Usability Methods Explained: Design Patterns – Part 2

This is the second part of my 2-part blog post on design patterns in interface design. In the first part I looked at what design patterns are and advantages of using them. In this part I shall look further at the types and examples of design patterns as well as some potential drawbacks.

What are the different types of design patterns?

Design patterns are generally subdivided into three categories. Creational patterns are design patterns used to create objects that suit a number of software programming scenarios and mechanisms. Structural patterns are design patters that are concerned with the relationships and interactions of entities in your interface design. Structural patterns often deal with the functionality of your interface design. Behavioral patterns are design patterns that recognize common communication patterns between objects and realize these patterns. Recognizing these patterns makes communication more flexible and fluid during the design process. These patterns are exemplified by communication algorithms within or behind your interface design, or any commands that you may want your interface design to allow the user to execute.

What are examples of design patterns used in the interface design of websites?

An example of design patterns employed in the interface design of websites is Account Registration. Design patterns include best practices and can help prevent faux pas to watch out for when designing your website’s account registration process, such as not having a consistent design for the login and signup buttons as well as not making the said buttons easily identifiable. A design pattern would also tell that after a user logs in you should return them to the page they came from such as redirecting users to the comment form. Another example of a design pattern used in interface design is Tell-a-friend. This is used to enable users to share the content of your website with friends or anyone who might be interested with ease.

What are some drawbacks of design patterns?

Design patterns, like all methodologies, have been subject to criticism. Design patterns try to standardize what are generally accepted as best practices by computer scientists, information architects and interface designers. Standardization seems beneficial, but in practice it can result in the unnecessary duplication of code – a potential waste of time in your interface design. Using design patterns as a usability method in interface design can be difficult if one is not well versed with computer science. Although design patterns are not impossible to learn they may take some time and experience getting familiar with them in order to make the most of them. Yet, they may really be worth the effort.