INTERACTION 😊 understand system and goal

😊 correct formulation of action

The Interaction ☹ incorrect action
Interaction models – translations between user and system Mistake
Ergonomics – physical characteristics of interaction ☹ may not even have right goal!
Interaction Styles – the nature of user/system dialog Fixing things?
Context – social, organizational, motivational Slip – better interface design
Mistake – better understanding of system
What is Interaction?
- Communication between user and system. Abowd and Beale Framework
Extension of Norman…
Models of Interaction 1. Their interaction framework has 4 parts
Terms of Interaction 1. user
Domain – the area of work under study, e.g. graphic design 2. input
Goal – what you want to achieve, e.g. create a solid red 3. system
triangle 4. output
Task – how you go about doing it and ultimately in terms of each has its own unique language
operations or actions, e.g. … select fill tool, click over triangle Interaction => transition between languages
NOTE: traditional interaction… use of terms differs a lot Problems in interaction = problems in translation
especially task/goal!
Ergonomics
Donald Norman’s Model Physical aspects of interfaces, industrial interfaces
Seven Stages  Study of the physical characteristics of interaction
1. user establishes the goal  Also known as human factors – but this can also be used
2. formulates intention to mean much of HCI!
3. specifies action at interface  Ergonomics good at defining standards and guidelines for
4. executes action constraining the way we design certain aspects of systems
5. perceives system states Ergonomics - examples
6. interprets system state  arrangement of controls and displays
7. evaluates system state with respect to goal - e.g. controls grouped according to function or
- Norman’s model concentrates on user’s view of the interface frequency of use, or sequentially
 surrounding environment
Execution/Evaluation Loop - e.g. seating arrangements adaptable to cope with all
 user establishes the goal sizes of user
 health issues
- e.g. physical position, environmental conditions
(temperature, humidity), lighting, noise,
 use of colour
 formulates intention - e.g. use of red for warning, green for okay, awareness
 specifies actions at interface of colour-blindness etc.
 executes action
Interaction Styles
dialogue … computer and user
distinct styles of interaction
Common Interaction Styles
 perceives system state • command line interface
 interprets system state • menus
 evaluates system state with respect to goal • natural language
• question/answer and query dialogue
• form-fills and spreadsheets
• WIMP
• point and click
Using Norman’s Model • three–dimensional interfaces
Some systems are harder to use than others
Gulf of Execution – user’s formulation of actions
≠ actions allowed by the system
Gulf of Evaluation – user’s expectation of changed system Command line interface
state  Way of expressing instructions to the computer directly
≠ actual presentation of this state  function keys, single characters, short abbreviations,
Human Error – slips and mistakes whole words, or a combination
Slip  suitable for repetitive tasks
  better for expert users than novices
 offers direct access to system functionality Point and click interfaces
 command names/abbreviations should be meaningful! Are used in:
Typical example: the Unix system • multimedia
• web browsers
Menus • hypertext
- Set of options displayed on the screen -> just click something!
Options visible • icons, text links or location on map
• less recall - easier to use • minimal typing
• rely on recognition so names should be meaningful
Selection by: Managing value
• numbers, letters, arrow keys, mouse people use something
• combination (e.g. mouse plus accelerators) ONLY IF
Often options hierarchically grouped it has perceived value
• sensible grouping is needed AND
Restricted form of full WIMP system value exceeds cost
BUT NOTE
Natural language • exceptions (e.g. habit)
• Familiar to user • value NOT necessarily personal gain or money
• speech recognition or typed natural language
• Problems General lesson …
- vague if you want someone to do something …
- ambiguous • make it easy for them!
- hard to do well! • understand their values
• Solutions
- try to understand a subset
- pick on key words

Query interfaces
Question/answer interfaces
• user led through interaction via series of questions
• suitable for novice users but restricted functionality
• often used in information systems
Query languages (e.g. SQL)
• used to retrieve information from database
• requires understanding of database structure and language
syntax, hence requires some expertise

Form-fills
• Primarily for data entry or data retrieval
• Screen like paper form.
• Data put in relevant place
• Requires
- good design
- obvious correction facilities

WIMP Interface
Windows
Icons
Menus
Pointers
… or windows, icons, mice, and pull-down menus!
 default style for majority of interactive computer systems,
especially PCs and desktop machines