Information Technology

Grade 10

Topic: User Interface

Communication between a user and a computer is two-way. One of the jobs of the operating

system is to provide a 'user interface', so that a human can communicate with the hardware

that makes up a computer. When you buy a piece of software, it too will have a user

interface, so that you can access and use the software. A user will give data and instructions

to a computer and a computer will give information back to a user. The way that a computer

and a user communicate is known as the interface. There are alternative terms to describe

this. Another common term is the Human-Computer Interface, also known as the HCI.

The user interface (UI) is the point of human-computer interaction and communication in a

device. This can include display screens, keyboards, a mouse and the appearance of a

desktop. It is also the way through which a user interacts with an application or a website.

We can therefore say user interface refers to the way in which a user interacts with the

computer system.

A user interface, comprises both hardware and software components that handles the

interaction between the user and the system.

1. Hardware Interface

User may interact with the computer via different hardware. These hardware make it

possible for a person to communicate with the computer system. Hardware such as

keyboard and a monitor screen. Alternative devices such as touch screen may make a

computer system much easier to use.

 A non-visual interface such as a voice based, or braille-based input output system is

designed to help people with restricted vision and other disabilities that make it

difficult to use a computer.

Activity 1

Explain each of the following and how they work, and give an example of a situation in

which they are used.

 Touch Screen

 Specialized Keyboard

 Braille

2. Software Interface

The software interface controls how the user works with the computer. The most

common Software interface are:

 Command Line Interface

 Menu Driven Interface

 Graphical User Interface

Activity 2

Using the Internet or otherwise make short notes on each of the interface above using

the table below.

Interface Description Features

Command Line Interface

Menu Driven Interface

 Graphical User Interface

Define each of the following terms (in relation to Information Technology)

 Icon

 Pop Up Menu

 Pull Down Menu.

 Window