copyright 1999 all rights reserved overview of hci n what is human-computer interaction? n why...

Copyright 1999 all rights reserved

Overview of HCIOverview of HCI

What is Human-Computer Interaction?What is Human-Computer Interaction? Why should an Information Scientist Why should an Information Scientist

be concerned with Human-Computer be concerned with Human-Computer Interaction?Interaction?

Importance of Good User Interface Importance of Good User Interface DesignDesign

Why user interfaces are so poorWhy user interfaces are so poor


What is Human-Computer What is Human-Computer Interaction?Interaction?

HCI - short for human-computer interactionHCI - short for human-computer interaction Study and development of computer-based Study and development of computer-based

interfaces with the express purpose of interfaces with the express purpose of making them easier for humans to usemaking them easier for humans to use

HCI involvesHCI involves– study of humans using interfacesstudy of humans using interfaces– development of new applications for usersdevelopment of new applications for users– development of new devices and tools for usersdevelopment of new devices and tools for users


Why should Information Systems Why should Information Systems be concerned with HCI?be concerned with HCI?

IS personnel IS personnel

– oversee the development of new oversee the development of new applicationsapplications

• they need to know how to make these systems they need to know how to make these systems usableusable

– oversee the introduction of new systems oversee the introduction of new systems into their organizationinto their organization

• they need to be able to evaluate the usability of they need to be able to evaluate the usability of off the shelf systemsoff the shelf systems


Importance of Good User Importance of Good User Interface DesignInterface Design

Reduction in coding costsReduction in coding costs High costs of interface problemsHigh costs of interface problems Serious life-threatening errorsSerious life-threatening errors Good interfaces sell productsGood interfaces sell products Increased use of computers in the Increased use of computers in the

environmentenvironment


User Interface Code User Interface Code

In a modern graphics user interface In a modern graphics user interface programprogram– Estimated Estimated 4040 to to 9090 percent of code percent of code

concerned with user interfaceconcerned with user interface– Most estimates around Most estimates around 70 percent !!!!!70 percent !!!!!– If done wrong, has to be redoneIf done wrong, has to be redone– If not fixed, cost passed on to usersIf not fixed, cost passed on to users


User Interface User Interface EconomicsEconomics

Good user interface may result in:Good user interface may result in:– Increased productivityIncreased productivity– Reduced training costsReduced training costs– Preventable user errorsPreventable user errors– Reduced employee turnoverReduced employee turnover– User satisfactionUser satisfaction– Higher quality products producedHigher quality products produced


Increased ProductivityIncreased Productivity

20 users20 users

XX 230 days230 days

XX 100 screens per day100 screens per day

XX 10 sec per screen (savings)10 sec per screen (savings)

== 1278 hours1278 hours

or 32 weeksor 32 weeks


Reduced Training CostsReduced Training Costs20 employees20 employees

XX 2 systems/applications per 2 systems/applications per yearyear

XX 2 1/2 days per application 2 1/2 days per application

= 100 days= 100 days


Training and support often more costly than Training and support often more costly than hardware and softwarehardware and software


Preventable User ErrorsPreventable User Errors

500 users500 users

XX 20 errors per year 20 errors per year

XX 15 minutes per error 15 minutes per error

== 2500 hours lost 2500 hours lost



XX 500 menu selections per 500 menu selections per dayday

XX 3 sec per selection 3 sec per selection

XX 230 days per year 230 days per year

== 480 hours 480 hours

or 12 weeksor 12 weeksReduce the menu selection time to 1 secReduce the menu selection time to 1 sec

8 extra weeks out of your best people8 extra weeks out of your best people

At $50K salary, that lost time will cost At $50K salary, that lost time will cost $9000$9000

Increased ProductivityIncreased Productivity


Higher Quality ProductsHigher Quality Products

User spends less time on interface and User spends less time on interface and more on solving problem, e.g., one more on solving problem, e.g., one command compiles and executes programcommand compiles and executes program

Interface matches the way user thinks Interface matches the way user thinks about problem, e.g., spreadsheet looks about problem, e.g., spreadsheet looks like accounting sheetslike accounting sheets

Interface adds value to problem solution, Interface adds value to problem solution, e.g., multiple ways to view datae.g., multiple ways to view data


Serious Life-Threatening ErrorsSerious Life-Threatening Errors

Analysis of transcript of 911 call Analysis of transcript of 911 call announcing bomb in Centennial Park at announcing bomb in Centennial Park at Atlanta Olympics indicated that 20 Atlanta Olympics indicated that 20 minutes were needed to call dispatchersminutes were needed to call dispatchers– Dispatch system required an address for Dispatch system required an address for

