User Interface Standards

The user interface is the part of every device that determines how people control and operate that device. When the interface is well designed, it is comprehensible, predictable, and controllable; users feel competent, satisfied and responsible for their actions.

Use the links below to navigate to:

International user interface standards
European user interface standards
Other National interface standards (alphabetical by country)

International Standards

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Corporate Headquarters, 3 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10016-5997, USA.
Tel: +1 212 419 7900; Fax: +1 212 752 4929
Web: www.ieee.org

IEEE 1621 (2004) Standard for user interface elements in power control of electronic devices employed in office/consumer environments

InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards

INCITS Secretariat c/o Information Technology Industry Council, 1250 Eye Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005, USA.
Tel: +1 202 737 8888; Fax: +1 202 638 4922
Email: incits@itic.org; Web: www.incits.org

Committees and Working Groups:

V2 - Information Technology Access Interfaces
Chairman: William LaPlant
V2 is the U.S. TAG to ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 35 on "User Interfaces" and its WG6, WG7 and WG8. As such, it provides recommendations on U.S. positions to the JTC 1 TAG.

ANSI/INCITS 389 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products through remote and alternative interfaces and intelligent agents: Universal remote console
ANSI/INCITS 390 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products: User interface socket description
ANSI/INCITS 391 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products through remote and alternative interfaces and intelligent agents: Presentation templates
ANSI/INCITS 392 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products through remote and alternative interfaces and intelligent agents: Target properties sheet
ANSI/INCITS 393 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products through remote and alternative interfaces and intelligent agents: Resource description

International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)

1, Ch. de la Voie-Creuse, Case postale 56, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland.
Tel: +41 22 749 0111; Fax: +41 22 733 3430
Web www.iso.ch

Committees and Working Groups:

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 35/WG 2 - User Interface Interaction

ISO/IEC 10741-1 (1995) Information technology - User-system interfaces - Dialogue interaction - Part 1: Cursor control for text editing
ISO/IEC 14755 (1997) Information technology - Input methods to enter characters from the repertoire of ISO/IEC 10646 with a keyboard or other input device
ISO/IEC CD 24786-1 Information Technology - User interfaces - Accessible user interface for accessibility setting on information devices - Part 1: General and methods to start

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 35/WG 6 - User Interfaces for Disabled and Elderly People
Convenor: Wolf Arfvidson

ISO/IEC FCD 24786 Information technology - User interfaces - Accessible user interface for accessibility settings on information devices
ISO/IEC TR 19765 (2006) Survey of icons and symbols for use by the elderly and disabled
ISO/IEC TR 19766 (2007) Information Technology - Guidelines for the design of icons and symbols accessible to all users, including the elderly and persons with disabilities

ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5 - Software Ergonomics and Human-Computer Dialogues
Convenor: Dr. Susan Harker

ISO 9241-151 (2008) Ergonomics of human-system interaction - Part 151: Guidance on World Wide Web user interfaces
ISO/TS 16071 (2003) Ergonomics of human-system interaction - Guidance on accessibility for human-computer interfaces (updated in ISO/DIS 9241-171)

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

Place des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland.
Tel: +41 22 730 5111; Fax: +41 22 733 7256
Email: itumail@itu.int; Web: www.itu.int

Committees and Working Groups:

ITU-T Study Group 2 - Operational Aspects of Service Provision, Networks and Performance
Chairman: Marie Therese Alajouanine

ITU-T E.902 (1995) Interactive services design guidelines

European Standards

European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)

650 Route des Lucioles, F-06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France.
Tel: +33 4 92 94 42 00; Fax: +33 4 93 65 47 16
Email: helpdesk@etsi.org; Web: www.etsi.org

Committees and Working Groups:

TCHF - Technical Committee on Human Factors
Chairman: Stephen Furner

ETSI EG 202 416 (2006) Human Factors (HF); User Interfaces; Setup procedure design guidelines for mobile terminals and services
ETSI TS 102 511 Human Factors (HF); AT commands for assistive mobile device interfaces

Other National Standards

United States of America

American National Standards Institute

1819 L Street NW, 6th Floor, Washington DC 20036, USA.
Tel: +1 212 642 4900; Fax: +1 202 293 9287
Email: info@ansi.org; Web: www.ansi.org

Committees and Working Groups:

INCITS V2 - Information Technology Access Interfaces
Chairman: William LaPlant
V2 is the U.S. TAG to ISO/IEC JTC1 SC35 on "User Interfaces" and its WG6, WG7 and WG8. As such, it provides recommendations on U.S. positions to the JTC 1 TAG.

ANSI/INCITS 389 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products through remote and alternative interfaces and intelligent agents: universal remote console
ANSI/INCITS 390 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products: User interface socket description
ANSI/INCITS 391 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products through remote and alternative interfaces and intelligent agents: Presentation templates
ANSI/INCITS 392 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products through remote and alternative interfaces and intelligent agents: Target properties sheet
ANSI/INCITS 393 (2005) Protocol to facilitate operation of information and electronic products through remote and alternative interfaces and intelligent agents: Resource description