HCI Midterms

Human-Computer Interaction

is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them.

Design

This is what customers pay us for— to sweat all these details so it’s easy and pleasant for them to use our computers. We’re supposed to be really good at this. That doesn’t mean we don’t listen to customers, but it’s hard for them to tell you what they want when they’ve never seen anything remotely like it. Take desktop video editing. I never got one request from someone who wanted to edit movies on his computer. Yet now that people see it, they say, ‘Oh my God, that’s great!” — Steve Jobs

Human-Computer Inteaction

is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them.

Albert Einstein

Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid. Human beings are incredibly slow, inaccurate, and brilliant. Together they are powerful beyond imagination.

Late 1970s and early 1980s

• HCI began emerging as a discipline in the _______ alongside advancements in personal computing.

• Before this period, computers were primarily used by experts and specialists; user-friendliness wasn’t a priority.

Graphical user interfaces

The introduction of ______ ______ ______ () like those seen in Apple's Macintosh computers marked a turning point, as technology became more accessible to non-expert users.

HCI

Over time, ____ has evolved to accommodate emerging technologies like mobile devices, wearable gadgets, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI). This evolution continues as HCI adapts to societal needs and technological advancements.

Key Components of HCI

• User interface design

• Usability testing

• Accessibility

• Interaction techniques

Importance of HCI

• Enhancing user experience

• Accessibility

• Safety and efficiency

• Innovation

Education

• User Interface: PC applications, cloud apps, netbooks

• Goal: educations, papers, presentations, problem solving, creativity, internet

• User: Students

Transportation

• User Interface: 747 Jet, MD

• 11 - Goal: Transport people safety and efficiently

• User: Airline Pilots

Exploration

• User Interface: Space shuttle

• Original cockpit (left), astronaut obtained information from mechanical gauges and CRT (cathode ray tube) displays.

• Updated cockpit (right), gauges are replaced by liquid crystal displays (LCDs)

• Because the displays are computers driven, they can have a wide range of graphics, colors, and text.

Business

• User Interface: Compose Documents

• Goal: Communicate via written documents

• User: almost every PC users world wide

Healthcare

• User Interface: Radiology Software

• Goal: Diagnosis

• User: Radiologists

Gaming

• User Interface: Gaming (wifi, call of duty elite)

• Goal: Entertainment

• User: Those seeking to be entertained

Communications

• User Interface: Email

• Goal: Communication to other individuals

• User: Everyone

The Arts

• User Interface: Music Composition

• Goal: Create Music

• User: Music Composers

Emergency Management Response

• User Interface: Firefighting

• Goal: Predict direct and intensity of firewinds

• User: Emergency Management Personnel

Telecommunications

• User Interface: Mobile Devices

• Goal: Communicate (talk, text)

• User: Everyone

Finance

• User Interface: TurboTax

• Goal: File federal, state, and city taxes

• User: accountant, taxpayers

Information and Entertainment

• User Interface: Browser-Based Applications

• Goal: Fulfill Personal Interest

• User: Everyone

Energy

• User Interface: Nuclear Power Plant

• Goal: Generate Electric

• User: Plant Operators

Social Networking

• User Interface: Facebook

• Goal: Communication, sharing content

• User: 80 million social network workers

Commerce

• User Interface: eBay

• Goal: Buy and Sell

• User: Buyer and Sellers

Humans

• are limited in their capacity to process data.

• information is received and responses given via number of input and output channels

Visual Channel

• refers to information received visually such as sight, color, dreams and visions.

• reading is a function of the ____ channel

Auditory Channel

• describes the way vocal signals can be used to produce language

• the speaker uses vocal tract to produce speech sounds, and the hearer employs an auditory apparatus to receive and process the speech sound

Haptic Channel

is the science of applying tactile sensation to human interaction with computers.

Haptic device

is one that involves physical contact between the computer and the user, usually through and input/output device

Sensory Memory

is stored in sensory memory just long enough to be transferred to short-term memory.

Sensory Memory

allows individuals to retain impressions of sensory information after the original stimuli have ended.

Short Term Memory

is the capacity to keep a small amount of information in mind in an active, readily available for a short period of time.

