Human Computer Interaction By: Mumtaz Ali

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Agenda Goals of HCI Usability goals User experience goals Usability and Quality Evolution of HCI

Fundamental difference between HCI and Software Engineering Software engineering is primarily concerned with internal working of computers or with software. It is not primarily concerned with the external working of software. It is the Human Computer Interaction that has the primary concern with external working or behavior of the computer system or the software. (A common user is unconcerned about the software used in a computerized equipment but it is concerned with its working/ behavior only. This aspect is taken over by HCI)

Human Computer Interaction Definition: : “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/IEEE

Engineer’s goal An engineer’s goal is to make a system, a device that have features to work reliably without any flaws and that can be maintained easily. Software engineers are mainly concerned with the software system and the internal working of the computer system.

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Human side: Human (users) interact with computers through experience/ feeling (called User Experience). This experience is gained through an interface that the computer system provides. Computer side: There could be two main types of interfaces: Hardware interface Software interface

User Experience Experience: Some examples of: Good Experience: Satisfaction, Happiness, Elation Bad Experience: Frustration, Resentment, Anger User Experience: The user experience is the holistic combination of everything that the user - Sees - Touches - Feels - Interacts with

Usability Usability is one of the attributes of Interface It is the ease of use: Could I use it? Usefulness: Would I use it? Ensuring that interactive products are easy to learn, effective to user and enjoyable from the User’s perspective

Perspective Perspective is “How do you see or conceive a message conveyed by something” Different people might have different perception about a message. Likewise engineers might have a different perspective about computer devices as compare to other users. HCI keeps the perspective of the user at forefront.

Usability Goals Effectiveness Efficiency Safety Utility Learnability Memorability Usability works for better User Experience

Usability Goals Effectiveness: How good the system is at doing what it is supposed to do e.g., I-drive implementation in cars Efficiency: It is the way system supports its users in carrying out their tasks e.g., Websites 10 vs. 5 clicks

Usability Goals Safety: It is protecting the user from dangerous conditions and undesirable situation e.g., adjacent save and close. Utility: System providing the right kind of functionality so that the user can do what they want e.g., Find the information from web that is of no or a little use to you.

Usability Goals Learnability: It is provision of easiness in learning e.g., Airplane’s customer entertainment system Memorability: It is how is it easy to re-call the thing that you have learnt e.g., short keys

User Experience Goals Satisfying Enjoyable Fun Entertaining Helpful Motivating Esthetically Pleasing Supportive of Creativity

User Experience Goals Rewarding Emotionally Fulfilling

Usability vs. Quality Usability is “Ensuring that interactive products are easy to learn, effective to user and enjoyable from the User’s perspective” Quality is the extent to which a software product exhibits the characteristics like: - Functionality - Reliability - Usability - Efficiency - Maintainability - Portability

(See the description of assignment page) Evolution of HCI Home Assignment (See the description of assignment page)

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