Chapter One: Introduction

• Definition
Historical background
WHAT IS HCI?

 The term human–computer interaction has only

been in widespread use since the early 1980s,
but has its roots in more established disciplines.

 Systematic study of human performance began

in earnest at the beginning of the last century in
factories, with an emphasis on manual tasks.

 The Second World War provided the impetus for

studying the interaction between humans and
machines, as each side strove to produce more
effective weapons systems.
 This led to a wave of interest in the area
among researchers, and the formation of
the Ergonomics Research Society in 1949.

 Traditionally, ergonomists have been

concerned primarily with the physical
characteristics of machines and systems,
and how these affect user performance.
3
Cont…
Human Factors incorporates these issues, and more
cognitive issues as well.

The terms are often used interchangeably, with

Ergonomics being the preferred term in the United
Kingdom and Human Factors in the English-speaking
parts of North America.

Both of these disciplines are concerned with user

performance in the context of any system,
whether computer, mechanical or manual.
 As computer use became more widespread, an increasing
number of researchers specialized in studying the
interaction between people and computers, concerning
themselves with the physical, psychological and
theoretical aspects of this process.

 This research originally went under the name man–

machine interaction, but this became human–computer
interaction in recognition of the particular interest in
computers and the composition of the user population!

5
Cont…
• Another strand of research that has influenced the development of HCI is information science
and technology.

• Again the former is an old discipline, pre-dating the introduction of technology, and is concerned
with the management and manipulation of information within an organization

• The introduction of technology has had a profound effect on the way that information can be
stored, accessed and utilized and, consequently, a significant effect on the organization and
work environment.

• Systems analysis has traditionally concerned itself with the influence of technology in the
workplace, and fitting the technology to the requirements and constraints of the job.
Cont…

• HCI draws on many disciplines, as we

shall see, but it is in computer science
and systems design that it must be
accepted as a central concern.
• From this perspective, HCI involves the
design, implementation and
evaluation of interactive systems in the
context of the user’s task and work.
WHO IS INVOLVED IN HCI?
HCI is undoubtedly a multi-disciplinary subject.

The ideal designer of an interactive system would have expertise in a range of topics:

Psychology and cognitive science to give her /him knowledge of the user’s perceptual,
cognitive and problem-solving skills;

Ergonomics for the user’s physical capabilities;

Sociology to help her /him understand the wider context of the interaction;

Computer science and engineering to be able to build the necessary technology;

Business to be able to market it;

Graphic design to produce an effective interface presentation;

Technical writing to produce the manuals, and so it goes on.

Cont…
• Indeed, although HCI is recognized as an
interdisciplinary subject, in practice people tend to
take a strong stance on one side or another.

• However, it is not possible to design effective

interactive systems from one discipline in isolation.

• Input is needed from all sides.

• For example, a beautifully designed graphic display may be unusable if it ignores

dialog constraints or the psychological limitations of the user.
History of HCI

• Key People and events

• Series Of Paradigma Shifts
• Understanding where you’ve come from
can help a lot in figuring out where
you’re going
• Knowledge of an area implies an
appreciation of its history

10
Paradigms

• Predominant theoretical frameworks or scientific

world views
 e.g., Aristotelian, Newtonian, Einsteinian (relativistic)
paradigms in physics

• Understanding HCI history is largely about

understanding a series of paradigm shifts
 Not all coming on next slides are really “paradigm”
shifts, but you get the idea

11
Paradigm Shifts

• Cards,tape -> VDU • Visual -> Multimedia

• Mainframe -> PC • Linear -> Web-like
• Glass tty -> WIMP • Desktop ->
interface Ubiquitous, Mobile
• Commands -> Direct • Single user -> CSCW
manipulation • Purposeful use ->
• Direct manipulation Situated use
-> Agents

12
History of HCI

• Digital computer grounded in ideas from

1700’s & 1800’s

• Technology became available in the

1940’s and 1950’s

13
Vannevar Bush

• “As We May Think” - 1945 Atlantic

Monthly

“…publication has been extended far

beyond our present ability to make real
use of the record.”

