Human Computer Interaction Concepts

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Page 1IT82: Human Computer Interaction Module 1 by J.Manglib

HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION CONCEPTS

By : Junny Manglib

Objectives

At the end of this module. The students wi ll:

1. Identify the ways in which humans interact with computers, and theroles of different types of user interfaces within these contexts.

2. Examine some current issues in HCI and their impact on interface andinteraction design.

3. Investigate fundamental principles for effective interface design.4. Investigate in further detail, the principles for good graphical user

interface design.

Introduction

Humans interact with computers in many ways, and the interface between humans and the

computers they use is crucial to facilitating this interaction. Desktop applications, internet

browsers, handheld computers, and computer kiosks make use of the prevalent Graphical User

Interfaces (GUI) of today. Voice User Interfaces (VUI) are used for speech recognition and

synthesising systems, and the emerging multi-modal and gestalt User Interfaces (gUI) allow

humans to engage with embodied character agents in a w ay that cannot be achieved with

other interface paradigms.

Humancomputer interaction (HCI) is the study, planning and design of the interaction between

people (users) and computers. It is often regarded as the intersection of computer science,

behavioral sciences, design and several other fields of study. Interaction between users andcomputers occurs at the user interface (or simply interface), which includes both software and

hardware; for example, characters or objects displayed by software on apersonal computer's

monitor, input received from users via hardware peripherals such as keyboards andmice,and

other user interactions with large-scale computerized systems such as aircraft and pow er plants.

The Association for Computing Machinery defines human-computer interaction as "a discipline

concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems

for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them. An important facet of

HCI is the securing of user satisfaction (or simply End User Computing Satisfaction).

Because human-computer interaction studies a human and a machine in conjunction, it draws

from supporting knowledge on both the machine and the human side. On the machine side,techniques in computer graphics, operating systems, programming languages, and

development environments are relevant. On the human side, communication theory, graphic

and industrial design disciplines, linguistics, social sciences, cognitive psychology, and human

factors such as computer user satisfaction are relevant. Engineering and design methods are

also relevant. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of HCI, people with different backgrounds

contribute to its success. HCI is also sometimes referred to as manmachine interaction (MMI)or

computerhuman interaction (CHI).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_%28computing%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_sciencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_scienceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_human-computer_interaction_topicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_interfacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softwarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_hardwarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_monitorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheralshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_keyboardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_%28computing%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_for_Computing_Machineryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_graphicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programming_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguisticshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_scienceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_factorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_factorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_user_satisfactionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_user_satisfactionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_factorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_factorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_scienceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguisticshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programming_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_systemshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_graphicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_for_Computing_Machineryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_%28computing%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_keyboardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheralshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_monitorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_hardwarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softwarehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_interfacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_human-computer_interaction_topicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_scienceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_sciencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_%28computing%29


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HCI is clearly a multi-disciplinary subject (see below), and designing an effective interactive

system from a single discipline in isolation is almost impossible. Computer scientists, however, are

particularly interested in the practicalities of how they can use the principles and methods from

each HCI discipline to assist them in designing better systems. Acquiring an understanding of the

theory is important, but knowing how to apply the theory to the problem at hand is equally

valuable (Dix et al. 2004).

Basic goals of HCI is to improve the interactions between users and computers by making

computers moreusable and receptive to the user's needs. Specifically, HCI is concerned with:

methodologies and processes for designing interfaces (i.e., given a task and a class ofusers, design the best possible interface within given constraints, optimizing for a desired

property such as learnability or efficiency of use)

methods for implementing interfaces (e.g. software toolkits and libraries; efficientalgorithms)

techniques for evaluating and comparing interfaces developing new interfaces andinteraction techniques developing descriptive and predictive models and theories of interaction

A long term goal of HCI is to design systems that minimize the barrier between the human's

cognitive model of what they want to accomplish and the computer's understanding of the

user's task. A cognitive modelis an approximation to humancognitive processes(predominantly humanbeing) for the purposes of comprehension and prediction.

Most Professional System designers are usually concerned with the practical application of

design methodologies to real-world problems. Their work often revolves around designing

graphical user interfaces andweb interfaces.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_%28computer_science%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interaction_techniqueshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphical_user_interfacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphical_user_interfacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interaction_techniqueshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_%28computer_science%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactions


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Researchers in HCI are interested in developing new design methodologies, experimenting with

new hardware devices, prototyping new software systems, exploring new paradigms for

interaction, and developing models and theories of interaction.

Design principles to Consider

When evaluating a current user interface,or designing a new user interface, it is important tokeep in mind the follow ing experimental design principles:

Early focus on user(s) and task(s): Establish how many users are needed to perform thetask(s) and determine who the appropriate users should be; someone who has never

used the interface, and will not use the interface in the future, is most likely not a valid

user. In addition, define the task(s) the users will be performing and how often the task(s)

need to be performed.

