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Title: Lecture Overview


1
Lecture Overview
  • Definition of HCI User Interface
  • Approach of HCI - User-Centred
  • Trace the Evolution of HCI/GUI development
  • Rise in Usability issues
  • Consequences of poor HCI
  • Benefits of good HCI
  • Interdisciplinary Nature of HCI

2
Definition of HCI
  • According to Preece (1994), the term
    Human-Computer Interaction was adopted in the
    mid-1980s.
  • It describe an emerging field that concerned
    itself with the human (user) aspects of
    information systems (IS) development.
  • There is no single accepted definition of what
    exactly constitutes HCI.

3
Definition of HCI
  • A set of processes, dialogues, and actions
    through which a human user employs and interacts
    with a computer
  • (Baecker and Buxton, 1987)
  • Human-computer interaction is a discipline
    concerned with the design, evaluation and
    implementation of interactive computing systems
    for human use.
  • (ACM SIGCHI, 19926)

4
Definition of HCI
  • The User Interface may be defined thus
  • Those visual and operational techniques that
    facilitate the interaction between the human user
    and a computer system application

5
HCI Approach User-Centred
  • HCI is NOT just about designing pretty
    interfaces.
  • The central aim of HCI is to optimise performance
    of human and computer together as a system.

6
HCI Approach User-Centred
  • It is a design philosophy that explicitly
    incorporates a User-Centred perspective.
  • The approach is User-Centred because it
    explicitly acknowledges the importance of
    adopting a User-focused (as opposed to a
    System-focused) perspective.

7
Evolution of HCI/GUI Development
  • In the past - emphasis in programming was on
    Functionality getting programs to work as
    efficiently as possible (or even just to work!).
  • Little consideration given to the actions
    required from humans who wish to make use of that
    functionality

8
Evolution of HCI/GUI Development
  • Computer Systems have changed over time. In
  • 1950s Research Machines for scientists/
    mathematicians. Very specific use.
  • 1960s/70s Mainframes Data processing
    professionals.
  • 1970s Minicomputers Engineering and other
    specialist non-computer professionals.

9
Evolution of HCI/GUI Development
  • 1980s Microcomputers. Almost anyone.
  • Thus from the 1980s onwards HCI became important
    vast numbers of new non computer specialist
    users, interacted with computer screens and
    dialogue.

10
Consequences of Poor HCI
  • In general, the following have been shown to
    result from poor interface design
  • Increased mistakes in data entry and system
    operation.
  • Inaccessible functionality.
  • User frustration low productivity and/or under
    utilisation.
  • System failure because of user rejection.
  • To avoid these shortcomings it is estimated that
    nowadays nearly a half of software development
    effort relates to the user interface.

11
Consequences of Poor HCI
  • Three Mile Island nuclear power plant meltdown
    in 1979 - attributed to poor control panel and
    alarm system design. Hundreds of alarms and
    warnings going off simultaneously.
  • London ambulance system - drivers and operators
    kept pushing wrong buttons, leading to eventual
    system overload and breakdown. System abandoned
    after a few days.

12
Benefits of Good HCI Design
  • User completes tasks faster (Higher Productivity)
  • Lower frustration
  • Perceived lower fatigue
  • Better able to self-teach - reduced training
    costs
  • Better able to learn more capabilities of
    applications

13
Inter-disciplinary nature of HCI
  • HCI involves more than simply designing pretty
    interfaces
  • Designers must draw on knowledge from a whole
    range of disciplines in an effort to understand
  • Users Users Work
  • Work Environment Technology

14
Inter-disciplinary nature of HCI
15
Computer Science
  • Knowledge about the capabilities of the
    technology (Hardware and Software).
  • Especially how this might be harnessed in the
    development of good user interfaces.

16
Cognitive Psychology
  • Understanding human behaviour and the mental
    processes that drive humans
  • Viewing the brain as an information processing
    device.
  • Knowledge about perception, memory, learning,
    thinking and problem-solving.

17
Social and Organisational Psychology/Sociology
  • Concerned with studying the nature and causes of
    human behaviour in social contexts i.e. groups.
  • impact of a group on its members attitudes and
    behaviour.
  • impact of a member on a groups activities and
    structure

18
Ergonomics
  • How to make tasks easier to perform, and increase
    feelings of comfort and satisfaction.
  • Deals with factors such as keyboard, mouse,
    seating design readability of computer screens
    avoidance of injury (eg RSI).

19
Graphic Design
  • This is primarily concerned with the
    communicative aspects of designing. It includes
    unique appreciation of fonts, typestyles,
    colours, etc.
  • Contributions can range from the design of icons,
    screen layouts, menu formats to the strategic
    design of an overall system.

20
Artificial Intelligence
  • AI knowledge and methods can be applied to the
    design of intelligent user interfaces.
  • For example, the use of Natural Language and
    Speech when interacting with the computer

21
Week One Lecture Review
  • Definition of HCI User Interface
  • Approach of HCI - User-Centred
  • Trace the Evolution of HCI/GUI development
  • Rise in Usability issues
  • Consequences of poor HCI - Examples
  • Benefits of good HCI
  • Interdisciplinary Nature of HCI
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