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What is HCI?
IMD07101: Introduction to Human Computer Interaction
Brian Davison 2011/12
Agenda
• What does ‘HCI’ mean?• A little bit of history• About this module• Why is HCI important, and why should you care?• Meet Don Norman• What’s next?
What does HCI mean?
HumanComputer
What does HCI mean?
HumanComputer
Computers
Humans
Young
OldRich
Poor
Expert
Novice
Stressed
Relaxed
HCI is…
• … 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.
– ACM SIGCHI, 1992– Association for Computing Machinery, Special Interest Group: HCI
Interaction
Action
Feedback
Feedback
The user interface (UI)
User Computer
Feedback
Feedback
Action
The UI is…
• … the medium through which a user communicates with a computer…
• … physically
• … cognitively
A little bit of history
2011
Computing power
Era I
1950/60/70s
Era II
1970/80s
Era III
1980s - 2000
Era IV?
2000 - now
WW II
HCI
Putting the user at the centre of design
• Realisation that computer systems should be designed to suit the needs and capabilities of the people for whom they are intended.
• Getting the job done…– Safely– Efficiently– Effectively– Enjoyably
cognitive psychology, computer science ,
social and anthropological
psychology, ergonomics and human factors,
cognetics, sociology, anthropology,
philosophy, artificial intelligence, linguistics,
engineering design, product design, graphic
design, interaction design, industrial
design, information architecture,
information systems, computer supported
cooperative work
Technique
Process
Structure
Idea
HCI is where design meets engineering
What Why How
About this module
• Lecture: 0900-1100 Mondays (except 19th Sep – next week)• Tutorial: 2 hours of practical activity• Practical: Computer lab
• Assessment 1: Individual report based on your work in weeks 2-5• Assessment 2: Group project in week 14 (5th – 9th Dec)
• Details can be found in WebCT
Teaching team
• Brian Davison: Module Leader
• Malcolm Rutter
• Tom McEwan
• Demonstrators
Learning outcomes
• Explain why good user interface design is important with respect to usability and accessibility
• Apply user-centred approaches in HCI to the design of systems
• Design, develop and evaluate interactive applications
• Deploy a range of techniques for the communication of technical material
• Work effectively as a member of a team
Reading
• Benyon (2010) Designing Interactive Systems
• Chapters 1 & 2
• Blackwells
• Amazon
10 minute break
Why is HCI important, and why should you care?
• A well-designed UI…– Protects the user– Makes it easier to do something– Is more enjoyable
• EC Directive 90/270/EEC– Requires employers to ensure the following when designing, selecting,
commissioning or modifying software:• That it is suitable for the task (fit for purpose)• That it is easy to use and, where appropriate, adaptable to the user’s knowledge
and experience• That it provides feedback on performance• That it displays information in a format and at a pace that is appropriate for the
user• That it conforms to the ‘principles of software ergonomics’
Usability
• Usability is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use.
- Jakob Nielsen– Learnability
• How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
– Efficiency• Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
– Memorability• When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they re-
establish proficiency? – Errors
• How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
– Satisfaction• How pleasant is it to use the design?
I still can’t work the DVD player…
Basic principles
• Donald Norman (1988) identified two principles that he considered would help toward good interface design– VISIBILITY
• Controls need to be visible– AFFORDANCE
• Their design should suggest their functionality
• Norman, D.A. (1988) The Psychology of Everyday Things, Basic Books
Door handles
Visibility and affordance
What’s next?
• Tutorial: Getting started with design
• Practical: HTML
• Fieldwork: Instead of a lecture next week, there is a group activity. More about this in the tutorial
• Read chapter 1 of DIS
• Look in WebCT for details of the activities this week• Check ahead to see what’s coming up next week
