Developing graphical user interfaces using human-computer interaction principles

Abstract

With the development of modern programming environments, designers and programmers have a large palette of various widgets; however, having them is not enough for designing an efficient graphical user interface. A user centered design approach that follows the principles of human-computer interaction can improve usability and increase the speed of mastering any software. This article describes the designing process and motivations of the interface that was made for an e-learning plug-in for the Pidgin instant messenger.