the operation of the product, so high immunity is necessary. At the same time, emissions must also be low, because the product must not disturb other devices. The exact EMC requirements differ per product group. For example, medical equipment, for safety reasons, requires higher immunity than everyday utensils.

Jeroen op ten Berg van GBO Innovation Makers concludes the seminar with an overview presentation of the entire UID process: from the first brainstorming session to final production. On the basis of concrete user cases he explains in which phase of the design process user interface design is discussed and how his company responds to it. 

Admission to the seminar is free, but you must register for WoTS in advance through this link.