WHITE SPACE and USER INTERACTION

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WHITE SPACE and USER INTERACTION

• Ebuba Udoh 0313957
• Idris Kargbo 0317960
• Linda Mensah 0508699

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What is white space?

• The space between elements on a screen
• ( element in this case is the content i.e.
  text graphics)
• Ignoring the content gives one the layout of the
  interface

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Uses of white space

• Space to Separate
• Space to Structure
• Space to highlight

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History and more about White Space

• The term arises from graphic design practice,
  where printing processes generally use white
  paper - it is that portion of a page left
  un-marked
• In some types of magazine, newspapers, e.t.c,
  white space is limited in order to get as much
  vital information on to the page as possible. A
  page crammed full of text or graphics with very
  little white space appears busy, cluttered, and
  will be difficult to read without careful
  attention being paid to it.
• A page with a lot of white space can appear
  either incomplete, or large amounts of white
  space applied judiciously can give a page a
  classic, elegant, or rich appearance. Upscale
  brands often use ad layouts with little text and
  a lot of white space, for example.

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How it helps user interaction

• Aids reading e.g. less strain on the eye
• Structuring/ grouping of information prevents
  information overload

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How it helps user interaction

• Interaction not just about interface
• The devices dictate the style of interaction that
  the system support
• If we use different devices then the interface
  will support a different style of interaction
• To understand human-computer interaction need to
  understand computer

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User Interaction, with most computing and other
devices (cont)

• Rapid feedback
• Navigator system
• The user tell the computer what they want (input)
• The computer then answer by result (output)
• The user should be in control
• Doing rather than thinking

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User Interaction, with most computing and other
Devices (cont)

• Table and chair
• Drawing plans on the paper
• Mobile phone
• Photocopier
• Car

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User Interaction, with most computing and other
Devices

• Interaction Model
• - translation between user and system
• - the nature of user /system dialog
• - User decide where to go, what to see, what
  to do and when to leave
• - system should response for user interest of
  using the product/system

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References

• Alan Dix, Janet Finlay, Gregory D. Abowd, Russell
  Beale, 2004,Human Computer Interaction Third
• www.hcibook.com/e3-docs/slides/ppt/e3-chap-05.ppt
• www.bcs.org