Edited definition: User Interface
Throughout the writing process it became clear to me that my level of understanding of a term needed to be advanced enough to be able to simplify complex technical terms in the language that the average non-technical person would understand. Although I’m very familiar with the concept of “user interface”, my research into it’s history and origins allowed me to learn about the concept in a more real-world perspective while being able to conceptually study the term’s etymology, social context. It also allowed me reflect on the potential future for the idea of a user interface in modern technology. The main difficulty in trying to simplify the term “user interface” came from the broadness of the concept itself, since user interfaces exist in multiple ways (e.g. computers, GPS systems, smartphones, watches) and defining them in non-technical terms required me to simplify a lot of technical jargon when describing what a user interface was in each particular context. Suffice to say, defining a complex term and translate it into digestible information is a skill which I’m starting to realize takes commitment and practice.
The peer review process was a very helpful process in the writing process because it allowed me to have feedback on my writing. While my initial attempt to define the concept of “user interface” seemed organized and understandable to me, I soon learned that my assignment included technical jargon that would not be so easily understandable to the average non-technical person. The peer review also helped me find minor errors in the layout of the assignment itself, such as citations and references to certain concepts and terms (e.g. history of UI).
The editing process was much better than I thought because of great feedback my teammate, Morgan, provided me. I was able to follow her comments about very specific aspects of my assignment and that allowed me to tailor the comments to simplify technical jargon and provide more context to terms like “programming” or “animation” to my audience. Through this process I learned that editing should be a on-going process in order to improve the communication between the writer and the audience. Also, through editing my definition assignment, I was able to re-read my assignment through the perspective of the peer reviewer, which allowed me to add on more contextual excerpt to better clarify ideas that Morgan herself may not have considered to be technical jargon to a non-technical reader.