human–computer

interaction

Lecture 1
Topic 1: Introduction to HCI
Learning Outcome:

 The students shall be able to

understand how humans are part of
information processing systems and
ways of interacting with machine.

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Performance criteria:

 1.1 – What is HCI ?

 1.2 – Components of HCI

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Chapter 1: What is HCI ?

1.1 Technological change

1.2 Challenges of HCI
1.3 Goals of HCI
1.4 HCI and its Evolution
1.5 Importance of HCI
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Aims & Objectives:
 The aim is to introduce you to the study of
Human–Computer Interaction. So that after
studying, you will be able to:
 Describe what HCI is?
 Discuss and argue about why HCI is important
with reference to the way in which technology has
developed during the past thirty years.
 Describe some of the goals of HCI that are
concerned with improving productivity and
designing safe systems.

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Aims & Objectives: (cont…)

 Describe how HCI has evolved to ensure that the

needs of different kinds of users are taken into
account in computer system design.
 Outline the quantifiable benefits of good HCI
design for both individuals and organizations.

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Introduction :

 Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is about

designing computer systems that support people
so that they can carry out their activities
productively and safely. (Preece, p.1)

 HCI studies human performance in the use of

computer and information systems. This is a
rapidly expanding research and development
area.

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H… C… I…
 Human
 the end-user of a program
 the others in the organization
 Computer
- the machine the program runs on
 Interaction
- the user tells the computer what they want
- the computer communicates results

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Definition of HCI
 Human-computer interaction 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, p.6)
 HCI is neither the study of humans nor the study of
technology, but rather the bridging between those two.
(Preece, 1994, p.42)
 Other terms: user interface, man-machine interface,
ergonomics, human factors

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A Brief History of Computing

 From calculation to information processing

 From offline-processing to online interaction
 From house-size to palm-size
 From expert’s tools to end-user computing

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Three Pioneers of Computing and
HCI
 Vannevar Bush
 Hypertext and Memex (1945)
 Retrieval systems
http://muse.jhu.edu/press/books/landow/memex.html
 Douglas Engelbart
 Inventor of the mouse (1960s)
 Interacting computing

http://160.111.7.240/resource/tours/comphist/englebar.htm
 Alan Kay
 Personal computing (1970s)
 Graphical User Interface
http://www2.awl.com/product/bu/he/beekman/cc/toc/ch016/c16p001.htm

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Technological change: Different
design needs
 For computers to be widely accepted and
used effectively they need to be well
designed.
 Two key principles that helps to ensure good
HCI : Visibility and Affordance
 User interface also known as Man-Machine
Interface (MMI)
 Term Human-computer Interaction (HCI)

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The challenges of hci

 HCI design is a rich challenge: Why ?

 How to keep abreast of changes in

technology.

 How to ensure that their designs offer good

HCI as well as harnessing the potential
functionality of the new technology.
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The goals of HCI

 Preece (p.14-15) describes “the goals of HCI are

to produce usable and safe systems, as well as
functional systems”.

 Goals include:
o Safety (eg safety-critical systems)
o Utility (functionality)
o Effectiveness (intuitive)
o Efficiency (task achievement)
o Usability (easy to learn and use)

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HCI and its evolution :

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Why is HCI Important?

 HCI has a role in the design and development of

all kinds of computer systems.
 Harnessing the computer’s power is a task for
designers who understand the technology and
are sensitive to human capacities and needs
(human factors).
 Applications developers who apply human-factors
principles and processes are producing exciting
and useful interactive systems.
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The importance of HCI :
productivity

 Individual productivity

 Organizational productivity

 Impact of Information Technology on jobs

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When things go wrong:

 Investigate some incidences where disasters

occurred through bad interface design due to
lack of knowledge in HCI

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Summary
 Computers are used by a wide variety of
different kinds of people and not just technical
specialists as in the past, so it is important to
design HCI that supports the needs,
knowledge and skills of the intended users.
 A user interface is those aspects of the
system that the user comes in contact with.
 Usability is a key concept in HCI. It is
concerned with making systems safe, easy to
learn and easy to use.
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Summary (cont…)
 HCI is concerned with understanding,
designing, evaluating and implementing
interactive computing systems for human
use.
 The goals of HCI are ‘to develop or improve
the safety, utility, effectiveness, efficiency and
usability of systems that include computers’.
 The importance of HCI is demonstrated by
evidence of increased productivity and
improved safety.
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Summary (cont…)
 Organizational issues that need to be taken
into account include the way different people’s
activities interrelate within an organization and
how technology impacts upon these activities.
 The introduction of, or change in technical
system can influence people’s job content,
working practices and job satisfaction,
personnel policies, power and influence and
also physical aspects of the working
environment such as space.

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Class activities :

 Further Reading:
1. “Using Theories of Perception in Computer Design”
2. “A Taxonomy of Human Computer Interaction”

 Discussion

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What’s in Store for Lecture 2

 Components of HCI
 HCI as Interdisciplinary practice

 Disciplines contributing to HCI

 A conceptual model for HCI

 Designing HCI

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End of Lecture 1