Human Computer Interface (Interaction)

Lesson One

Introduction

Definition

human-computer interface (HCI):

It’s the means of communication between a human user and a computer system, referring in particular
to the use of input/output devices with supporting software. In this study, we will be focusing on the
wider concept of the human computer interaction. The abbreviation of HCI will be used interchangeably
to refer to either human-computer interface or human-computer interaction.

HCI (human-computer interaction) is the study of how people interact with computers and to what
extent computers are or are not developed for successful interaction with human beings.

Human Computer Interface (HCI) was previously known as the man-machine studies or man-
machine interaction. It deals with the design, execution and assessment of computer systems
and related phenomenon that are for human use.

HCI IS CONCERNED WITH:

 behavioral and physical domains in the psychology and engineering sense

 system design and development
 the human as an information processor; the computer as an information processor
 performance issues -- the total system
 job-task certainty (industrial psych. here)
 evaluation and standards

HCI consists of three parts: the user, the computer itself, and the ways they work together:

User

By "user", we may mean an individual user, or a group of users working together. An appreciation of the
way people's sensory systems (sight, hearing, touch) relay information is vital. Also, different users form
different conceptions or mental models about their interactions and have different ways of learning and
keeping knowledge. In addition, cultural and national differences play a part.

Computer

The computer refers to any technology ranging from desktop computers, to large scale computer
systems. Devices such as mobile phones or VCRs can also be considered to be “computers”.

Interaction

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HCI attempts to ensure that humans and machines get on with each other and interact successfully. In
order to achieve a usable system, you need to apply what you know about humans and computers, and
consult with likely users throughout the design process.

The Goals of HCI

The goals of HCI are to produce usable and safe systems, as well as functional systems. In order to
produce computer systems with good usability, developers must attempt to:

 understand the factors that determine how people use technology

 develop tools and techniques to enable building suitable systems
 achieve efficient, effective, and safe interaction
 put people first

Underlying the whole theme of HCI is the belief that people using a computer system should come first.
Their needs, capabilities and preferences for conducting various tasks should direct developers in the
way that they design systems. People should not have to change the way that they use a system in order
to fit in with it. Instead, the system should be designed to match their requirements.

Usability

Usability is a key concept in Human Computer Interaction studies and implementation.

The International Standards Organization (ISO 9241) defines usability as:

System usability comprises the extent, to which a product can be used by specified users to
achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of
use

Usability is concerned with making systems easy to learn and use. A usable system is:

 easy to learn
 easy to remember how to use
 effective to use
 efficient to use
 safe to use
 enjoyable to use

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To produce computer systems with good usability, we need to understand the factors that determine
how people operate and make use of computer technology effectively, and to translate that
understanding into the development of tools and techniques to help designers ensure that computer
systems are suitable for the activities for which people will use them, in order to achieve efficient,
effective, and safe interaction both in terms of individual human-computer interaction and group
interactions.

Factors affecting usability

The main factors affecting usability are:

 Format of input
 Feedback – This is sending information to the user about what has been done. This may done
by use of sound, highlighting, animation etc. Visibility is concerned with making relevant parts
of the design visible – making the tasks at hand easy to see and find. The idea of visibility is
rather basic; designers should adjust the visibility of function to match its importance to
the design
 Visibility – This is the mapping of a control and its effects. E.g. controls in cars are generally
visible. The steering wheel has just one function.
 Affordance -Affordance refers to an attribute of an object that allows people to know how to
use it. E.g. a mouse button affords/invites pushing, a door handle affords pulling etc. The
important factor for design is perceived affordance – what a person thinks can be done with an
object. For example, does the design of a door suggest that it should be pushed or pulled open?

