Interaction styles are the different ways communication can occur between users and computer systems. The main styles of interaction are as follows:

- Command line entry (e.g. MS DOS  or UNIX)
- Systems driven techniques
   - Menus
   - Query dialogs
   - Forms
- Direct manipulation

Command entry systems require users to remember a large number of commands, some of which can be completely arbitrary. Feedback is often limited in these text based command entry systems.

Menus allow for information navigation. They utilise knowledge in the world (KITW) rather than knowledge in the head (KITH) and therefore require the user to recognise rather than to recall. Menus can be used within the context of text based systems or graphical systems with a WIMP interface.

WIMP Interfaces

WIMP is an acronym which stands for windows, icons, mouse and pull down menus. Alternatively it can refer to windows, icons, menus, and pointers. A WIMP interface is a complex Graphical User Interface (GUI).

The first commercial WIMP system was the Xerox Star which was then followed by the Apple Lisa. The Apple Lisa was the forerunner for the more commercially successful Apple Macintosh system. Microsoft Windows is the typical WIMP system most people would now be familiar with.

A WIMP system allows for multi-tasking or asynchronous actions. The definition of a GUI does not necessarily include this type of functionality so it is important to note that a WIMP interface is not just a GUI. It is more than that!

The WIMP interface creates a virtual world of virtual objects and devices. Users can make changes and interact with these virtual objects using the input technologies attached to the system (keyboard and mouse etc...).

Direct Manipulation (DM)

The concept of direct manipulation has the aim of making a system so that it is easier for the user to achieve their goals without the system "getting in the way". Successful direct manipulation systems require high visibility of the objects being acted upon or used. The system should make it appear to the user as if they are acting directly upon an object without any need for the use of complex command entry.

Actions should be quick and easy to execute and they should also be reversible. Visual feedback makes the user feel more confident with the system as they can see exactly how their actions have had an affect.

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