Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Fundamentals

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

Definition

• HCI is the study of how people interact with computers and design of computers that are easy to use and provide a good user experience.

Goals of HCI

• Improve user experience and satisfaction
• Increase productivity and efficiency
• Enhance accessibility for people with disabilities

Principles of HCI

• User-centered design: design systems around the needs and abilities of users
• ** Visibility**: make system status and functionality visible to users
• ** Affordance**: design systems to suggest their functionality
• ** Feedback**: provide users with feedback about their actions
• ** Consistency**: use consistent design elements throughout the system

HCI Design Process

1. Analysis: understand user needs and goals
2. Design: create prototypes and design solutions
3. Implementation: build the system
4. Evaluation: test and refine the system

Operating Systems (OS)

Definition

• An OS is a software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services to computer programs.

Functions of an OS

• Process Management: manage creation, execution, and termination of processes
• Memory Management: manage main memory and virtual memory
• File Management: manage file systems and storage devices
• I/O Management: manage input/output operations
• Security: manage access control and protection of system resources

Types of OS

• Single-User Single-Tasking OS: one user, one task (e.g., MS-DOS)
• Single-User Multi-Tasking OS: one user, multiple tasks (e.g., Windows)
• Multi-User OS: multiple users, multiple tasks (e.g., Unix)

OS Components

• Kernel: core of the OS, manages hardware resources
• Device Drivers: software that controls hardware devices
• System Libraries: provide common functions for applications
• System Utilities: programs that perform maintenance and management tasks

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

Definition

• HCI is the study of human-computer interaction and design of computers that are easy to use and provide a good user experience.

Goals

• Improve user experience and satisfaction
• Increase productivity and efficiency
• Enhance accessibility for people with disabilities

Principles

• User-centered design: design systems around the needs and abilities of users
• Visibility: make system status and functionality visible to users
• Affordance: design systems to suggest their functionality
• Feedback: provide users with feedback about their actions
• Consistency: use consistent design elements throughout the system

HCI Design Process

• Analysis: understand user needs and goals
• Design: create prototypes and design solutions
• Implementation: build the system
• Evaluation: test and refine the system

Operating Systems (OS)

Definition

• An OS is a software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services to computer programs.

Functions

• Process Management: manage creation, execution, and termination of processes
• Memory Management: manage main memory and virtual memory
• File Management: manage file systems and storage devices
• I/O Management: manage input/output operations
• Security: manage access control and protection of system resources

Types

• Single-User Single-Tasking OS: one user, one task (e.g., MS-DOS)
• Single-User Multi-Tasking OS: one user, multiple tasks (e.g., Windows)
• Multi-User OS: multiple users, multiple tasks (e.g., Unix)

OS Components

• Kernel: core of the OS, manages hardware resources
• Device Drivers: software that controls hardware devices
• System Libraries: provide common functions for applications
• System Utilities: programs that perform maintenance and management tasks

Learn about the study of human-computer interaction, its goals, and principles including user-centered design and visibility. Discover how to improve user experience and satisfaction.