The aim of this section is to discuss the role of standardisation in the domain of interface design. Standardisation can be viewed as a way of insuring that good human factors are incorporated in a system. In general, we are familiar with standardisation in many areas of our lives, for example, standard food labels, standard controls on cars, keyboards, colours for traffic lights and so on. The main purpose of standardisation is to provide safer and better quality.

For interactive system designers, designing systems with maximum usability is the ultimate goal. A good design mainly results from knowledge and experience of the designer and more importantly, the way they apply this knowledge into a specific design. In order to increase usability, two kinds of design rules, standards and guidelines, can be applied into a design.