Human - Computer Interaction

Abstract

Human-computer interaction (HCI) is the study of how people design, implement, and use

interactive computer systems and how computers affect individuals, organizations, and society. This

encompasses not only ease of use but also new interaction techniques for supporting user tasks,

providing better access to information, and creating more powerful forms of communication.

Table of contentsIntroduction....................................................................................................................................................1

Understanding human – computer interaction (HCI)....................................................................................2

Computer........................................................................................................................................................2

Input devices for interactive use.................................................................................................................2

Output display devices for interactive use:.................................................................................................2

Processing:.................................................................................................................................................2

Interaction......................................................................................................................................................2

Human............................................................................................................................................................3

Information is stored in memory:...............................................................................................................3

Information is processed and applied:........................................................................................................3

Model Human Processor................................................................................................................................3

Physical considerations in HCI design...........................................................................................................4

Why Do We Need HCI?.................................................................................................................................4

Goals..............................................................................................................................................................4

References......................................................................................................................................................5

Cover page

Introduction human-computer interaction (HCI) is the learning of how persons interact with calculating

technology. Human-computer interaction is a discipline concerned with the plan, evaluation and

execution of communicative calculating systems for human usage and with the learning of main

phenomena surrounding them. Olson (2003) stated that, one major area of work in the field focuses

on the design of computer systems. The goal is to produce software and hardware that is useful,

usable, and aesthetically pleasing.

Understanding human – computer interaction (HCI)

According to Warren (2013), designing for HCI means ensuring system functionality and

usability, providing effective user interaction support, and enhancing a pleasant user experience.

Furthermore, the overarching goal is to achieve both organizational and individual user effectiveness

and efficiency. To reach these goals, managers and developers need to be knowledgeable about the

interplay among users, tasks, task contexts, information technology (IT), and the environments in

which systems are used.

Computer According to Parmar (2013), a computer system comprises various elements, each of which

affects the user of the system.

Input devices for interactive use, allowing text entry, drawing and selection from the screen: • Text entry: traditional keyboard, phone text entry, speech and handwriting.

• Pointing: principally the mouse, but also touch pad, stylus, and others.

• 3D interaction devices.

Output display devices for interactive use: • Different types of screen mostly using some form of bitmap display.

• Large displays and situated displays for shared and public use.

• Digital paper may be usable in the near future.

Processing: • The effects when systems run too slow or too fast, the myth of the infinitely fast machine.

• Limitations on processing speed.

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• Networks and their impact on system performance.

Interaction The communication between the user and the system. Their interaction framework has four parts:

• User • Input • System • Output

According to Blackwell (n.d.), human-computer interaction is concerned with the joint performance

of tasks by humans and machines, the structure of communication between human and machine,

human capabilities to use machines (including the learnability of interfaces), algorithms and

programming of the interface itself; engineering concerns that arise in designing and building

interfaces; the process of specification, design, and implementation of interfaces; and design trade-

offs. Human-computer interaction thus has science, engineering, and design aspects.

Human According to Dix (1993), humans are limited in their capacity to process information. This has

important implications for design. Information is received and responses given via a number of input

and output channels:

• Visual channel

• Auditory channel

• Haptic channel

•Movement

Information is stored in memory: • Sensory memory

• Short-term (working) memory

• Long-term memory

Information is processed and applied: • Reasoning

• Problem solving

• Skill acquisition

• Error

Model Human Processor Developed and tested via numerous experimental studies

The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction

A simple “computer” architecture:

- Perceptual processor

storage of signals from senses + brief memory

- Cognitive processor

Working memory3

Long-term memory (LTM)

Think, analyses, recall from LTM, store in STM

- Motor processor model human processor

Transmit signals to muscles etc. (Bechhofer, 1983) .

Physical considerations in HCI design1_Vision, Jacob (1991) mentioned that, as we learn to become a systems analyst, we are becoming

accustomed to designing screens and reports for sighted people. The use of color, fonts, graphics,

software, and PowerPoint presentations for displays and printed reports as input and output.

2_Hearing, Rogers (2004) stated that, humans also have limits to the amount of stress their senses

can withstand. Noisy laser printers and phone conversations can lead to overload on human hearing.

3_Touch, Rogers (2004) argued that, when using an HCI perspective to evaluate the usefulness of

keyboards and other input devices, we can rate the human–computer fit as well as the dimensions

examining the human–computer–task fit. The choices of human–computer interfaces, such as

keyboards, direct manipulation, using a stylus, a mouse, and touch screens.

Why Do We Need HCI?

• Software forgets

• Software is lazy

• Software is inflexible

• Software blames and abuses users

• Software won’t take responsibility

• Software will thwart your goals and ambition

(Rogers, 2004) .

Goals According to Ceperley (2013), the goals of HCI are to produce usable and safe system, as well as

functional systems. In order to produce computer system with good usability, developer must attempt

to:

• Understand the factors that determines how people use technology

• Develop tools and technique to enable building suitable system

• Achieve efficient, effective and safe interaction

• Put people first

Human-computer interaction arose as a field from intertwined roots in computer graphics, operating

systems, human factors, ergonomics, industrial engineering, cognitive psychology, and the systems 4

part of computer science. Parmar (2013) stated that, computer graphics was born from the use of

CRT and pen devices very early in the history of computers. This led to the development of several

human-computer interaction techniques.

According to Parmar (2013), work on operating systems, meanwhile, developed techniques for

interfacing input/output devices, for tuning system response time to human interaction times, for

multiprocessing, and for supporting windowing environments and animation. This trends of

development has currently given rise to "user interface management systems" and "user interface

toolkits".

References

Bechhofer, S. (1983). Human computer interaction. May 17, 2013 Retrieved from,

http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~seanb/teaching/COMP10092/COMP10092-HCI.pdf

Blackwell, A. (n.d.). Human Computer Interaction. Cambridge Computer Science Tripos. May 17,

2013 Retrieved from, http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/teaching/1011/HCI/HCI2010.pdf

Ceperley, D., Dandekar, S & Eddy, J. (2013). What is HCI? May 17, 2013 Retrieved from,

http://repo-nt.tcc.virginia.edu/classes/200r/projects/fall_1999/hci/overview.html

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Dix, A. J., et al. (2003). Human-computer interaction. May 17, 2013 Retrieved from,

http://www.hcibook.com/hcibook/downloads/pdf/exercises.pdf.

Fallman, D. (2003). Design-oriented human computer interaction. New Horizons, 5(1).

JACOB, R. J. K. (1991). The use of eye movements in HCI techniques: What you look at is what

you get. ACM Transactions on Information Systems, 9(3). Pp. 152- 169.

Olson, G. M & Olson, J. S. (2003). Human-computer interaction: Psychological aspects of the

human use of computing. Annual Reviews Psychology. 54:491–516.

Parmar, D. (2013). Human computer interaction. May 17, 2013 Retrieved from,

http://sit.iitkgp.ernet.in/research/aut04seminar1/5r.pdf

Rogers, E. (2004). Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). RAS/IFRR Summer School

on "Human-Robot Interaction". 2004.

Warren, P. (2013). Understanding HCI methodologies. May 17, 2013 Retrieved from,

http://www.uml.org.cn/jiaohu/pdf/undertst.pdf

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