Simplified user interface

A simplified user interface (SUI) is an illustration of a software interface that reduces irrelevant information to abstract shapes to create a "stylised but instantly recognisable image" that conveys the contextually important details.[1]

Similar in look to wireframes, SUIs have uses in marketing,[1] user onboarding (for instance by Slack[2] and Google Analytics[3]), and technical communication.[4][5]

As well as improving the speed and clarity of communication, for those creating documentation SUIs offer a degree of future-proofing against incremental changes to the interface,[1] and aid the translation of documents into other languages.[6]

## Further reading

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* Johnson, Tom (19 January 2019). "Write the Docs podcast episode 33: simplified user interfaces, with Anton Bollen". I'd Rather Be Writing. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
* Saremba, Leonie; Bollen, Anton (February 2021). "Simplified graphics and screenshots in software documentation". TCWorld. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
* Segelin, Steve (2018). "Graphic content warning: the pros, cons, and alternatives to screenshots". WriteTheDocs. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
* Cassidy, Kat. "Creating beautiful SUIs". katcassidy.com. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

## References

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1. ^ a b c Bollen, Anton (7 August 2019). "Simplified graphics: meet the new design style for technical communication". LinkedIn. Retrieved 27 June 2021. "(Originally published as 'SUI: revolutionising graphic effects', Communicator, Summer 2019, Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC).)"
2. ^ Simon, Justin. "3 great examples of simplified user interface". TechSmith. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
3. ^ "Discover". Google Analytics. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
4. ^ Ballard, Paul (Summer 2021). "The globots are coming". Communicator. ISTC. pp. 14–15.
5. ^ "Simplified user interface". Society for Technical Communication (STC). Retrieved 27 June 2021.
6. ^ Wiedemer, Michele (19 January 2019). "Simple solutions to evergreen images". LinkedIn. Retrieved 27 June 2021.