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WHAT IS HCI?

“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.

ACM SIGCHI

WHAT IS HCI?

Vast, broad scope, various perspectives: Computer science perspective

“specifically on interaction between one or more humans and one or more computational machines”

Focuses on “computer” in HCI Psychology perspective

Focuses on “human” in HCI How and why we interact why we do-e.g. cognitive thinking, user

behavior Sociological perspective

Interactions between technology and organizations, work, etc

WHAT IS HCI?

HCI should improve interactions between users and computers Specifically through simplicity and usability relative to user’s needs

Achieved by: Improving methodologies for “standards” Aim to “design systems that minimize the barrier between… what the

human wants to accomplish and the computer’s understanding…of that task.”

WHY IS HCI IMPORTANT?

HCI singlehandedly makes or breaks computing.

HCI can affect: Effectiveness Productivity Workflow Etc.

If users don’t feel comfortable with the interface/interactions, they will not use them.

PROGRAMMING

• Very large aspect of computing- everything that exists was at one point developed.

• Bad programming HCI = bad programs.

• IDEs are a good example of how HCI affects programming• Logical branching/navigation of complex programs• Autofill/intelligent input• Debugging processes• Good HCI = less focus on tedious details, more focus on content

creation

GOOD IDE VS BAD IDE: ECLIPSE

GOOD IDE VS BAD IDE: …

JOKE.Kind of.

ARCHITECTURE/CHIP DESIGN

• Constantly evolving• Faster• More memory/more processing power/less power drain/etc.• new technologies require new functions require new design

• How do we tailor interactions to best fit architecture? • Example: x86 vs. ARM• Two “main” architectures • ARM – generally lower power levels, cheaper• x86 - more powerful, “full PC experience”.

• Users’ expectations via platform- mobile, fast ARM-based tech vs powerful x86 based computing

NETWORKING

Also a broad topic. We’re specifically talking about the most common user interface with networking- connection to a LAN/WAN.

• Network identification/connection is very important to the average user, more than other aspects of networking.

• Good HCI = “just works”. • Auto-detects local connections via WiFi or auto-connects/configures on

cable plugin.• Minimal user interaction required to get online- selection of network,

authentication, little else.•Bad HCI• Manual setup of network (SSID, encryption type, authentication, etc) or

installation of drivers• Seek to minimize unnecessary effort, remove barrier between

user and desired response.

DATABASES

• Very, very important backbone to computer infrastructure.

• Data needs to be stored/properly curated and organized.

• If a DB Admin can’t properly manage their database, usability and effectiveness go out the window.

• Good HCI?• Helping to unify interface• Proper labeling/organization• Built to handle DBs from ground up, including top-down

understanding and management.• Broad enough scope to handle large amounts of data

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Operating Systems are an incredibly important topic for HCI- they’re essentially based on HCI. How can I make this computer work for me?

• The shell/GUI is the most common aspect of OS as far as HCI is concerned.

• If the OS is difficult to use, everything is negatively effected.

• As new OS revisions create ways to interact with the computer, how does HCI change?

• Example: Windows 7 vs Windows 8• Windows 7- Made for “full desktop”, considered golden standard of

Desktop OS’s. Most popular OS out currently.• Windows 8 - made for full desktop, tablet, and touchscreen. New,

public opinion split as major design decisions tailor to various form factors. Unified UX with other MS products (Xbox, Windows Phone)

GRAPHICS

• One of the most tangible results of HCI development

• We want graphics to be:• Logical• Intuitive• Effective• Efficient to form factor• Uniform

• Graphics are important to aid users in the “feel” of an OS or program.

• Example: Android OS design standards• 3 main principles:• “Enchant me”• “Simplify my life”• “Make me amazing”

• Seek to standardize “feel” through OS and graphic interface.

• Real objects are more fun than buttons and menus.

• Allow for direct touch and object manipulation- it reduces cognitive effort needed to perform a task while making it more emotionally satisfying.

• Let me make it mine

• People love adding personal touches because it makes them feel at home and in control. Provide beautiful defaults but also consider fun, optional customizations that don’t hinder primary tasks.

ANDROID OS: “ENCHANT ME”

• If it looks the same, it should act the same.

• Help people discern functional differences by making them visually distinct rather than subtle.

• Pictures are faster than words.

• Consider using pictures to explain ideas. They get people's attention and can be much more efficient than words.

ANDROID OS: “SIMPLIFY MY LIFE”

• Give me tricks that work everywhere.

• People feel great when they figure things out for themselves. Make your app easier to learn by leveraging visual patterns and muscle memory from other Android apps.

• Make important things fast.

• Not all actions are equal. Decide what's most important in your app and make it easy to find and fast to use, like the shutter button in a camera, or the pause button in a music player.

ANDROID OS: “MAKE ME AMAZING”

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• AI and HCI are converging• “AI techniques are in the toolset of more and more HCI researchers,

and applications of machine learning are increasingly visible in the HCI literature. Other maturing AI technologies seek input from the HCI community.”

• In the past, HCI and AI were separated• Those who invested in HCI wanted short-term payoff• Those who invested in AI wanted long-term payoff• Now, systems are widely available• Researchers use AI techniques in everyday work

• Interfaces are incredibly important to daily usage of any computer by users, and as researches continue to refine Artificial Intelligence, they need to have a working, logical platform with which to do so.

ROBOTICS

• Robotics is constantly growing/developing

• As interactions grow between humans and robots, we need to tailor those interactions

• Robots need to be more capable and able to react to user input.

• Must allow users to easily see and manipulate functions of robots.

MODELING

Also known as computer simulations, modeling is “computer program, run on a single computer, or a network of computers, that attempts to simulate an abstract model of a particular system”.

If we can’t properly analyze/manipulate models, users can’t get data they want and the point of the model is nullified.