Chapter 3

Objectives of the Chapter

  • Explain differences between good and poor interaction design.

  • Describe interaction design and its relation to HCI.

  • Discuss the relationship between user experience (UX) and usability.

  • Identify participants in the interaction design process.

  • Evaluate interactive products against design principles.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

  • Multidisciplinary field studying interactions between people and computers.

  • Design techniques: affordances, constraints, metaphoric design, A/B testing.

Interaction Design

  • Focuses on the interactive elements of products (buttons, menus).

  • Aims to create enjoyable and user-friendly experiences.

  • Considers user needs, behaviors, and expectations.

Goals of Interaction Design

  • Reduce negative aspects of interaction.

  • Enhance positive aspects of user experience.

  • Develop interactive products that are:

    • Easy to use

    • Effective

    • Pleasurable

Good vs. Poor Design

  • Clear differentiation between user experience (UX) and user interface (UI).

Components of Interaction Design

  • Academic disciplines contributing:

    • Ergonomics, Psychology, Design, Informatics, Engineering, Computer Sciences, Social Sciences.

  • Design practices include graphic and product design.

User Experience (UX)

  • Central to interaction design; includes how products function in real-world scenarios.

  • Encompasses usability, functionality, aesthetics, and emotional appeal.

Interaction Design Process

  1. Establish requirements.

  2. Design alternatives.

  3. Prototyping.

  4. Evaluating.

Design Principles

  • Visibility: Make relevant parts visible.

  • Feedback: Provide immediate action effects.

  • Constraints: Limit user actions appropriately.

  • Consistency: Uniformity in operations and design elements.

  • Affordance: Objects must suggest their usage clearly.

Accessibility

  • Ensures products are usable by as many people as possible, especially those with disabilities.

  • Defines disability based on impairments affecting daily activities.

Usability Goals

  • Effective, efficient, safe to use.

  • Good utility, easy to learn, memorable usage.

User Experience Aspects

  • Desirable: Satisfying, engaging, fun.

  • Undesirable: Boring, frustrating, annoying.

Improvement Suggestions for Interaction Design

  • Reduce form fields to minimize user effort.

  • Expose options instead of hiding them (e.g., avoid excessive dropdowns).

  • Focus on selling benefits, not just features.

  • Create bigger clickable areas to facilitate interaction.