Long-term memory

is the phase or type of memory responsible for the storage of information for an extended period

Reasoning

• the action of thinking about something in a logical, sensible way.

• the process by which we use the knowledge we have to draw conclusions or infer something new about the subject of interest

Problem Solving

use information we have to find solutions in new situations

Skill Acquisition

also refereed to as motor learning and control is the interdisciplinary science of the intention, action, and calibration of the performer-environment relationship

Error

the state or condition of being wrong in conduct or judgement

Types of Error

• Slips

• Mistakes

Slips

• right intention, but failed to do it right

• causes: poor physical skill, inattention, etc.

• change to aspect of skilled behavior can cause slip

Mistake

• wrong intention

• cause: incorrect understanding

Computer

a computer system comprises various elements, each of which affects the user of the system.

Text entry

• refers to the process of creating messages composed of characters, numbers, and symbols using mobile devices.

• can be performed using small physical keys, virtual keyboards presented on touch sensitive screens, gesture or handwriting recognition, speech recognition, and various other technologies.

Computer Keyboard

• is one of the primary input devices used with a computer.

• it is composed of buttons that create letters, numbers, symbols as well as perform other functions.

• most companies use ____ with 104 keys as a de facto standard.

Speech Recognition

• also known as voice recognition

• a computer software program or hardware device with the ability to decode the human voice.

• is commonly used to operate a device, perform commands, or write without having to use a keyboard, mouse, or press any buttons.

Handwriting Recognition

• is a technology that allows a computer to recognize and interpret text written by a human hand.

• generally used with devices where text has been handwritten, but and needs to be changed over to digital characters.

Pointing

• is a gesture specifying a direction from person’s body, usually indicating a location, person, event, thing or idea.

• principally the mouse, but also a touchpad, stylus and others

Pointing Device

a generic term for any device used to control the movement of a cursor on a computer screen.

Computer mouse

handheld hardware input device that controls a cursor in a GUI and can move and select text, icons, files, and folders.

Mechanical mouse

a computer mouse that contains a metal or rubber ball on its under side.

Optical Mouse

is a computer mouse first introduced by Microsoft on April 19, 1999, that utilizes LEDs or laser to help track movement.

3D Interaction

a form of human-computer interaction where users are able to move and perform interactions in a three-dimensional space.

Bitmap Display

Different types of screen mostly using some form of _______ ______

Raster Image

• an image file format that is defined by a pixel that has one or more numbers associated with it.

• are commonly BMP, GIF, JPEG, and PNG files.

Disadvantage of a raster image

inability to resize the image without getting jaggies or another type of distortion

Vector Images

are used for logos, graphics, and text because of the ability to be resized in any direction without distortion.

Raster

• is lines inside of the screen traced by electron beam to create an image called a horizontal scan line.

• these lines appear on a CRT monitor or a TV screen

VR

• is a computer-generated artificial environment that allows a user to view, explore and manipulate the environment and a term popularized by Jaron Lanier.

• is a computer-generated reality manipulated and explored using various input devices such as goggles, headphones, gloves, or a computer.

The Computer

The Interaction

is a kind of action that occur as two or more objects influence one another.

3 terms of interaction

• Domain - the area of work under the study

• Goal - what do you want to achieve

• Task - how you go about doing it

Ergonomics

is the process of designing or arranging workplace, products, and systems so that they fit the people who use them

Interaction Styles

refers to all the way the user can communicate or otherwise interact with the computer system.

Command Line Interface

• is an interface found on network devices, such as network routers.

• allows the management and control of that network device

• a user interface that is navigated by typing commands at prompts, instead of using the mouse.

Menus

• a list of commands or choices offered to the user through the menu bar.

• commonly used in GUI operating systems and allow a user to access various options the software program is capable of performing.

File Menus

commonly accessed using the computer mouse; however, may also sometimes be accessed using shortcuts on the keyboard.

Natural Language

is the idea of creating a programming language that uses the grammar, vocabulary, and syntax of the human language.

Question/Answer and Query Dialogue

commonly used to describe a question or request that is made by a user or another computer or device.

Form-Fills and Spreadsheets

e-form or form is a web page or paper that contains a listing of questions or fields that ask for user input

WIMP

• short for windows, icons, menus, pointer

• is a term coined by Merzouga Willberts to describe a type of GUI interaction first used with the Xerox Aito computer.

