Human-Computer Interaction CSCE 242 Lecture 2 PDF

Human-Computer Interaction CSCE 242 Lecture 2 The Process of Interaction Design Instructor : Dr. Rejab Hajlaoui Department of Info...

Human-Computer Interaction CSCE 242 Lecture 2 The Process of Interaction Design Instructor : Dr. Rejab Hajlaoui Department of Information and Computer Science 2024-2025 Overview What is involved in Interaction Design? Some practical issues – Understanding the problem space – Who are the users? – Importance of involving users – What are the users’ needs? – Degrees of user involvement – How to generate alternative designs – What is a user-centered approach? – How to choose among alternative designs – Four basic activities of interaction design – A simple lifecycle model for interaction design – How to integrate interaction design activities within other lifecycle models  What is involved in Interaction Design? It is a process: Focused on users to discover their requirements and their goals Involves trade-offs to balance conflicting requirements Generating alternatives and choosing between them is key Four approaches: user-centered design, activity-centered design, systems design, and genius design. One or more of these approaches may be used in a single user interface design. Which approach was selected? Developers select which one to use according to the project. The best designers are the ones who apply more than one approach in the same project. The User-Centred Design approach is the most popular and explains that user participation in all stages the process is critical  Activity Centered Design (ACD) Activity Centered Design (ACD) is a model of design that focuses on how a system produces an outcome as a result of activity. The focus is on the whole system rather than just the user. It considers the broader system beyond a single user. focus our design work on the community or social rules rather than the individual users interface. For example, if you are designing a home lighting control app, an activity-focused approach will help you to identify and design the steps a user must take to connect their lights or switch them on and off What’s ACD good for? ACD can be ideal for new projets, new padagrims or encouraging innovative re-thinks. The model is effective in creating very focused products as elements that do not support the desired activity are naturally removed. And not so good? Less suited to finer refinements May not be useful if designers have a narrow scope of latitude or are conducting low- level design work.  User-Centered Design (UCD) User-centered design (UCD) is an iterative design process in which designers focus on the users and their needs in each phase of the design process. In user-centered design, designers use a mixture of investigative methods and tools (e.g., surveys and interviews) and generative ones (e.g., brainstorming) to develop an understanding of user needs Phases in User-centered Design UCD contains 4 phases. Generally, each iteration of the UCD approach involves four distinct phases. 1. First, we try to understand the context in which users may use a system 2. Then, we identify and specify the users’ requirements, the design team develops solutions. Here, you assess the outcomes of the evaluation against the users’ context and requirements, to check how well a design is performing.  Questions related to User-Centered Design User-Centered What is a persona in the context of user-centered design? What is the user centered design process? What are user centered design principles? What are the 4 stages of user-centered design? Why is user-centered design important? What is Human-Centered Design? Example of Human Centered Design? Questions related to User-Centered Design User-Centered What is a persona in the context of user-centered design? In the context of user-centered design, a persona is a detailed representation of an ideal user of a system. It is a tool used by designers to maintain focus on the user's needs throughout the design process. A persona typically includes demographics, needs, goals, and behavioral patterns.  Questions related to User-Centered Design User-Centered What is the user centered design process? The user-centered design process involves : Understanding users and their contexts. Identifying user pain points and needs. Designing solutions to address those needs Evaluating the solutions to ensure they meet users’ requirements. Questions related to User-Centered Design User-Centered What are user centered design principles? Focusing on the people: It understands the needs, preferences, and limitations of the end- users. Solving the right problem: Defining and understanding the problem correctly is essential before jumping to solutions. Recognizing everything as a system: Everything is interconnected, and changing one part of the system can affect others. Not rushing to a solution: User-centered design is complex and involves various factors like societies, cultures, political forces, and economic factors. Questions related to User-Centered Design User-Centered Example of Human Centered Design? Homework to do by students Understanding the problem space Explore What is the current user experience? Why is a change needed? How will this change improve the situation? Articulating the problem space Team effort Explore different perspectives Avoid incorrect assumptions and unsupported claims  Importance of involving users Expectation management Realistic expectations No surprises, no disappointments Timely training Communication, but no hype Ownership Make the users active stakeholders More likely to forgive or accept problems Can make a big difference in acceptance and success of the product 15 Degrees of user involvement -Member of the design team Full time: constant input, but lose touch with users Part time: patchy input, and very stressful Short term: inconsistent across project life Long term: consistent, but lose touch with users -Face-to-face group or individual activities Online contributions from thousands of users Online Feedback Exchange (OFE) systems Crowdsourcing design ideas Citizen science - User involvement after product release 16 Some practical issues Who are the users? What are the users’ needs? How to generate alternative designs? How to choose among alternatives? How to integrate interaction design activities with other lifecycle models? 17 Who are the users/stakeholders? User: a person who uses or operates a product or service; the hands-on stakeholder. Not obvious 382 distinct types of users for smartphone apps (Sha Zhao et al, 2016) What are the users’ needs? They express what a user wants from a product or service. It can be anything from a goal, value, aspiration, or desire 18  How to generate alternatives? Design alternative refers to the process of exploring and generating multiple ideas and approaches for a task. Where do alternative designs come from? ‘Flair and creativity’: research and synthesis Cross-fertilization of ideas from different perspectives Seek inspiration: similar products and domain, or different products and domain Balancing constraints and trade-offs 19 How to choose among alternatives? The recommended methods are: 1- Use a simple numeric evaluation scale to rate each solution against each of the criteria :2 = totally meets the criteria, 1 = somewhat meets the criteria 0 = does not meet the criteria). Total up the columns to see which solution is best. 2- Evaluation with users. 