User interface

The user interface is the part of a system exposed to a user. The system can be any kind of machine, also computerized systems and software. As for software, the user interface is usually the only part a user ever sees. The user interacts with a system through its user interface.

The design of the user interface is relevant for the user's understanding (also called the mental model) of the system and thus for the system's usability or user-friendliness.

See also:

Graphical User Interface
UIML
Usability testing