Movie GUI's

A graphical user interface is often shortened to GUI (or 'gooey') and is used to provide the user with a set of on-screen controls so that they can interact with a program or computer. These are very carefully considered and developed with incredibly thorough user research on a foundation of established best-practice guidelines. Simply put, GUI interaction should be seamless and there should be no obvious stumbling blocks that would annoy a user off to the point that they give up and find an alternative solution. Consider this the next time you're using a touch screen to buy your train ticket.

When it comes to movies, all the decades of usability principles go straight out the window. Movie GUI's are thoroughly unrealistic from a usability point of view, but are incredibly fun to look at. Their one job is to get the message across to the audience that something integral to the plot is happening. If you're wondering what is it about movie GUI's that's so unrealistic, check out Jakob Nielsen's rather comprehensive (and super nerdy) article.

Since the 80's, movie GUI's have come a very long way, and this awesome blog captures some of the great retro ones from classic movies that you may have seen.

Creating futuristic user interfaces (or FUI's) has become a job for some lucky people such as
Mark Coleran who gets to build cool futuristic GUI's all day long. Check out his portfolio to see what I'm talking about.












via Access Main Computer File, Jakob Nielsen,
Mark Coleran