Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Activity 5
Describe how dialog between user and system is influenced by the
style of the interface.
Identify different Paradigms for interaction
Introduction
In this chapter, we will consider the communication between user and
system: the interaction.
The interface must therefore effectively translate the communication
language between user and system to allow the interaction to be
successful.
This translation can fail at a number of points and for a number of
reasons.
The use of models of interaction can help us to understand exactly what
is going on in the interaction and identify the likely root of difficulties.
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Interaction in HCI
Introduction
We will look at some models of interaction that enable us to identify
and evaluate components of the interaction, and at the physical,
social and organizational issues that provide the context for it.
We will also survey some of the different styles of interaction that
are used and consider how well they support the user.
What is Interaction
Interaction is
Communication b/n
user system
exchange of information between user and system
actions of the user that change the status of the system
feedback to the user concerning actions of the system
requires translation between the intentions of the user and the
actions of the system
Some Terminologies
Domain:- is the area of work under study. e.g. graphic design,
authoring and process control in a factory. It defines an area of
expertise and knowledge in some real-world activity.
Task:- is action to be performed in order to solve a problem in an
application domain
Goal:- is the desired output from a completed task.
Some Terminologies
Task analysis:- is identification of the problems space in particular
domain, goals, intentions, specific tasks
User language (task language):- describes the problem to be solved in
terms familiar to the user
System language (core language):- describes the functionality of the
system in terms familiar to the designer or developer
Models of Interaction
The most influential model of interaction is Norman’s
execution–evaluation cycle;
There is another model which extends the ideas of Norman’s
cycle.
Both of these models describe the interaction in terms of the
goals and actions of the user.
goal
execution evaluation
system
If the system state reflects the user’s goal then the computer
has done what he wanted and the interaction has been
successful;
Otherwise the user must formulate a new goal and repeat the
cycle.
11/26/21 Prepared by Meseret Hailu(2021)
The Interaction in HCI
S U
System User
core task
I
input
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The Interaction in HCI
Video recorder
A simple example of programming a VCR from a remote
control shows that all four translations in the interaction cycle
can affect the overall interaction.
Ineffective interaction is indicated by the user not being sure the
VCR is set to record properly. This could be because the user has
pressed the keys on the remote control unit in the wrong order;
this can be classified as an articulator problem. Or
Video recorder
May be the VCR is able to record on any channel but the remote
control lacks the ability to select channels, indicating a coverage
problem for the performance translation.
It may be the case that the VCR display panel does not indicate that
the program has been set, a presentation problem. Or
May be the user does not interpret the feedback properly, an
observational error.
Any one or more of these deficiencies would give rise to
ineffective interaction.
11/26/21 Prepared by Meseret Hailu(2021)
The Interaction in HCI
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is a huge area, which is distinct from HCI
Its contribution to HCI is in determining constraints on the way we
design systems and suggesting detailed and specific guidelines and
standards
It is the study of the physical characteristics of interaction
Also known as human factors – but this can also be used to mean
much of HCI!
Ergonomics good at defining standards and guidelines for
constraining the way we design certain aspects of systems
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The Interaction in HCI
Office Industrial
Type of data textual numeric
Rate of change slow fast
Environment clean dirty
Interaction Styles
Interaction can be seen as a dialog between the computer and the
user.
The choice of interface style can have a profound effect on the nature
of this dialog.
Term covers all of the ways that users interact with a computer
system
– also referred to as communication styles or dialog styles
Interaction Styles
Represent alternative design strategies for the UI
– each style offers its own way of organizing the system’s functionality,
of managing the user’s inputs, and of presenting information
e.g. display-based interfaces -> menus, mice, windows, widgets, icons, buttons,
function keys, etc.
Interaction Styles
There are a number of common interface styles including
1. Command line interface
2. Menus
3. Natural language
4. Question/answer and query dialog
5. Form-fills and spreadsheets
6. WIMP
7. Point and click
8. Three-dimensional interfaces.
Interaction Styles
1. Command line interface
It was the first interactive dialog style to be commonly used.
Way of expressing instructions to the computer directly
– function keys, single characters, short abbreviations, whole
words, or a combination
suitable for repetitive tasks C > A:
A > dir
Interaction Styles
1. Command line interface
better for expert users than novices
Command line interfaces are powerful in that they offer direct access
to system functionality (as opposed to the hierarchical nature of
menus),
command names/abbreviations should be meaningful!
Typical example: the Unix system
2. Menu-driven interface
Set of options displayed on the screen
Options visible
– less recall - easier to use
– rely on recognition so names should be meaningful
Selection by:
– numbers, letters, arrow keys, mouse
– combination (e.g. mouse plus accelerators)
Often options ordered hierarchically or grouped logically
– sensible grouping is needed
Restricted form of full WIMP system
Interaction Styles
3. Natural language
It is the most attractive means of communicating with computers.
Natural language understanding, both of speech and written input, is the
subject of much interest and research.
But the ambiguity of natural language makes it very difficult for a machine
to understand. the syntax, or structure, of a phrase may not be clear.
Relieves the burden of learning special syntax!
3. Natural language
Example : The boy hit the dog with the stick.
