Am I GUI?

Some people seem to think that I don't like the term GUI (pronounced goo-ee). In fact, when I was called "the GUI guy," I thought it would be fun to put the monicker on the outside of my office.

But, it's not entirely true that I don't like the term. The term GUI, meaning Graphical User Interface is an important part of my job. Most software is designed with some form of a GUI interface. I happen to be a very visual person and enjoy the aesthetics of a well designed GUI.

However, I do have some problems with the term. First, some important interaction does not occur within a GUI, but with sound and other interaction mediums. Second, the GUI in most products does not indicate that it is better for users. Most GUIs are not designed well, and designing products for users is a heck of a lot more than working with GUIs.

An "attractive" design isn't always more usable and a good visual design isn't always more usable. Usability is found in how a user interacts with the behavior of software. Working with GUIs will only solve a small part of usability problems. Working with mental models and with workflows yields a much greater result on usability.

On top of that, GUIs these days, can be automatically generated as a result of the underlying data. The application just spits out textboxes and comboboxes becaue the data can be represented in that way. There is zero design in this situation; other than what the authors of the tool did by way of design. No usability is taken into consideration in theses cases; no real design is done; but there is still a "GUI."

I prefer designing interactions instead of GUIs. I prefer getting to know the user's goals and subconcious in order to design software that is delightful to use; software that knows the user better than most people do. This involves using mediums other than the visual and working with a lot more than just the graphical interface.

So, I don't dislike the term GUI. But, I certainly work with a lot more than the GUI to design products.