Centennial ParkCentennial Park– Dispatch operators could not find anyone Dispatch operators could not find anyone

who knew addresswho knew address– Bomb was set to go off 30 minutes after callBomb was set to go off 30 minutes after call


Serious Life Threatening ErrorsSerious Life Threatening Errors

Airline crashed in 1996 into a Airline crashed in 1996 into a mountainside in Colombia killing all mountainside in Colombia killing all aboardaboard– Pilot typed in “R” rather than full name of Pilot typed in “R” rather than full name of

airportairport– Guidance system took first airport in the list Guidance system took first airport in the list

beginning with “R” which was the wrong beginning with “R” which was the wrong airportairport

– Plane ran into mountainPlane ran into mountain


User Interface EconomicsUser Interface Economics Good user interfaces sell systems!Good user interfaces sell systems!

– Windows is a copy of the Mac interfaceWindows is a copy of the Mac interface– The Mac interface is a copy of Bravo - The Mac interface is a copy of Bravo -

developed at Xerox PARCdeveloped at Xerox PARC User interface capabilities and User interface capabilities and

awareness help get contractsawareness help get contracts Poor user interfaces can cripple a Poor user interfaces can cripple a

system that is outstanding in all other system that is outstanding in all other respects respects


Ubiquity of ComputersUbiquity of Computers

Computer driven interfaces placed in Computer driven interfaces placed in most mechanical products we knowmost mechanical products we know

– Classic problem of users not being able to Classic problem of users not being able to set the clock on their VCR / microwave / carset the clock on their VCR / microwave / car

– Users can often not use a duplicating Users can often not use a duplicating machine, a fax machine, a cash register, a machine, a fax machine, a cash register, a candy machine, a bank machine or even a candy machine, a bank machine or even a telephonetelephone

– Cars will eventually be computer drivenCars will eventually be computer driven


MotivationMotivation Why Are User Interfaces so Poor?Why Are User Interfaces so Poor? Problem lies in Software EngineeringProblem lies in Software Engineering


Why Are User Interfaces Poor?Why Are User Interfaces Poor? Inadequate training of people Inadequate training of people

developing interfacesdeveloping interfaces Diversity of knowledge required to Diversity of knowledge required to

design good interfaces design good interfaces – hard to find good peoplehard to find good people– huge market for people with user interface huge market for people with user interface

design skillsdesign skills


Why are User Interfaces so Poor?Why are User Interfaces so Poor?

Rapid technological advancesRapid technological advances Reluctance of companies to commit Reluctance of companies to commit

resources resources – not that true anymorenot that true anymore

Poor management - programmers do Poor management - programmers do not talk to user design team and vice not talk to user design team and vice versaversa


Lack of Real Engineering Lack of Real Engineering of The User Interfaceof The User Interface

User Interface specialists rarely involvedUser Interface specialists rarely involved The "bricklayers" (programmers) are left The "bricklayers" (programmers) are left

to do the user interface architecture by to do the user interface architecture by defaultdefault

““Ignorance by software engineers of Ignorance by software engineers of usability and how to measure it is usability and how to measure it is roughly equivalent to an electronics roughly equivalent to an electronics engineer not knowing what volts and engineer not knowing what volts and watts are and how to measure them."watts are and how to measure them."


Introduction & Historical Introduction & Historical Perspective on Computing and Perspective on Computing and

Decision Support SystemsDecision Support Systems

A Brief History of ComputingA Brief History of Computing A Brief History of Personal A Brief History of Personal

ComputingComputing Human-Computer Interaction Human-Computer Interaction

Paradigms ShiftParadigms Shift


A Brief History of ComputingA Brief History of Computing

From Beginnings From Beginnings to the Presentto the Present


A Brief History of Personal A Brief History of Personal ComputingComputing

Beginnings to Beginnings to PresentPresent

Apple OSApple OS DOSDOS Mac OSMac OS Windows 95Windows 95


Human-Computer Interaction Human-Computer Interaction Paradigms ChangeParadigms Change

SwitchesSwitches Paper Tape & Punched CardsPaper Tape & Punched Cards Dumb TerminalsDumb Terminals Intelligent TerminalsIntelligent Terminals ““Point-and-Click”Point-and-Click” Direct ManipulationDirect Manipulation WIMPs (Windows/Icons/WIMPs (Windows/Icons/

Mouse/Pointer)Mouse/Pointer) Ubiquitous ComputersUbiquitous Computers

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