Empirical measurement: Test the interface early on with real users who come in contactwith the interface on an everyday basis. Keep in mind that results may be altered if the

performance level of the user is not an accurate depiction of the real human-computer

interaction. Establish quantitative usability specifics such as: the number of users

performing the task(s), the time to complete the task(s), and the number of errors madeduring the task(s).

Iterative design: After determining the users, tasks, and empirical measurements toinclude, perform the following iterative design steps:

1. Design the user interface2. Test3. Analyze results4. Repeat

Note: Repeat the iterative design process unti l a sensible, user-friendly interface is created.

Design methodologies

Most design methodologies start from a model for how users, designers, and technical systems

interact.

1. User-centered design:user-centered design (UCD) is a modern, widely practiced designphilosophy rooted in the idea that users must take center-stage in the design of any

computer system. Users, designers and technical practitioners work together to articulate

the wants, needs and limitations of the user and create a system that addresses these

elements. Often, user-centered design projects are informed byethnographic studies of

the environments in which users will be interacting with the system.

2. Participatory Design, This practice is similar to UCD but not identical which emphasizesthe possibility for end-users to contribute actively through shared design sessions andworkshops.

Principles of User Interface Design : these are seven principles that may beconsidered at any time during the design of a user interface in any order, namely

Tolerance, Simplicity, Visibility, Affordance, Consistency, Structure and Feedback.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_interfacehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iterative_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-centered_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-centered_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participatory_Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_of_User_Interface_Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_of_User_Interface_Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participatory_Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-centered_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iterative_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_interface


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Humancomputer interface

The humancomputer interface can be described as the point of communication between the

human user and the computer. The flow of information between the human and computer is

defined as the loop of interaction. The loop of interaction has several aspects including:

Task Environment: The conditions and goals set upon the user. Machine Environment: The environment that the computer is connected to, Areas of the Interface: Non-overlapping areas involve processes of the human and

computer not pertaining to their interaction. Meanwhile, the overlapping areas only

concern themselves with the processes pertaining to their interaction.

Input Flow: The flow of information that begins in the task environment, when the user hassome task that requires using their computer.

Output: The flow of information that originates in the machine environment. Feedback: Loops through the interface that evaluate, moderate, and confirm processes

as they pass from the human through the interface to the computer

The importance of interaction design

One of the greatest challenges facing a software designer is understanding what a user requires

from a product. To do this, the designer must have at least a basic understanding of mental

models and other psychological theories and their application to softw are design. Since the user

is interacting with the computer in order to accomplish something, the software interface is

crucial to facilitating the users goals and tasks.

Mental and Conceptual Models

Mental models are psychological representations of real or imaginary situations. The mind

constructs small-scale models of reality in order to reason, to anticipate events, and to underlie

explanation (Craic, cited in Hudson 2004). The structure of the mental model cor responds to

what it represents, and users acquire their mental models through interaction and explanation.In particular, a users mental model of a software product, and their interaction with it , is defined

by the way in which users perceive the jobs they want to do and how the program helps them

to do it (Cooper & Reimann 2003).

Mental models have the following characteristics (Dix et al. 2004):

a. They are often partialb. They are unstable and subject to changec. They can be internally inconsistentd. They are often unscientific and may be based on superstition rather than

evidence

e. They are often based on incorrect interpretation of the evidenceHCI: Interaction paradigms, idioms and metaphors

Interaction paradigms serve as illustrations of the ways in which humans interact w ith computers,

and successful paradigms are ones commonly believed to enhance the usability of computer


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systems. New paradigms often arise through exploring current idioms, and pushing those

boundaries to create innovat ive products (Dix et a l. 2004).

Metaphors make use of existing conceptual models (Hudson 2004), and are used to teach new

concepts in terms of those that are already understood. They have been used successfully to

describe the functionality of many interaction widgets, and have contributed greatly tocommercial successes in computing. The success of the GUI desktop metaphor in linking

computer file manipulation tasks with filing tasks in a typical office environment initially makes

the computerised tasks easier to understand.

Types of User Interfaces

There are three commonly recognised user interfaces in use today:

1. The Graphical User Interface, which is possibly the most familiar to most users;Graphical user interfaces make computing easier by separating the logical threads of

computing from the presentation of those threads to the user, through visual content on the

display device. This is commonly done through a window system that is controlled by an

operating systems window manager. The WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, and Pointers) interface

is the most common implementation of graphical user interfaces today, and will be examined in

detail later in this module. The appeal of graphical user interfaces lies in the rapid feedback

provided by the direct manipulation that a GUI offers (Dix et al. 2004).

