# Best HMI graphical design practices - opinions? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/best-hmi-graphical-design-practices-opinions/37683 "2020-08-13T16:16:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rpavlicek](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/rpavlicek/32/55868_2.png) [@rpavlicek](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/rpavlicek)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/best-hmi-graphical-design-practices-opinions/37683/1 "2020-08-13T16:16:22Z")
I would like to hear other’s opinions on what would be considered best or most efficient graphical design practices for HMI screens? Basically, what does one think of the HMI Optimatization method (my preference - clean and minimalist) vs using more animations and colors? I’ve been developing in Ignition (first time in SCADA) for just over a year now and personally after seeing the examples set by Inductive Automation on the HMI Optimization method by producing clean lines and minimal distractions (less is more), I really liked that method best. I also liked how colors and animations were reduced. Instead of making the screen look like a disco party, only making something stand out when it needs attention. I also like using a gray shade for the page backgrounds all across (which seems to be common in most methods anyways). I tend to lean towards designing things so only alerts have colors (orange or red) and don’t like using the color “green” for normal running states just to say it’s good, but only show a color when it’s in abnormal state. As far as graphics for equipment, I don’t mind using a more modern symbol for something for example like a tank, but make sure the gradients when used don’t have high contrast or anything that would stick out too much. In those cases, I mute and slightly blend the colors some more if needed (usually in shades of gray, nothing too dark or too light. I also follow other methods such as consistency, sizing and orientations as well, but was more curious on what other here think of the graphical side of things. ---
**Author:** ![Tim](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/tim/32/3361_2.png) [@Tim](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Tim)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/best-hmi-graphical-design-practices-opinions/37683/2 "2020-08-13T17:03:10Z")
The principles in _The High Performance HMI Handbook_ are a good place to start. Also of note are _The Alarm Management Handbook_ and _Effective Console Operator HMI Design_. Customers or end users will request deviations from these practices which will ultimately guide many of your choices. There are some good studies on methods to present abstract data in meaningful ways to enable efficiency and also improve safety. I’ll update later with some of those. Searching for “Ecological Interface Design (EID)” will give some good leads as well. This one I reference as an example: Ham D.H., Yoon W.C., Han B.T, Experimental study on the effects of visualized functionally abstracted information on process control tasks. Reliability Engineering and System Safety 93 (2008) p. 254-270. K. J. Vicente, K. Christoffersen and A. Pereklita, “Supporting operator problem solving through ecological interface design,” in _IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics_ , vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 529-545, April 1995, doi: 10.1109/21.370186. Also of note: Rasmussen, Jens, and Kim J. Vicente. “Coping with human errors through system design: implications for ecological interface design.” _International Journal of Man-Machine Studies_ 31.5 (1989): 517-534. Wittenberg, Carsten. “A pictorial human–computer interface concept for supervisory control.” _Control Engineering Practice_ 12.7 (2004): 865-878. Lin, Yingzi, W. J. Zhang, and L. Glen Watson. “Using eye movement parameters for evaluating human–machine interface frameworks under normal control operation and fault detection situations.” _International Journal of Human-Computer Studies_ 59.6 (2003): 837-873. Lin, Yingzi, and W. J. Zhang. “Towards a novel interface design framework: function–behavior–state paradigm.” _International journal of human-computer studies_ 61.3 (2004): 259-297. Janzen, Michael E., and Kim J. Vicente. “Attention allocation within the abstraction hierarchy.” _International Journal of Human-Computer Studies_ 48.4 (1998): 521-545. Burns, Catherine M., et al. “Evaluation of ecological interface design for nuclear process control: situation awareness effects.” _Human factors_ 50.4 (2008): 663-679. N. Lau, G. A. Jamieson, G. Skraaning and C. M. Burns, “Ecological Interface Design in the Nuclear Domain: An Empirical Evaluation of Ecological Displays for the Secondary Subsystems of a Boiling Water Reactor Plant Simulator,” in _IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science_ , vol. 55, no. 6, pp. 3597-3610, Dec. 2008, doi: 10.1109/TNS.2008.2005725. Howie, Dianne E., and Kim J. Vicente. “Measures of operator performance in complex, dynamic microworlds: Advancing the state of the art.” _Ergonomics_ 41.4 (1998): 485-500. Letsu-Dake, Emmanuel, and Celestine A. Ntuen. “A case study of experimental evaluation of adaptive interfaces.” _International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics_ 40.1 (2010): 34-40. Christoffersen, Klaus, Christopher N. Hunter, and Kim J. Vicente. “A longitudinal study of the effects of ecological interface design on deep knowledge.” _International Journal of Human-Computer Studies_ 48.6 (1998): 729-762.