Affordances and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Lecture

Affordances and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT AND TYPES OF AFFORDANCES What Are Affordances?  Affordances describe the potential actions that an environment or object offers to an individual.  Introduced by James J. Gibson in the context of ecological...

Affordances and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT AND TYPES OF AFFORDANCES What Are Affordances?  Affordances describe the potential actions that an environment or object offers to an individual.  Introduced by James J. Gibson in the context of ecological psychology.  Significant in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). James J. Gibson’s Concept of Affordance  Defined as the possibilities for action provided by an object or environment.  Directly related to perception — what the environment invites us to do.  Example: A chair affords sitting; a staircase affords climbing. Norman’s Concept of Affordances  Don Norman adapted Gibson’s idea for HCI.  Focused on the design of objects and interfaces.  Perceived Affordances: How users interpret what an object or interface allows them to do.  Example: A button on a screen suggests clicking. Types of Affordances  Real Affordances  Perceived Affordances Real Affordances Physical properties of an object that enable specific actions. Example: A door handle affords pulling or pushing. In HCI: A mouse affords dragging, pointing, or clicking. Perceived Affordances The way an object is visually or symbolically designed to indicate its use. Does not always match real affordances. Example: A flat button in an app suggests tapping. Essential for intuitive design in HCI. Conclusion Affordances bridge the gap between design and usability. Gibson emphasized real affordances, while Norman stressed perceived affordances. Recognizing affordances leads to intuitive and user-friendly design. References Gibson, J.J. (1979). The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception. Norman, D.A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things.