Direct manipulation interfaces provide the follow ing features (Dix et al. 2004:p.171):

1. Visibilityof the objects of interest.2. Replacement of complex command languages with actions to

directly manipulate the visible objects (hence the name direct

manipulation).3. Incremental action at the interface, with rapid feedback on all

actions.

4. Syntactic correctnessof all actions, so that every user action is a legaloperation.

5. Reversibilityof all actions, so that users are encouraged to explore theproduct without severe penalty or danger.

2. The Voice User Interface, one that is rapidly being deployed in many aspects of business;Voice User Interfaces (VUIs) use speech technology to provide people with access to

information and to allow them to perform transactions. VUI development was driven bycustomer dissatisfaction with touchtone telephony interactions, the need for cheaper

and more effective systems to meet customer needs, and the advancement of speech

technology to the stage where it w as reliable enough to deliver effective interaction.

A Voice User Interface is what a person interacts with when using a spoken language

application. Auditory interfaces interact with the user purely through sound. Speech is


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input by the user, and speech or nonverbal audio is output by the system (Cohen,

Giangola & Balogh 2004).

VUIs are comprised of three main elements (Cohen, Giangola & Balogh 2004):

o Prompts, also known as system messages, are the recorded or synthesisedspeech played to the user during the interaction.

o Grammars are the possible responses users can make in relation to eachprompt. The system cannot understand anything outside of this range of

possibilities.

o Dialog logicdetermines the actions the system can take follow ing a usersresponse to a prompt.

3. The Multi-Modal Interface, a relatively new area of research that combines severalmethods of user input into a system.

Multi-modal interfaces attempt to address the problems associated with purely auditory

and purely visual interfaces by providing a more immersive environment for human -computer interaction. A multi-modal interactive system is one that relies on the use of

multiple human communication channels to manipulate the computer. These

communication channels translate to a computers input and output devices. A genuine

multi-modal system relies on simultaneous use of multiple communication channels for

both input and output, which more closely resembles the way in which humans process

information (Dix et al. 2004).

In the field of psychology, Gestalt Theory is used to describe a relationship where the

whole is something other than the sum of its parts1[9]. This theory has recently been used

to describe a new paradigm for human-computer interaction, where the interface

reacts to and perceives the desires of the user via the users emotions and gestures

(Marriott & Beard 2004). This paradigm is called the gestalt User Interface (gUI) and paves

the way for a truly personalised user experience.

Are there any Other User Interface Paradigm?

Many other paradigms for human-computer interaction exist. Perhaps one of the best known

paradigms is the World Wide Web. The web itself did not provide any technological

breakthroughs, because all the required functionality, such as transmission protocols , hypertext

and distributed file systems, already existed. The breakthrough came with the advent of the

browser and HTML, which enabled easy access to information on the internet.

Issues in Human-Computer Interaction

Universality of design is an important element in human-computer interaction. Universal design

defines as, the process of designing products so that they can be used by as many people as

possible in as many situations as possible. Universal design is essentially about attempting to


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ensure that no-one is excluded through the choices a designer makes; but by giving careful

consideration to these issues, the design is invariably made better for everyone (Dix et al. 2004).

What is the definition of User Interface Design?

User Interface Designrefers to the aspects of hardware or software which can be seen (or heardor otherwise perceived) by the human user, and the commands and mechanisms the user uses

to control its operation and input data. (Based on The Dictionary of Computing).

What is the definition and application of Human-Computer Interaction?

Human-computer interaction (HCI) is the study of interaction between people (users) and

computers. It is an interdisciplinary field, relating computer science, psychology, cognitive

science, human factors, ergonomics, sociology, library and information science, artificial

intelligence, and other fields. Interaction between users and computers occurs at the user

interface (or simply interface), which includes both hardware (i.e. input and output devices) and

software (e.g. determining which information, and how information is presented to the user on a

screen).

What is the relationship between HCI or User Interface design and marketability?

People focus on Usabil ity when thinking of HCI or User Interface Design. And, they think of the

outcome as being a well designed, user centered, efficient, and effective product.

When a product benefits from good usability, users are likely to accept, use, recommend, and

buy that product.

Why Study Human Computer Interaction?

HCI considers important issues on the design of effective interactive systems on everyday life asin the workplace at home and in schools. The term Human Computer Interaction was adopted

in the mid 1980's as a means of describing this new field of study

The main reason why mainly people study or are interested in HCI is because they want to

increase the efficiency and usabil ity of the system.

In the everyday world, we interact with tens of

thousands of objects, yet generally manage to

use them properly the first time they are

encountered.

Assignments. Advance Readings.

HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION ISSUES1. ACCESSIBILITY2. Understanding Accessibility Barriers3. Legal Requirements4. Accessibility Design Guidelines5. Personal Assistive Technologies

Documents

Human Computer Interaction Concepts