Human-Computer Interaction Overview

Computer Output Mechanisms

• The most prevalent computer output mechanism today is the display screen.

Interface Design Goals

• The primary goal of effective interface design is to facilitate user interaction with the system in a simple and efficient manner.

Poor Interface Design Outcomes

• Reduced user satisfaction is NOT a direct result of poor interface design.
• Inefficient interfaces can result in:
  • Increased user frustration
  • Reduced user productivity
  • Increased error rates
  • Higher training costs

Reasons for Inefficient Systems

• Developers often create inefficient and confusing systems due to:
  • Insufficient understanding of user needs
  • Prioritizing technical considerations over user experience

Negative Impacts of Poor Screen Design

• Poorly designed screens can negatively impact users by causing:
  • Misinterpretation of information
  • Difficulty in locating desired information
  • Frustration and decreased productivity

Clarity in Screen Design

• Poor clarity in screen design leads to:
  • Increased error rates by users

Poor Interface Design Examples

• A poorly designed example in interface design might be a system with:
  • Confusing or inconsistent navigation
  • Unclear labeling of buttons, menus, or controls

Interface as a Mediator

• A well-designed interface acts as a bridge between the user and the computer system, making it easier for users to interact with the system.

Goals of HCI

• The ultimate goal of human-computer interaction (HCI) is to create systems that are:
  • User-friendly
  • Effective
  • Efficient

HCI Components

• Physical abilities are NOT a component of HCI.
• Components of HCI include:
  • The user
  • The system
  • The interaction

Importance of User-Centered Design

• User-centered design is increasingly important in HCI because it:
  • Ensures the development of systems that meet users' needs
  • Promotes usability and user satisfaction

HCI Consequences

• Ignoring HCI principles can lead to:
  • Development of systems that are difficult to use
  • Reduced user satisfaction
  • Increased workload, frustration, and errors

HCI Context

• The context component of HCI focuses on the environment in which the interaction:
  • Occurs
  • The tasks that users are trying to accomplish
  • The users' physical and cognitive abilities

Consequences of Poor Design

• Users encountering poorly designed products may experience:
  • Frustration
  • Difficulty in completing tasks
  • Negative perceptions of the product

Interaction Methods

• Not all interaction methods are equally effective for communicating with a system.
• The following interaction methods are mentioned:
  • Typed input
  • Speech
  • Handwriting
  • Pointing
  • Direct manipulation

HCI Research Focus

• Research in HCI typically focuses on:

  • Usability
  • Accessibility
  • User experience
  • User interface design
  • Human factors

• HCI research does NOT typically focus on artificial intelligence.

Learnability and Usability

• Learnability in usability emphasizes how easily users can:
  • Learn to use a system for the first time

Components of Usability

• The five quality components of usability include:

  • Learnability
  • Efficiency
  • Memorability
  • Errors
  • Satisfaction

• Usability does NOT include reliability.

Usability vs. Utility

• Utility refers to how well a system fulfills the user's needs.
• Usability refers to how easily and effectively users can interact with the system.

Screen Usage Time

• Adding 20 seconds of screen usage time can:
  • Compromise user efficiency.

Recoverability in Usability

• Recoverability, a core principle of usability, focuses on the ability to:
  • Undo actions
  • Recover from errors
  • Return to a previous state

Crowded Screens

• When screens are less crowded:
  • User performance improves

Customizability in Usability

• Customizability refers to the ability of users to:
  • Tailor the system to their individual preferences
  • Customize settings based on their needs

Screen Design and Support Costs

• Proper screen design helps reduce support line costs by:
  • Decreasing the number of user errors
  • Simplifying system navigation

Efficiency in Usability

• Efficiency in usability measures:
  • How well a system allows users to perform tasks once they have learned it.

Benefits of Well-Designed Web Pages

• Well-designed Web pages can be highly effective in:
  • Enhancing user experience
  • Providing clear and concise information

Input and Output Substitution

• The principle of input and output substitution allows users to:
  • Replace one input or output method within a system with another.

Usability Importance for Websites

• Usability is particularly crucial for websites because:
  • They are accessed by a wide range of users with varying levels of experience.
  • They are often used for critical tasks, like online shopping or banking

Communication Modes: Complexity

• The most complex mode of communication is:
  • Speech

Communication Mode Elements

• All communication modes share:
  • Encoding and decoding processes, where information is converted into signals and then back to information

Benefits of Proper Screen Design

• Not all benefits of proper screen design are directly related to user experience.

• Benefits include:

  • Increased user satisfaction
  • Improved productivity
  • Reduced errors
  • Lower training costs

• Proper screen design does NOT guarantee higher system security.

Economic Benefits of Design

• An economic benefit of improving screen design is:
  • Reduced support costs

Efficient Communication Methods

• Communication through speech is considered more efficient than writing, especially in:
  • Conversational settings

Early Computer Communication Challenges

• People using early computers for communication faced the challenge of:
  • Limited input and output methods

Xerox Development

• Xerox introduced the concept of a:
  • Graphical user interface (GUI), which significantly improved human-computer interaction.

Widespread Interest in Screen Design

• Widespread interest in screen design principles began to emerge in the:
  • 1980s

Command Language

• Command language refers to the set of:
  • Commands used to interact with a computer system

Universality of Input Methods

• While typed input has achieved universal adoption, other methods, such as:
  • Speech recognition, handwriting recognition, and pointing devices are still not as universally accepted.

Impact of IBM 3270 Terminal

• The introduction of the IBM 3270 turned impacted screen design by:
  • Creating a standard for user interfaces that were predominantly text-based

Advantages of Typing

• Typing is considered to be more advantageous than handwriting because it is:
  • Faster
  • More accurate
  • Provides a more consistent output