14
Bush

• Postulated Memex device

 Can store all records/articles/communications
 Large memory
 Items retrieved by indexing, keywords, cross
references
 Can make a trail of links through material
 etc.
• Envisioned as microfilm, not computer

15
J.R. Licklider

• 1960 - Postulated “man-computer

symbiosis”

• Couple human brains

and computing machines
tightly to revolutionize
information handling

16
Vision/Goals

• Immed Intermed Long-term

•Time sharing •Combined speech •Natural language
•Electronic I/O recognition, understanding
•Interactive, real- character •Speech recognition
time system recognition, light- of arbitrary users
•Large scale pen editing •Heuristic programming
information
storage and
retrieval

17
Mid 1960’s

• Computers too expensive for individuals

-> timesharing
 increased accessibility
Need
 interactive systems, not jobs for
 text processing, editing HCI
 email, shared file system

18
Ivan Sutherland

• SketchPad - ‘63 PhD thesis at MIT

 Hierarchy - pictures & subpictures
 Master picture with instances (ie, OOP)
 Constraints
 Icons
 Copying
 Light pen as input device
 Recursive operations

19
Video Display Units

• More suitable medium than paper

• Sutherland’s Sketchpad as landmark
system
• Computers used for visualizing and
manipulating data

20
Douglas Engelbart

• Landmark system/demo:
 hierarchical hypertext, multimedia, mouse,
high-res display, windows, shared files,
electronic messaging, CSCW,
teleconferencing, ...

Inventor
of mouse

21
Alan Kay

• Dynabook - Notebook sized computer

loaded with multimedia and can store
everything

Desktop
Personal interface
computing

22
Personal Computing

• System is more powerful if it’s easier to

use
• Small, powerful machines dedicated to
individual
• Importance of networks and time-sharing
• Kay’s Dynabook, IBM PC

23
Personal Computers

• ‘70’s IBM PC
 Text and command-based
 Sold lots

24
PCs with GUIs

• Xerox PARC - mid 1970’s

 Alto
local processor, bitmap
display, mouse
Precursor to modern GUI,
windows, menus, scrollbars
LAN - ethernet

25
Xerox Star - ‘81

• First commercial PC designed for

“business professionals”
 desktop metaphor, pointing, WYSIWYG, high
degree of consistency and simplicity
• First system based on usability
engineering
 Paper prototyping and analysis
 Usability testing and iterative refinement

26
Star

• Commercial flop
 $15k cost
 closed architecture
 lacking key functionality
(spreadsheet)

27
Apple Lisa - ‘82

• Based on ideas of Star

• More personal rather

than office tool
 Still $$$

• Failure
28
Apple Macintosh - ‘84

• Aggressive pricing - $2500

• Not trailblazer, smart copier
• Good interface guidelines
• 3rd party applications
• High quality graphics and
laser printer

29
WIMP

• Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers

• Can do several things simulataneously
• Familiar GUI interface
• Xerox Alto, Star; early Apples

30
Metaphor

• All use is problem-solving or learning to

some extent
• Relating computing to real-world activity
is effective learning mechanism
 File management on office desktop
 Financial analysis as spreadsheets

31
Ben Shneiderman

• Coins and explores notion of direct

manipulation of interface
• Long-time Director of
HCI Lab at Maryland

32
Direct Manipulation

• ‘82 Shneiderman describes appeal of

graphically-based interaction
 object visibility
 incremental action and rapid feedback
 reversibility encourages exploration
 replace language with action
 syntactic correctness of all actions
• WYSIWYG, Apple Mac

33
Multimodality

• Mode is a human communication channel

 Not just the senses, e.g., speech and non-
speech audio are two modes
• Emphasis on simultaneous use of multiple
channels for I/O

34
Ted Nelson

• Computers can help people, not just

business

• Coined term
“hypertext”

35
Hypertext

• Think of information not as linear flow but

as interconnected nodes
• Bush’s MEMEX, Nelson’s hypertext
• Non-linear browsing structure
• WWW ‘93

36
Nicholas Negroponte

• MIT machine architecture & AI group

‘69-’80s
• Ideas:
 wall-sized displays, video
disks, AI in interfaces
(agents), speech recognition,
multimedia with hypertext

37
Language (Agents)

• Actions do not always speak louder than

words
• Interface as mediator or agent
• Language paradigm

38
CSCW

• Computer-Supported Cooperative Work

• No longer single user/single system
• Micro-social aspects are crucial
• E-mail as prominent success but other
groupware still not widely used

39
Mark Weiser

• Introduced notion of “calm technology”

 It’s everywhere, but recedes quietly into
background
• CTO of Xerox PARC

40
Ubiquity

• Person is no longer user of virtual device

but occupant of virtual, computationally-
rich environment
• Can no longer neglect macro-social
aspects
• Late ‘90s - PDAs, VEs, ...

41
Reading assignment

•what is attention ?
•Is attention selective ? How ?

42