20  How to integrate interaction design activities within other models? Integrating interaction design activities in lifecycle models from other disciplines requires careful planning Software development lifecycle models are prominent Integrating with agile software development is promising because: Involves tight iterations Supports early and regular feedback Deals with emerging requirements Aims to strike a balance between flexibility and structure 21 Here is an interesting HCI quiz that is designed to test your knowledge of this subject. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) looks at the manner in which human beings interact with computers, in an effort to research the design and use of computer technology.  Questions and Answers 1. What does HCI stand for? Correct Answer B. Human Computer Interaction Explanation HCI stands for Human-Computer Interaction. This term refers to the study and design of how humans and computers interact with each other. It involves the development of user-friendly interfaces and systems that enable effective communication and interaction between humans and computers. The focus is on understanding user needs, designing intuitive interfaces, and improving the overall user experience. HCI encompasses various disciplines such as psychology, design, computer science, and ergonomics to create technology that is user-centered and enhances human-computer interaction. 2. Which of the following are important in the design focus of HCI? Correct Answer D. All of the above Explanation The design focus of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) involves thinking of the user, testing the HCI, and involving the users. All of these aspects are important in order to create a user-friendly and efficient interface. By considering the needs and preferences of the user, testing the HCI for usability and functionality, and involving users in the design process, designers can ensure that the final product meets the requirements and expectations of the users. Therefore, all of the options mentioned are important in the design focus of HCI. 3. Which one of these would NOT be found in a good HCI? Correct Answer C. A long command line to achieve a function. Explanation A long command line to achieve a function would not be found in a good HCI because a good HCI aims to provide a user-friendly and efficient interface. Having a long command line would make it difficult for users to interact with the system and achieve their desired functions quickly. A good HCI typically focuses on simplicity, ease of use, and intuitive design, allowing users to perform tasks easily without the need for complex command lines. 4. Which one of these is a good reason for taking care to design a good computer-human interface? Correct Answer A. Not every user is a computer expert Explanation A good reason for taking care to design a good computer-human interface is that not every user is a computer expert. This means that the interface should be user-friendly and intuitive, allowing even non- expert users to easily navigate and interact with the software or system. By designing an interface that caters to users with varying levels of computer knowledge, the overall usability and accessibility of the system are improved, leading to higher user satisfaction and productivity. 30  5. In virtual reality which of the senses cannot currently be portrayed? Correct Answer D. Smell Explanation Virtual reality technology has made significant advancements in replicating visual and auditory experiences, allowing users to see and hear virtual environments realistically. However, the sense of smell cannot currently be portrayed in virtual reality. While it is possible to create visual and auditory stimuli, replicating smells accurately is a complex challenge. Smell is a unique sense that requires the release of specific molecules in the air, making it difficult to recreate in a virtual environment. As a result, virtual reality experiences currently focus on visual and auditory immersion, while smell remains a sense that cannot be portrayed. 6. HCI is based on psychological factors of humans? 33 Correct Answer A. True Explanation HCI, which stands for Human-Computer Interaction, is indeed based on the psychological factors of humans. It involves studying how people interact with technology and designing user interfaces that are intuitive, efficient, and satisfying for users. By understanding human psychology, such as perception, cognition, and behavior, HCI aims to create interfaces that are user-friendly and meet users' needs and preferences. Therefore, the statement "HCI is based on psychological factors of humans" is true. 34  7. Which one of these is a good reason to include sounds in an HCI? 35 Correct Answer A. Users react more quickly to sounds than to visual signals Explanation Including sounds in an HCI is a good reason because users react more quickly to sounds than to visual signals. This can enhance the user experience by providing immediate feedback and alerts. Sounds can also help users navigate and understand the system better, as auditory cues can be easier to process and interpret than visual cues. Additionally, incorporating sounds can cater to users with visual impairments, making the HCI more inclusive and accessible. 8. All countries read from left to right? 37 Correct Answer B. False Explanation This statement is not true as not all countries read from left to right. Some countries, such as Arabic-speaking countries, read from right to left. Therefore, the correct answer is false. 38 9. A computer expert produces a solution with HCI which is very efficient in computer resources, based on command-lines. Which one of the following is most likely to be the result when the system is implemented? 39 Correct Answer D. Most staff will feel demoralized and will not want to use the system. Explanation Most staff will feel demoralized and will not want to use the system because using a solution based on command lines can be challenging and unfamiliar for many users. It may require them to learn new skills and adapt to a different way of interacting with the computer. This can lead to frustration and a decrease in motivation to use the system. 10. What does ASCII stand for? 41 Correct Answer A. American Standard Code for Information Interchange Explanation ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is a character encoding standard that represents text in computers and other devices. ASCII uses a unique numerical value to represent each character, including letters, numbers, and symbols, allowing for the interchange of information between different systems and devices. 42