The user interface (also known as Human Computer Interface or Man-Machine Interface (MMI)) is the aggregate of means by which people—the users—interact with the system—a particular machine, device, computer program or other complex tool. The user interface provides means of: To work with a system, users have to be able to control the system and assess the state of the system. For example, when driving an automobile, the driver uses the steering wheel to control the direction of the vehicle, and the accelerator pedal, brake pedal and gearstick to control the speed of the vehicle.

The driver perceives the position of the vehicle by looking through the windscreen and exact speed of the vehicle by reading the speedometer. The user interface of the automobile is on the whole composed of the instruments the driver can use to accomplish the tasks of driving and maintaining the automobile. The term user interface is often used in the context of computer systems and electronic devices.

The user interface of a mechanical system, a vehicle or an industrial installation is sometimes referred to as the Human-Machine Interface (HMI). HMI is a modification of the original term MMI (Man-Machine Interface). In practice, the abbreviation MMI is still frequently used although some may claim that MMI stands for something different now.

Another abbreviation is HCI, but is more commonly used for Human-computer interaction than Human-computer interface. Other terms used are Operator Interface Console (OIC) and Operator Interface Terminal (OIT).

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