Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction

Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

• HCI is an interdisciplinary field focused on designing, evaluating, and implementing interactive computing systems for human use.
• It also studies the major phenomena surrounding human-computer interaction.
• HCI aims to understand how people interact with computers and create technology that fits seamlessly into daily lives.
• The definition of HCI is the study and practice of designing, evaluating, and implementing interactive computing systems for human use, and studying the major phenomena surrounding them.
• Interaction is a concept distinct from interface, referring to the abstract model of human-computer interaction for a specific task.
• An interface is the technical realization (hardware or software) of this interaction model.

Distinguishing Concepts of Interaction (Model) and Interface

• A diagram displays the system interface encompassing software (e.g., window metaphors, widgets), and hardware (e.g., monitor, mouse, keyboard) alongside tasks.
• This relates to an interaction model, including elements like sequence, context, hierarchy, and level of detail.

Core Components of HCI

• Human: Understanding human capabilities and limitations (perception, memory, problem-solving, and motor skills) is crucial.
• Computer: Understanding the technology itself, including hardware and software, and how it can best serve the user's needs.
• Interaction: This is the communication between the user and the computer, involving input methods (keyboard, mouse, touch, voice) and output methods (screen displays, sounds, haptic feedback).

Key Principles of HCI

• User-Centered Design (UCD): An iterative design process focusing on user needs throughout the design process.
  • This involves user research and design techniques.
  • This aims to create usable and accessible products.
• Usability: Making systems easy to use and learn, encompassing:
  • Effectiveness: How well users achieve goals.
  • Efficiency: How quickly users perform tasks.
  • Satisfaction: The pleasantness of using the system.
  • Learnability: How easy it is to perform basic tasks.
  • Memorability: How easily users regain proficiency after a period of not using the system.
• User Experience (UX): A broader concept than usability, including all aspects of the end-user's interaction with the company and its products.
  • Aims to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving usability, ease of use, and pleasure.
• Accessibility: Ensuring products and services are usable by people of all abilities and disabilities (visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, neurological).
• Interaction Design: Focuses on creating engaging interfaces with well-thought-out behaviors to facilitate natural and efficient user interaction.
• Feedback: Provides users with information about actions taken and their results, helping users understand and correct actions.
• Consistency: Ensuring similar actions and elements produce similar results and behaviors to aid users in quickly understanding new system parts.

Goals of HCI

• Improving User Satisfaction: Creating systems users find enjoyable and fulfilling.
• Increasing Productivity: Designing interfaces enabling quick and efficient task completion.
• Reducing Errors: Designing systems minimizing errors and helping users recover from mistakes.
• Ensuring Accessibility: Making systems usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their abilities.

An Interdisciplinary Area Contributing to HCI

• Computer Science: Application design and engineering of human-computer interfaces.
• Psychology: Application of theories of cognitive processes and empirical analysis of user behavior.
• Sociology: Interactions between technology, work, and organization.
• Design and Industrial Design: Creating interactive products.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Strengths

• Improved Usability: Focus on easy-to-learn, efficient, and satisfying user experiences.
• User-Centered Design: Emphasizes understanding user needs, behaviors, and preferences. Design decisions informed by user feedback.
• Enhanced Accessibility: Promotes designing interfaces accommodating diverse users, including those with disabilities.
• Innovative Interaction Techniques: Exploring new interaction techniques (touch, gesture, voice).
• Interdisciplinary Approach: Integrates insights from various disciplines to understand human behavior and improve system design.
• Iterative Design Process: Uses iterative processes, testing prototypes with users early and often to refine designs based on feedback.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Weaknesses

• Subjectivity in User Preferences: Difficulty in universally satisfying user preferences due to variations.
• Complexity of Evaluation: Usability evaluation can be complex and time-consuming.
• Emerging Technologies Challenges: Designing interfaces for new technologies (e.g., AR/VR, AI) presenting new challenges.
• Ethical Considerations: Addressing ethical concerns like privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, and persuasive design techniques.
• Rapid Technological Change: Difficulty keeping up with rapid technological changes impacting interface design and user interaction patterns.

This quiz explores the fundamental concepts of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), an interdisciplinary field that examines how people interact with computers. Participants will learn about the distinctions between interaction models and interfaces, as well as the importance of designing user-friendly computing systems. Dive into the principles that shape effective human-computer communication.