Usability Principles

• Visibility
– The more visible functions are, the more likely users will know what to do next
• Feedback
– Systems should provide adequate feedback to users
• Constraints
– Restricting user actions to those relevant to the stage of activity
• Affordance
– Object attributes that provide clues to how they should be used
• Consistency
– Similar operations and elements
• Mappings
– Relationship between controls

Factors to be considered in the analysis and design of systems according to HCI principles:

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There are a large number of factors which should be considered in the analysis and design of a system
using HCI principles. Many of these factors interact with each other, making the analysis even more
complex. The main factors are listed in the table below:

 Organisation Factors: Training, job design, politics, roles, work organization

 Environmental Factors: Noise, heating, lighting, ventilation
 Health and Safety Factors
 The User: Cognitive processes and capabilities Motivation, enjoyment, satisfaction, personality,
experience
 Comfort Factors: Seating, equipment, layout.
 User Interface: Input devices, output devices, dialogue structures, use of color, icons,
commands, navigation, graphics, natural language, user support, multimedia,
 Task Factors: Easy, complex, novel, task allocation, monitoring, skills
 Constraints: Cost, timescales, budgets, staff, equipment, buildings
 System Functionality: Hardware, software, application
 Productivity Factors: Increase output, increase quality, decrease costs, decrease errors, increase
innovation

Disciplines contributing to HCI

HCI is multidisciplinary. The field of HCI covers a wide range of topics, and its development has relied on
contributions from many disciplines. Some of the main disciplines which have contributed to HCI are:

Computer Science

The main contribution of computer science is to provide knowledge about the capability of
technology and ideas about how this potential can be harnessed. Various kinds of techniques to
support software design, development and maintenance have been of concern to computer
scientists.

Developments include; high level programming languages e.g. 4th and 5th GL, user interface
management systems (UIMS), debugging tools, prototyping tools, re-use and reverse engineering
concepts and multimedia technology

Cognitive Psychology

This is concerned with understanding human behavior and the mental processes that underlie it.
The important areas in HCI design are perception, attention, memory, learning, thinking and
problem solving

Social and Organization Psychology

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This is concerned with studying the nature and causes of human behavior in a social context. The
four core concerns of psychology are:

 The influence of one individual to another person’s attitudes and behavior.

 The impact of a group on its member’s attitudes and behavior
 The impact of a member on the group’s activities.
 The relationship between the structure and activities of different groups. The role of social
and organizational psychology is to inform designers about social and organizational
structures and about how the introduction of computers will influence working practices.

Ergonomics or Human Factors

The purpose of ergonomics is to define and design tools and various artifacts for different work,
leisure and domestic environment to suit the capacities and capabilities of users. The role of
ergonomics is to translate information from the above sciences into the context of design. The
objective is to maximize operators such as safety, efficiency and reliability of performance to make a
task easier and to increase feelings of comfort and satisfaction.

Linguistics

This is the scientific study of languages. Within HCI understanding the structure i.e. (syntax) and
meaning i.e. (semantics) is important in developing natural language interfaces and conventional
analysis which has been used to understand how individuals and groups interact with computers in
natural environments.

Artificial Intelligence

This is concerned with the development of intelligent computer programs which simulate different
aspects of intelligent human behavior. In particular the focus has been on presenting knowledge
structures that are utilized in human problem solving.

Philosophy, socializing and anthropology

A major concern of the disciplines has been to consider the implications of the introduction of IT to
society

Engineering and Design

Engineering is an applied science that takes the findings of science and utilizes it in the production of
objects. Design contributes skill and knowledge to this process.

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 Note: HCI is neither the study of humans nor the study of technology but the bridge between these
two. Its role is to enhance the quality of interaction between humans and computer systems. This is
achieved through systematically applying knowledge about humans goals, capabilities and
limitations with knowledge about computer’s capabilities and limitations.

Financial benefits of improved user interfaces to an organization.

 Improve productivity of individuals and organizations

 Cost reduction, improve support, organizational enhancement
 Human Reponses: satisfaction, no machine stress
 Organization: quality and initiative, flexibility
 System Productivity: Number of tasks completed, Quality of output
 Human Performance; Speed of performance, Rate and type of errors, Quality of solutions to
problems
 Training time and effectiveness, Time to learn how to use the system , Frequency of reference to
documentation, Human retention of commands over time , Transfer of training

Forces shaping the future of HCI

 Larger memories and faster systems

 Network communication and distributed computing
 New display technologies
 Specialized hardware
 Widespread use of computers
 Innovation and input technology