ITM 734 Introduction to Human Factors in Information Systems

ITM 734Introduction to Human Factors in Information Systems

Cindy [email protected]

This material has been developed by Georgia Tech HCI faculty, and continues to evolve.

Preece Ch 1 and 9.4

ITM 734 (Corritore) 2

And we’re off!

• What is Human Computer Interaction Can you define / describe it?


HCI

• HCI is at the interface between a human and a computer performing a task Task - write document, calculate budget, solve

equation, learn about Bosnia, drive home, ... Task might be work, play, learning, communicating,

etc etc

• Essential user activities: Express task (execution) Interpret results (evaluation)

• Not just on the desktop!• How many computers in your family home?


Why should we care?

• Computers (in one way or another) now affect every person in our society Increasing % utilize computers at work and

home– Tonight - count how many in your home/apt/room

• Goal – increase satisfaction, utility, efficiency, and safety

• Product success may depend on ease of use, not necessarily power But not always – Macintosh OS vs. Microsoft

Windows


Goals of HCI

• Allow users to carry out tasks Safely (Three-mile Island, ATC) Effectively Efficiently Enjoyably With good utility Ease of learning how to use Rememberablitly (that is, easy to remember)

• Bottom line Be invisible – highest compliment is no notice

of the interface and the interaction (so natural)


What is difference between

• User-friendly interfaces and• Programmer-friendly interfaces?


Famous Quotations

“It is easy to make things hard. It is hard to make things easy.” (Al Chapanis, 1982)

“Learning to use a computer system is like learning to use a parachute – if a person fails on the first try, odds are he won’t try again.” (anonymous)


Key Historical Events

• Design of the first Mac 1983-1984“The computer for the rest of us”

• Introduction of the web… just leave and go somewhere

else


How Improve User Interfaces?

• Educate software professionals Do NOT wait ‘til the end Good UI can not be pasted on top of

poorly-designed functionality

• Integrate UI design methods, techniques and knowledge into standard software development methodologies


UI Design / Develop Process

• NOT waterfall development (no iteration)• NOT RAD (more limited user involvement)• eXtreme Programming (iterative with

users in strict timeframe)


UI Design / Develop Process

• User-Centered Design Analyze user’s goals & tasks Create design alternatives Evaluate options Implement prototype Test - Evaluate Refine IMPLEMENT THE REAL SYSTEM Be prepared for further

iterative refinement


Preece process of ID

• Distills into four activities Identifying needs and establishing

requirements for the user experience Developing alternative designs that meet

those requirements Building interactive versions of the designs

so that they can be communicated and assessed

Evaluating what is being built throughout the process and the user experience that it offers


Keep in mind…

• 3 principles of user-centric design Early focus on users and tasks Empirical measurement Iterative design


Know Thy Users!

• Physical & cognitive abilities & special needs

• Personality & culture• Knowledge & skills• Motivation

• Two Fatal Mistakes: Assume all users are alike Assume all users are like you

– Please leave your ego at the door

You Are Here


User Expectations (1)

Some users expect the computer-based system to be just like the old system….


User Expectations (2)

Other users expect the system to work magic…..


Design Evaluation

• Both subjective and objective metrics

• Some things we can measure Time to learn Speed of performance Rate of errors by user Retention over time Subjective satisfaction

ITM 734 Introduction to Human Factors in Information Systems

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