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1.3 Ergonomics & Evolution of HCI1.3 Ergonomics & Evolution of HCI

•• Ergonomics:Ergonomics:–– Is the study of the Is the study of the ““fitfit”” between people and the between people and the

things they use.things they use.–– Until the late 1950s, it had to consider only Until the late 1950s, it had to consider only

physical characteristics of interaction.physical characteristics of interaction.–– With the arrival of computers, it was forced to take With the arrival of computers, it was forced to take

on the psychological fit between people and on the psychological fit between people and devices as well.devices as well.

–– Sometimes: cognitive ergonomics= HCISometimes: cognitive ergonomics= HCI

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Evolution of HCIEvolution of HCI

•• During the 1970s:During the 1970s:–– The method of interaction for most The method of interaction for most

people was still primary people was still primary ““batchbatch””..–– Interest in HCI and computing began to Interest in HCI and computing began to

grow.grow.–– At the end of decade, keyboards and At the end of decade, keyboards and

screens became more common.screens became more common.

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Evolution of HCI (2)Evolution of HCI (2)

•• During the 1980s:During the 1980s:–– That was the decade of the microThat was the decade of the micro--computercomputer–– 1982: the 11982: the 1stst real graphically based interfaces used a real graphically based interfaces used a

bitbit--mapped display mapped display ⇒⇒•• GUI (Graphical User Interface)GUI (Graphical User Interface)•• Interaction through pointing at iconsInteraction through pointing at icons•• Commands grouped into menusCommands grouped into menus

–– 1985: Windows OS appeared on PCs1985: Windows OS appeared on PCs–– Game consoles were popularGame consoles were popular–– Network, Internet began to grow based around emailNetwork, Internet began to grow based around email–– HCI came of age as a subject, big conference on HCI HCI came of age as a subject, big conference on HCI

held in USA and Europe.held in USA and Europe.

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Evolution of HCI (3)Evolution of HCI (3)

•• During the 1990s:During the 1990s:–– Colour and multimedia arrived on PC which Colour and multimedia arrived on PC which

had begun dominate the computer market.had begun dominate the computer market.–– 1993: new interface take advantage of HTML 1993: new interface take advantage of HTML ⇒⇒ WWW came about and revolutionized the WWW came about and revolutionized the whole process of transmitting and sharing whole process of transmitting and sharing files.files.

–– Pictures, movies, music, text and live video Pictures, movies, music, text and live video links: suddenly available to everyone at work links: suddenly available to everyone at work and at home.and at home.

–– The growth of personal, community and The growth of personal, community and corporate websites = phenomenoncorporate websites = phenomenon

55

Evolution of HCI (4)Evolution of HCI (4)

pictures

musicmovies

video

work

home

1990s1990s

66

Evolution of HCI (5)Evolution of HCI (5)

1970

hypertext

1980

Xerox Star

First ACM HCI conference

Apple Mac

1990 2000 present

GUI

multimedia

WWW

mobiles

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Characteristics of Characteristics of Information appliancesInformation appliances

•• EfficacyEfficacy: Appliances should be everyday things : Appliances should be everyday things requiring only everyday skills to use.requiring only everyday skills to use.

•• Appliances have a Appliances have a clear, focused functionclear, focused function that that can be can be used in a variety of circumstancesused in a variety of circumstances..

•• PeerPeer--toto--peer interactionpeer interaction: Appliances work : Appliances work together without the central control or uploading together without the central control or uploading or downloading.or downloading.

•• Direct user interfaceDirect user interface: Appliances need to be : Appliances need to be simple and intuitive to use.simple and intuitive to use.

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Characteristics of Information Characteristics of Information appliances (2)appliances (2)

•• ClosureClosure: Appliances should focus on a : Appliances should focus on a completion of tasks rather than an opencompletion of tasks rather than an open--endded serie of tasks.endded serie of tasks.

•• ImmediacyImmediacy: Appliances : Appliances –– can do something on impulse, andcan do something on impulse, and–– are aimed at situation where:are aimed at situation where:

•• User may be engaged in another task, orUser may be engaged in another task, or•• Their attention is divertedTheir attention is diverted

•• PersonalPersonal and and portableportable..

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1.4 Skills of the interactive systems 1.4 Skills of the interactive systems designerdesigner•• 1. Study and understand the activities of people 1. Study and understand the activities of people

and the contexts within which technologies and the contexts within which technologies prove useful prove useful ⇒⇒ generate requirements for generate requirements for technologies.technologies.

•• 2. Know the possibilities offered by technologies.2. Know the possibilities offered by technologies.•• 3. Research and design technological solutions 3. Research and design technological solutions

that fit in with:that fit in with:–– PeoplePeople–– Activities they wants to undertakeActivities they wants to undertake–– Contexts surrounding theses activitiesContexts surrounding theses activities

•• 4. Evaluate alternative designs and iterate until 4. Evaluate alternative designs and iterate until a solution is arrived at.a solution is arrived at.

