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Ask HN: GUI Design. Where to start?

by lokio9 on 9/22/15, 7:15 AM with 2 comments

I study Computer Engineering and I currently work on my final degree project. I develop software for a touchscreen tablet which will be integrated into a vehicle to be a part of its electronics system.

So far I implemented almost all the necessary functions and met the functional requierements. My current GUI is just a rough draft and has no structure. I have 6 weeks to design an automotive GUI and I am not sure where to start.

Can anyone give some advice? What software would use to make a screen design? I develop a Qt Quick Application using Qt Creator and made my simple GUI using QML.

  • by namuol on 9/22/15, 7:31 AM

    1. Look at existing designs for inspiration.

    2. Draft a prototype with a tool that's easy to hack with.

    3. Try out your design with strangers; take notes where they get confused.

    4. Change the design to address issues from #3.

    5. GOTO #3

    When drafting your design, don't worry about how it looks; focus on clarity and easy of use.

    Note: There are many prototyping tools out there; this is a great resource: http://prototypingtools.co/