We cannot be sure whether the boy is using the stick to hit the dog or whether the dog is holding the
stick when it is hit.
Its problems are:
– vague
– ambiguous
– hard to do well!
Solutions
– try to understand a subset
– pick on key words
6. Spreadsheets
Advantages
Simplifies data entry!
Minimal training
first spreadsheet VISICALC, followed by Lotus 1-2-3
MS Excel most common today
sophisticated variation of form-filling.
grid of cells contain a value or a formula
formula can involve values of other cells
e.g. sum of all cells in this column
user can enter and alter data spreadsheet maintains consistency
7. WIMP Interface
Windows
Icons
o Menus
• Pointers
Used in ..
– multimedia
– web browsers
– hypertext
Just click something
– icons, text links or location on map
Minimal typing
… or sculptured
1. Window
There are also many additional interaction objects and techniques commonly used in WIMP interfaces, some
designed for specific purposes and others more general.
Areas of the screen that behave as if they were independent
– can contain text or graphics
– can be moved or resized or closed
– can overlap and obscure each other, or can be laid out next to one another (tiled)
Scrollbars
– allow the user to move the contents of the window up and down or from side to side
Title bars
– describe the name of the window
2. Icons
They are small picture or image
Shrinking a window to its icon is known as iconifying the window.
They represents some object in the interface
– often a window or action
windows can be closed down them
– small representation fill many accessible windows
icons can be many and various
– highly stylized
– realistic representations.
3. Pointers
Important component. Pointer cursors are like icons, being small bitmap
images, but in addition all cursors have a hot-spot, the location to which
they point. WIMP style relies on pointing and selecting things
Uses mouse, trackpad, joystick, trackball, cursor keys or keyboard
shortcuts. It has wide variety of graphical images
4. Menus
Choice of operations or services offered on the screen
Required option selected with pointer
Problem – take a lot of screen space
Solution – pop-up: menu appears when needed
Keyboard accelerators
– key combinations - same effect as menu item
– two kinds
active when menu open – usually first letter
active when menu closed – usually Ctrl + letter
usually different !!!
5. Buttons
Individual and isolated regions within a display that can be selected to
invoke an action (Action Buttons)
Special kinds
Radio buttons
• set of mutually exclusive choices
Check boxes
Set of non-exclusive choices
6. Toolbars
Which kind to use
long lines of icons …
… but what do they do?
fast access to common actions
often customizable:
– choose which toolbars to see
– choose what options are on it
8. Dialogue boxes
Information windows that pop up to inform an important event or
request information.
e.g: when saving a file, a dialogue box is displayed to allow the
user to specify the filename and location. Once the file is saved, the
box disappears.
Summary
Practically all current interaction styles are variations of command-based
interfaces
The currently predominant interaction style is the WIMP interface
(Windows, icons, mouse, pull-down menus)
The selection among various possible interaction styles depends on user
background, task requirements, technology, and economical factors
Emerging technologies like natural language processing or intelligent
agents may cause a shift towards non-command interfaces
WIMP exceptions …
pre-emptive parts of the interface
modal dialog boxes
– come and won’t go away!
– good for errors, essential steps
– but use with care
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The Interaction in HCI
Make it easy to detect errors, then the user can repair them
Example:
hello, this is the Go Faster booking system
what would you like?
(user) I want to fly from New York to London
you want a ticket from New York to Boston
(user) no
sorry, please confirm one at a time
do you want to fly from New York
(user) yes
………
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The Interaction in HCI
virtual crackers
– cheap and cheerful
– bad joke, web toy, cut-out mask
– click and bang
closed
cracker page
open
watches recipient clicks
message
progress cracker opens ...
very slowly
open
cracker page
sender joke
links
Physical design
Many constraints:
– ergonomic – minimum button size
– physical – high-voltage switches are big
– legal and safety – high cooker controls
– context and environment – easy to clean
– aesthetic – must look good
– economic – … and not cost too much!
Design trade-offs
constraints are contradictory … need trade-offs
within categories:
e.g. safety – cooker controls
• front panel – safer for adult
• rear panel – safer for child
between categories
e.g. ergonomics vs. physical – MiniDisc remote
• ergonomics – controls need to be bigger
• physical – no room!
• solution – multifunction controls & reduced functionality
11/26/21 Prepared by Meseret Hailu(2021)
The Interaction in HCI
Fluidity
do external physical aspects reflect logical effect?
logical state revealed in physical state?
e.g. on/off buttons
inverse actions
yes/no buttons
– well sort of
‘joystick’
one-shot buttons
joystick
some sliders
a minidisk controller
physical layout
controls:
logical relationship
~ spatial grouping
compliant interaction
Managing value
people use something
ONLY IF
it has perceived value
AND
value exceeds cost
BUT NOTE
• exceptions (e.g. habit)
• value NOT necessarily personal gain or money
Weighing up value
value
• helps me get my work done
• fun
• good for others
cost
• download time
• money £, $, €
• learning effort
Discounted future
in economics Net Present Value:
• discount by (1+rate)years to wait
General lesson …
if you want someone to do something …
@#$% !
???
% foo.bar
ABORT
dumby!!!