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1.4 Skills of the interactive systems 1.4 Skills of the interactive systems designer (2)designer (2)

•• It is often that no single person possesses It is often that no single person possesses all the skills needed for some interactive all the skills needed for some interactive system (IS) design system (IS) design ⇒⇒ a design team.a design team.

•• Designer of an IS can not be expert in all Designer of an IS can not be expert in all fields, but must be aware enough to:fields, but must be aware enough to:–– Take techniques from different areasTake techniques from different areas–– Access research in different disciplines when Access research in different disciplines when

appropriate.appropriate.

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Disciplines Disciplines contributing contributing to IS designto IS design

Interactive Systemdesign

Design

3D designHCI

Architecture

Information design

Interaction design

Engineering design

Graphics design

Product design

Activities & contexts

Organizational psychologyBusiness

Soft systems

Information systemsCommunities of practice

Change management

Knowledge management

PeopleSociology

Psychology

Cultural studies

Ergonomics

Anthropology

Technologies

Electronic engineering

Software engineering

MultimediaDatabaseSensors Actuators

Computer programming

Communication materials

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Disciplines contributing to IS design (2)Disciplines contributing to IS design (2)

•• PeoplePeople= social beings = social beings •• ⇒⇒ Approaches & techniques adopted in the social Approaches & techniques adopted in the social

sciences should be used to understand people and sciences should be used to understand people and technologiestechnologies

•• TechnologiesTechnologies: include both software and hardware: include both software and hardware•• Activities and contextsActivities and contexts: Interaction take place usually in : Interaction take place usually in

the context of some the context of some ““community of practicecommunity of practice””= groups of = groups of people:people:–– sharing interests and valuessharing interests and values–– engaging in similar activitiesengaging in similar activities

•• DesignDesign: Principles and practices of design from of all : Principles and practices of design from of all manner of design disciplines are used in designing manner of design disciplines are used in designing interactive systems.interactive systems.

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1.5 Importance of 1.5 Importance of being humanbeing human--centredcentred

•• Being humanBeing human--centred in design: is very centred in design: is very expensive, involves:expensive, involves:–– Observing peopleObserving people–– Talking to peopleTalking to people–– Trying ideas out with peopleTrying ideas out with people⇒⇒ takes time !takes time !⇒⇒ but is advantageousbut is advantageous

•• Reasons:Reasons:•• SafetySafety•• EffectivenessEffectiveness•• EthicsEthics

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1.5 Importance of 1.5 Importance of being humanbeing human--centred centred -- SafetySafety

•• HumanHuman-- centred design techniques would help centred design techniques would help to avoid:to avoid:–– 2 fundamental design errors:2 fundamental design errors:

•• Technical errorTechnical error•• Organizational errorOrganizational error

–– Disasters attributed to:Disasters attributed to:•• Faulty displayFaulty display•• Operators not understanding or interpreting correctively Operators not understanding or interpreting correctively

displaysdisplays

•• ItIt’’s no good claiming s no good claiming ““human errorhuman error”” if the design if the design was so bad.was so bad.

•• ⇒⇒ Systems have to be design for people and for Systems have to be design for people and for contextscontexts

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1.5 Importance of 1.5 Importance of being humanbeing human--centred centred -- EffectivenessEffectiveness

•• 2 key features of effectiveness:2 key features of effectiveness:–– AcceptabilityAcceptability–– ProductivityProductivity

•• AcceptabilityAcceptability: ensures that systems fit in with : ensures that systems fit in with peoplepeople’’s ways of working s ways of working ⇒⇒ Involving people Involving people closely in the designclosely in the design..

•• ProductivityProductivity: Systems will be more effective if : Systems will be more effective if they are designed from a humanthey are designed from a human--centred centred perspective, and people will be more perspective, and people will be more procductive.procductive.–– Ex: Web design, eEx: Web design, e--commerce sites: commerce sites: turning turning ““browsersbrowsers”” into into

‘‘buyersbuyers”” ⇒⇒ sales increased by 225% !sales increased by 225% !

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1.5 Importance of 1.5 Importance of being humanbeing human--centred centred -- EthicsEthics

•• DesignersDesigners are are truthful and opentruthful and open in their design in their design practices. They need to be more practices. They need to be more vigilantvigilant: People : People know the origin of the data they give and how know the origin of the data they give and how the data might be used.the data might be used.

•• Intellectual propertyIntellectual property ⇒⇒ privacy, security, privacy, security, control, honesty for a interacive system control, honesty for a interacive system designer.designer.

•• Ethical designEthical design is needed because the systems is needed because the systems produced should be easy and enjoyable to use produced should be easy and enjoyable to use and affect the quality of peopleand affect the quality of people’’s lives s lives ⇒⇒standards and legal requirements for the designsstandards and legal requirements for the designs

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Summary of the chapter 1Summary of the chapter 1

•• Interactive systems design needs to be Interactive systems design needs to be humanhuman--centred.centred.

•• It draw upon many areas, including both It draw upon many areas, including both artistic design and engineering design.artistic design and engineering design.

•• It is needed because we live in a digital It is needed because we live in a digital age.age.

•• It is necessary for the safe, effective anf It is necessary for the safe, effective anf ethical designs.ethical designs.