Workbook on Digital Private Papers > Glossary
Glossary - U
User interface
The user interface provides the means by which users encounter and interact with a computer system; via the interface, a user queries or manipulates the system (input), and receives output - in the form of information or behaviour resulting from the input, e.g. a user might undertake a keyword search on an electronic archive catalogue, and receive a list of archival items which relate to that keyword which can then be called up individually. Usability is a key principle when designing a user interface, and different interfaces may be designed for different audiences and purposes, e.g. the researcher will require a simpler, more user-friendly interface than the archivist or administrator of a digital archive repository, with input and output designed to meet their needs.
