IN 4710: Human Computer Interaction

Lesson 05

Feedback Cycles

Introduction
Interaction is the communication or effect of an action that takes place between two or more
objects. It could also be considered as an action which involves two or more objects and causes
an effect on one another. The response or the feedback is one of the most important aspect of
a purposeful interaction. In this lesson we will discuss how these interactions are considered in
feedback cycles which are inherent in any interaction, where it involves computerized interfaces
or not.

Feedback Cycles
Feedback cycles are formed when people interact with the world, and then get a feedback on the
effect or the result of that interaction. These cycles can be seen everywhere and therefore
become ubiquitous. The feedback cycles have a wide spectrum and can be found everywhere. It
may be boiling water in a kettle, adjusting the volume of a sound system, or online money
transfer by a bank account holder.

We learn things through feedback cycles. We take an action and then we see the effect of it and
learn accordingly. Perhaps, this will change the way we do it next time. If you consider intelligent
robots, they are constantly interacting with and learning from their surrounding. At the same
time they are affecting the environment around them in some way. This makes a complete
feedback cycle. Another example is when we withdraw money from an ATM. We insert the card,
then insert the PIN, and then declare the withdraw function we need to perform. Accordingly,
the ATM will respond asking for the amounts and we respond by keying-in or choosing the
amount and confirming it. If it is a large sum exceeding the account balance, the ATM will reject
the withdrawal, or if accepted money will be dispensed. In fulfilling the goal of withdrawing
money from ATM machine, a series of actions are involved. You do something and learn from
experience. A series of feedback cycles can be witnessed in this situation.

Adaptive behavior can be considered as an example to feedback cycle. Here you will do
something, then process the result and change your behavior accordingly. Feedback cycles make
opportunity for getting better over time by evaluating the results of one's actions.

Specifically, in HCI nearly all interactions can be interpreted as applications of feedback cycles
regardless of the parties involved in the interaction. It may take place between a person and a
task, a person and an interface, or in a system comprised of multiple people and multiple
interfaces.

Compiled by: Indika Karunaratne

IN 4710: Human Computer Interaction

Revisiting Don Norman's Model

We have already learned about the execution/evaluation cycle proposed by Don Norman. This
can be further illustrated and mapped into feedback cycle, by broadening the system scope to
the world.

Figure 5.1: Seven stages of Action: Don Norman's Model Revisited

This model provides a different way of looking at the same information pertaining to achieving a
goal in a system. More emphasis is given to the user and his actions. We will consider what the
user does at each of these stages.

The user is setting the goal. Then he plans, specifies and performs actions. After that the user
will perceive what he gets, interpret it, and finally compare it with what he expected to happen.

The most important aspects in this diagram are the bridge of execution and the bridge of
evaluation here. This has a slight variation from the familiar implications of gulf of execution and
the gulf of evaluation which we discuss about when consider the interaction between a user and
a system/world.

Compiled by: Indika Karunaratne

IN 4710: Human Computer Interaction

It is expected to bridge of gulfs between the goal and the world through these actions. These
actions are what the user can do to make the world to match their goal.

Norman specified some questions we need to ask ourselves when designing interfaces. Each of
these questions will contribute to design an interface reducing the gulf of execution and gulf of
evaluation. These questions will enable the designer to see from the users' perspective and
therefore to design interfaces which are more acceptable by the users. In other words, to design
interfaces which will reduce the gap between the user's expectation level and what is delivered
by the world/system.

Figure 5.2: Seven stages of Action - Seven Questions: Designer's Perspective

With the goal we set the question "how easily can one determine the function of the device?.
This could help find out whether the interface support the user to find out whether the interface
could accomplish the goal.

In planning the user needs to know about the possible actions to perform on the interface. So
the question how easily one can tell which actions are possible in this interface will give the
insight of how the designing to be done.

In the third question the designer finds out how well the user can map between his intentions to
actions and the actual actions required by the interface

Finally in the execution, the designer evaluates how the user can actually perform the physical
actions associate with their plan as required by the interface.

Compiled by: Indika Karunaratne

IN 4710: Human Computer Interaction

After these stages, it is expected to witness some changes in the world. So from this point
onwards, the designer need to think about how this change is perceived, interpreted an
evaluated. Accordingly, in the next step the designer needs to be aware how well the interface
supports the user to perceive the changes occurred.

Then the designer assesses the suitability of the interface to help user interpret the changes
occurred in achieving goals. So he asks the question whether is it easy to tell whether the system
is in the desired state.

Finally it is required to see whether the user can actually compare and evaluate whether the
change occurred and the change expected are matching. In other words, we need to see how
easily the user can compare what they interpreted as happening and what they wanted to
happen.

Don Norman further illustrates this cycle with the users' perspective. Specifically with the users'
thinking. The seven (07) questions associated with each stage will show how users' thinking is
formed throughout the exercise from setting out the goal to the evaluation of results.

Figure 5.3: Seven stages of Action - Seven Questions: User's Perspective

Don Norman further illustrates these actions with related to three levels of design; visceral,
behavioral, and reflective (we will discuss these design levels later in this course). Actions in the
visceral level are more closer to the physical world. The physical actions performed,and the raw
perception of the state change of the world is considered in this level. In the behavioral layer, the

Compiled by: Indika Karunaratne

IN 4710: Human Computer Interaction

actions specified, and the results are interpreted. The reflective layer involves in the actions
which requires and utilizes more intellectual abilities such as planning of achieving the goal and
evaluating the results based on the goal established.

Figure 5.4: Seven stages of Action -Levels of Design

We could also introduce new labels to these three levels considering the intellectual involvement.
Reaction will be the lowest level, and deals with raw reaction. Middle level is deliberation of what
to do and what has happened. The top level is the metacognition level where we think about the
goal, about problem solving process, about what we did and what has happened.

Compiled by: Indika Karunaratne

IN 4710: Human Computer Interaction

Figure 5.5: Action Cycle - Levels of Design - Changes Vocabulary

Summary
In this lesson we discussed the importance of feedback in interface design. We also gained quite
comprehensive knowledge about the action cycles, and different perspectives. This encourages
the design of proper feedback at different levels of interfaces. However, one important aspect is
that feedback should be designed in a manner it is appropriate to notify the user, but not disturb
him or distort the complete effect of the design.

Compiled by: Indika Karunaratne