Theoretical perspectives in Human Computer Interaction
Tessy Cerratto & Henrik ArtmanIPLab, KTH
Course
• problematize the concept of users and usage • overview of theoretical frameworks • emphasis on how each perspective frame the
concept of the user• Who is a user? Who is not a user? How do we
become users? What are the transitions from being a user to be entertained?
Prerequisite
• text presenting briefly their own research projects, as well as their motivation and expectations from the course
• active participation; discussion; questions• present one article and discuss it from a
particular perspective
Form
• Lecture on specific theory• Critical discussion of the concept of user and
relation ship to artifacts and design• Design implications
Literature & examination
• Selected articles• Present article• Essay
Outline for today
• Introduction • Presentation• Perspectives on information system• Perspectives on HCI• Summary• Questions
Riddles for the information Age Cooper, A. (1999) The inmates are running the asylum
• Presentation of accidents and ”misunderstandings” between users and computer systems
• Analysis of user-computer dialogue– Errors – Feedback – Context of use– Type of user
• Critique of the development process of software-based products
Looking at the dialogue/interaction between the pilot and the computer
• The navigation aid was valid but not for the landing procedure at Cali
• Communication was precise and exact even though it was completely wrong
• The navigation aid did not tell the pilot that the radio station chosen was wrong
Looking at the navigation aid
”Software-based products are not inherently hard to use, they are that way because we use the wrong process for creating them”
• How to change this process ? • How to do in order software-based products
become friendly, powerful and desirable ?
Programmers and users have
different goals
The programmer wants the construction process to be smooth and easy
The user wants the interaction with the program to be smooth and easy
• Can programmers create interaction?
Introduce interaction design in the
development process
Programmers
Software user
Interaction designers
Different perspectives on the use and development of
information systems
System theoretical Humanistic
Socio-technical
Concept of perspective • It refers to scientific paradigm (cf. T. Kuhn, 1962)
– Paradigm is a frame of reference that define the rules, the criteria of what constitutes “ science”
– Scientific development occurs by revolutions – Paradigm is not related to praxis
• It can be regarded as a social institution (cf. Berger and Luckman, 1966)– As a bridge between theory and practice– Assumptions and rules governing a phenomenon are
social constructs
• It is operationalized as ideal type (cf. Weber, 1968)– Ideal types are a theoretical tool, pure forms
• Perspectives do not apply as design methods
Characterizing perspectives
• Notion of knowledge• Notion of person• Notion of communication• Notion of system development
System theoretical perspective
• System Theory refers to General Systems Theory (cf. Bertallanffy, 1968)– It emphasizes the integrality of the phenomenon as a
whole, i.e. idea of a total system, an integrated system
• The term mathematical machine -- data machine– Storage – processing- transmission of information
• Ideal type is the integration of information systems
System theoretical perspective
• Emphasis on the information system
• Knowledge is information stored, is objectivistic • Person is excluded from the system or is within the
system. A rational and passive view of the user or a feature of the system
• Communication is between the user and the system
• System development is regarded as complete once and for all. Based on problem-solving ideology
Humanistic perspective
• Two meanings of humanism – Humanistic as an academic discipline– Humanist as a more ideological orientation (cf. Humans
right)
• The user, her expertise and her job have the highest priority while technology serves as a tool for this purpose
• The ideal type is that all the functions performed by a system are carried out by humans beings
Humanistic perspective
• Emphasis on individuals
• Knowledge is constructed by the person– Formal and intuitive knowledge
• Person is an intentional, situated, psycho-social,biological and historical actor. Individual view of the autonomous user
• Communication takes only place between human beings
• System development is focused on the use of the system, on the users’ jobs, is evolutionary
Socio-technical perspective
• What’s the place of the individual in relation to the system ? What’s the relationship between human beings and the information systems ?
• Distinction between data and information
• Technical system and a social system
• Ideal type intermediate link in the development towards the theoretically more purified humanistic vision
Socio-technical perspective
• Emphasis on interaction between person and information systems (IS)
• Knowledge is instrumental, useful
• Person as an active component of the technical system and as a member of the social system. The user’s job is distributed between the person and the IS.
• Communication with a machine-partner or machine-tool
• System development is participative. Participation of the users and specifications of their needs
Perspectives on interaction
Preunderstanding and background (H)User interface /I-O devices (C)
Functionality (C)
Operative cognitions (H)Media structure/presentation (C)
Domain representation (C)
Change
Stable
SystemHuman
Computer
System
• General perspective for all components• Information transfer between components• System goal• Technology focused • Information objective
• Constrained to technology?• Meaning?
Dialogue
Dialogue-partner
• Mimic human behaviour• Structural aspects of interaction • Interface • Not focused on background knowledge• System self contained
• Mainly linguistic interaction?
Actor-tool
Tool
• Action-focused• The user is an expert• Tools are for accomplishing tasks• Domain specific• Learning is part of design objective• Learning is part of becoming/being an expert• New design based on tacit-knowledge• Readiness-at-hand, present-at-hand
Media
Media
• Communication between people• Technology is a medium• Each medium needs a structure to encode• Change operative cognitions, by media
structure• Domain representation is relevant for the
sender
• Conduit-metafor of communication?
Discussing the tool perspective (cf. P. Ehn,
1988)
• How is the user’s work seen ?– Not formalization of qualifications but development
of professional education based on the skills of professionals
– Not information flows analysis and systems descriptions but specification of tools and materials
• How is the machine seen ?- as a craft tool
• How is the user seen ?– As a person possessing skills relevant for the task to
be accomplished
Discussing the tool perspective (cf. P. Ehn, 1988)
• How is design seen ?– As a process, “design-by-doing”– Influenced by way the design of traditional crafts
tools was done– Designers have to learn from the graphic workers– Users have to learn from designers
• What is the user’s model ?– Is the user’s mental model developed through the
interaction with the information system
Regarding computers as tools (cf. P. Ehn, 1988)
• Computers are tools proper, they are designed as means to and end
• Computers are machines and differ from hand tools
• Machines can be designed as reminders of traditional craft tools for a specific craft profession
• Is the computer “only” a tool ?
Questions to have in mind
• What’s the unit of analysis presented by this approach ? – activity; actions; operations; mediated activity ?
• What’s the aim of this theoretical approach ?
– Prediction, description, explanation, understanding
• What’s the relation between artifact and person
presented by this approach ? – Development, determinism?
• What’s the relation with design ?
– Informing design, evaluating design ?