Point and Click

is the action of moving the mouse to a specific location and clicking an object to perform a specific task.

Three-Dimensional Interfaces

is a description of a visual object that has the appearance of height, width, and depth.

Paradigm

refers to a new method of thinking about a problem or situation

Batch Processing/Batch System (Impersonal Computing)

• a technique of processing data that occur in one large group instead of individually.

• is usually done to help conserve system resources and allow for any modifications before being processed.

Time Sharing (Interactive Computing)

• process of giving multiple users access to a system or group of systems at the same time.

• with this setup a computer gives users a small portion of its processing power in pieces.

Network (Community Computing)

a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, peripherals or other devices connected to one another to allow the sharing of data.

Graphics (Direct Manipulation)

is an image or visual representation of an object.

Processor/Central Processor/Microprocessor/CPU

• is the central processing unit of the computer.

• handles all instructions it receives from hardware and software running on the computer.

World Wide Web (WWW)

• is graphical interface for the internet that was first introduced to the public on August 6, 1991, by Tim Berners-Lee. A few days later on August 23, 1991, it was available to everyone.

Ubiquitous Computing

• is a paradigm in which the processing of information is linked with each activity or object as encountered.

• involves electronic devices, including embedding microprocessors to communicate information.

• devices that uses this have constant availability and are completely connected

The Waterfall Model

User-centered Design

is a type of user interface design and a process in which the needs, wants, and limitations of end users of a product are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process.

User-centered Design

• an approach to design that grounds the process in information about the people who will use the product.

• is an approach to interactive system development that focuses specifically on making systems usable. it is a multi-disiplinary activity.

User

Development proceeds with the ______ as the center of focus.

Purpose of UCD

• the biggest cost benefit that UCD can provide is by more accurately defining requirements

• produce products that have a high degree of usability

• the ultimate goal of UCD is to optimize a user’s experience of a system, product, or process.

Users Perspective

• Needs and wants

• Goals, motivations, and triggers

• Obstacles and Limitations

• Tasks, activities and behaviors

• Geography and Language

• Environment, work, life and experience

Important Principles of UCD

• a clear understanding of user and task requirements

• incorporating user feedback to refine requirements and design

• active involvement of user to evaluate designs

• integrating user-centered design with other development activties

Typical UCD Methodology

• Analysis Phase

• Design Phase

• Implementation Phase

• Deployment Phase

Analysis and Design Phase

Implementation and Deployment Phase

UCD in SDLC

Basic Steps in UCD

1. Get to know the users

2. Analyze user tasks and goals

3. Establish usability requirements

4. Prototype some design ideas

5. Usability test and concepts

6. Repeat as necessary

Waterfall vs Agile vs UCD

Design Thinking

a human-centered approach to problem-solving that integrates the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.

Design Thinking

• a methodology that provides a solution-based approach to solving problems.

• It’s extremely useful when used to tackle complex problems that are ill-defined or unknown—because it serves to understand the human needs involved, reframe the problem in human-centric ways, create numerous ideas in brainstorming sessions and adopt a hands-on approach to prototyping and testing.

Core Principles of UCD

• Empathy

• Collaboration

• Iteration

• Creativity

Traditional Design

• Linear Process

• Solution-focused

• Expert-driven

Design Thinking

• Iterative

• Problem-focused

• User-centered

Phases of Design Thinking

1. Empathize

2. Define

3. Ideate

4. Prototype

5. Test

Empathize

• The first stage of the design thinking process focuses on user-centric research.

• You want to gain an empathic understanding of the problem you are trying to solve.

• Consult experts to find out more about the area of concern and conduct observations to engage and empathize with your users.

• You may also want to immerse yourself in your users’ physical environment to gain a deeper, personal understanding of the issues involved—as well as their experiences and motivations. Empathy is crucial to problem-solving and a human-centered design process as it allows design thinkers to set aside their own assumptions about the world and gain real insight into users and their needs

Define

you will organize the information you have gathered during the Empathize stage. You’ll analyze your observations to define the core problems you and your team have identified up to this point. Defining the problem and problem statement must be done in a human-centered manner.