Lecture 1: Human-Computer Interaction Principles

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Questions and Answers

Which element is NOT part of a computer system's interaction components?

Output devices

Processing

Cloud storage (correct)

Input devices

What is one of the main goals of improving usability in computer systems?

Increasing customer loyalty (correct)

Minimizing processing speed

Eliminating output devices

Decreasing the number of input devices

Which of the following is NOT a dimension of usability?

Costly to maintain (correct)

Safe to use

Enjoyable to use

Easy to learn

How does a usable system help in reducing costs?

By improving operational efficiency Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of usability focuses on the ease of recovery from errors?

Errors Signup and view all the answers

Which interaction method is considered a natural language communication tool for customer service?

Chatbots Signup and view all the answers

What would be a characteristic of a usable system?

Ease of use Signup and view all the answers

What is an important advantage of usability for businesses?

Enhancing customer loyalty Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of effective usability in a product?

To allow users to reach certain goals or perform tasks Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines the focus of UX design?

Meeting users' needs through design solutions Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect distinguishes UI design from UX design?

It involves creating a joyful interaction experience Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant difference between Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and UX design?

HCI involves more research about human interaction with computers Signup and view all the answers

What does 'likeability' in terms of usability refer to?

The enjoyment and pleasant experience of using a product Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a dimension of usability?

Visually creative Signup and view all the answers

What is a common pitfall associated with user experience design?

Ignoring usability testing throughout the design process Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'information overload' refer to in a design context?

Too many visual elements that confuse users Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the focus of Human-Computer Interaction?

To enable interaction by enhancing usability for humans Signup and view all the answers

What is a key principle in Human-Computer Interaction regarding users?

Users should come first in design considerations Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a factor of user diversity in HCI?

Socioeconomic status Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to understand human limitations in HCI?

To improve the cognitive experience during interactions with technology Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following distinguishes HCI from UI/UX design?

HCI is broader and includes interaction with various technologies beyond software Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following devices is typically considered part of modern interpretations of computers in HCI?

Mobile phone Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about how users interact with technology?

Users have unlimited capacity to process information Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern of HCI in system design?

Ensuring systems are easy to use and learn Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Lecture 1: Principles of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

Lecture 1 covers the principles of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
Course instructor is Dr. Nermeen Kashief
Textbook: Dix, A., Finlay, J., Abowd, G.D., & Beale, R. (2004). Human computer interaction (3rd ed.)
Online resources for this book are available at http://www.hcibook.com/e3/plain/about/book/

Course Materials

Course Marks Distribution:
- Report 1: 5 marks
- Midterm: 10 marks
- Report 2: 5 marks
- Practical: 20 marks
- Semester final: 60 marks
- Total: 100 marks

Course Outlines

Introduction: Interacting with technology is now part of everyday life. People have limited time to learn new systems, thus computer systems should be easy to use, easy to learn and devoid of errors. Designing and developing such systems is a major concern of HCI.
What is Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)? HCI aims to make computers more usable by enabling interaction between humans and computers. Key components are human cognition, interface, human interaction and computer processing.
Human (Users): Users who interact with computers should be the primary focus, as they will have differing abilities, cognitive functions, and experiences.
- Important user attributes include different cultures, environment, cognitive abilities, learning experiences, and physical considerations such as age, hand size, height, strength, and disabilities.
Computers: Computers are not just traditional computers, but also embedded machines like mobile phones, cameras, cars, washing machines, dishwashers, alarm clocks, ATMs, and copy machines.
- A computer system comprises various elements affecting interactions: input (text entry, pointing), output (screen, digital paper), virtual reality, physical interaction (sound, haptic, bio-sensing), paper (input/output), memory (RAM, storage), processing (speed, networks)
Interaction: The aim is to make interaction between the human and the computer similar to human-to-human interaction, emphasizing open-ended dialogue. Improving the usability of computer systems is a core goal.
UI/UX Designers: UX designers prioritize customer satisfaction and user needs, while UI designers focus on making the product joyful to interact with.

HCI Practical Applications

Examples of Interaction (Chatbots): Chatbots are now commonly used to communicate with customers. Examples are Customer services, payment systems, Google assistance, and medical support (eg: Woebot) as well as commonly utilized ATM machines.
Why is Usability Important? Ease of use is crucial for efficiency, cost reduction, customer loyalty, sales and revenue generation, as well as bringing new customers. Usability is regarded as a sign of product quality and provides a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Bad design costs lives, money, and time.
What is a Usable System? A usable system is easy to use, learn, and remember. It should also be efficient and effective, safe and enjoyable.
4 Dimensions of Usability:
- Easy to use: Evaluate user errors, error severity, and ease of recovery.
- Easy to learn: Examine the learnability of achieving basic tasks in the design the first time it is encountered.
- Easy to remember how to use (Memorability): Understand how users can re-establish proficiency after a period of no use.
- Likeability/Enjoyable to use (4): This includes the overall likeability or enjoyment of using the product.
- Effective to use (Utility): Evaluate how well the product fulfills user goals and facilitates required tasks to complete a specific goal or specific task.
  - Efficient to Use: Focuses on the efficiency of the product in terms of quickness of the response and reduced wasted time to achieve expected results.
- Safe to use (6): The safety features incorporated in the product/system in use.

UI/UX and HCI

UI/UX design is closely related to HCI, with UI focusing on user interface elements like layout, colors, and typography. UX focuses on the user experience with the product as a whole.
Front-end web designers/developers are involved in the practical implementation phases of HCI, using tools like Figma and Adobe XD.
Difference between HCI and UX Design: Human Computer Interaction (HCI) design is more academic and focuses on research, while User Experience (UX) design focuses on practice and industry standards to dictate the rules for better user experiences.

Additional Points

Practical Approaches of HCI: Covers the designing, implementing, and evaluating stages of HCI.
Information Overload: Overloading a user with too much information, a common example being parking signs.
Good vs. Bad Design: Emphasizes the importance of good design compared to poor design for usability. Examples illustrated include how to effectively use optional fields, buttons on websites, and overall good website design.

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Description

This quiz focuses on the key principles of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) as introduced in Lecture 1 by Dr. Nermeen Kashief. It covers fundamental concepts from the textbook 'Human Computer Interaction' by Dix et al. and highlights the importance of usability in technology design.