HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION

LECTURE 1
COURSE BOOK

–Human-Computer Interaction, by Alan Dix, Janet Finlay,

Gregory Abowd, and Russell Beale. Prentice Hall.
WHAT THE CLASS WILL LOOK LIKE

 Lectures
 Readings + Quizzes + Presentations (?)
 Initial user study (interface comparison)
 Final project
 Identify a client Create a new interface
 Evaluate the interface
PROJECT TEAMS

 2 people
 You decide (or I will!)
 Consider schedules
DEFINITION OF GOOD PROJECT

 Typically:
 Access to domain experts & users
 “Real” clients (May be your FYP Supervisor)
 Interesting human issues
 Rich domain for design

 Theme has a LOT of range for topics

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

 Facts
 about systems and about humans
 Analysis
 deep understanding of issues
 Attitude
 thinking about real use and real users
 Design
 from understanding to solutions
HCI

 HCI is the study and the practice of usability.

 It is about understanding and creating software and other technology that people will want to use, will be able to
use, and will find effective when used.
 HCI is the study of how people use computer systems to perform certain tasks.
 HCI tries to provide us with all understanding of the computer and the person using it, so as to make the
interaction between them more effective and more enjoyable.
WHAT IS HCI

 HCI concerns:

 process: design, evaluation and implementation

 on: interactive computing systems for human use

 plus: the study of major phenomena surrounding them

HUMANS, COMPUTER AND INTERACTION

Humans good at: Sensing low level stimuli, pattern

The H recognition,inductive reasoning, multiple
strategies, adapting “Hard and fuzzy things”.

Computers good at: Counting and measuring,

The C accurate storage and recall, rapid and consistent
responses, data processing/calculation, repetitive
actions, performance over time, “Simple and
sharply defined things”.
The list of skills is somewhat complementary. Let
The I humans do what humans do best and computers do
what computers do best.
GOALS OF HCI

 To optimize performance of human and computer together as a system

 Allow users to carry out tasks
 Safely

 Effectively

 Efficiently

 Enjoyably
RELATIONSHIP OF HCI TO OTHER DISCIPLINES
INTERFACES IN THE REAL WORLD

 Not just computers!

 VCR
 Wristwatch
 Phone
 Copier
 Car
 Plane cockpit
 Airline reservation
 Air traffic control
 Running shoes!
DESIGN EVALUATION
WINDOWS 8
FACELINKEDTER (AKA LINKEDIN)
DESIGN EVALUATION

 “Looks good to me” isn’t good enough!

 Some things we can measure

 Time to learn
 Speed of performance
 Rate of errors by user
 Retention over time
 Subjective satisfaction
ABOVE ALL ELSE…

 Know the User!

 Physical & cognitive abilities (& special needs)
 Personality & culture
 Knowledge & skills
 Motivation

 Two Fatal Mistakes:

1. Assume all users are alike
2. Assume all users are like the designer
DIFFERENT DESIGN NEEDS

 Three broad categories of computer user:

 Expert users with detailed knowledge of that particular system.

 Occasional users who know well how to perform the tasks they need to perform frequently.

 Novices who have never used the system before.

 Users may well be novices at one computer application but experts at another one, so users will belong to
different categories for particular computer systems.
HOW DO WE IMPROVE INTERFACES?

1. Educate software professionals

2. Draw upon fast accumulating body of knowledge regarding H-C interface design
3. Integrate UI design methods & techniques into standard software development methodologies now in place
DESIGNING USABLE SYSTEMS

 Not just safe but usable

 Suitable for the task
 Easy to use and adaptable to user’s knowledge
 Provide feedback on performance
 Confirms to the principles of software ergonomics