Why is Human-Computer
Interaction Important?
1 Albrecht Schmidt
Learning Goals
Understand …
how user interfaces impacts our interaction and
relationship with (digital) technologies
why interaction is relevant from different perspectives
(user, companies)
why designing interaction is becoming more relevant as
technology advances
Be able to …
explain the economic implications of bad usability
sketch a user interface and discuss different aspects
explain why interaction is a visible innovation
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 2 Albrecht Schmidt
Human-Computer Interaction
How does Human-Computer Interaction impact us?
It determines how we use (digital) products.
For examples it impacts…
what we can do with products and services,
how easy or hard it is to work with a software,
how quickly you can learn to use a system, or
how safe a product is.
It is central to how we feel and what we experience
while interacting with digital technologies.
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 3 Albrecht Schmidt
Let‘s start with a discussion
Pause the video an write 5 points for each question!
Why is it important that What does it mean
a (digital) product is that a product is
ease to use? usable?
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 4 Albrecht Schmidt
Why is Usability Important?
Products that are easy to use a good for business.
Improving usability can
increase productivity of users,
reduce costs (support, efficiency),
increase sales/revenue (web shop),
enhance customer loyalty, or
win new customers.
Case studies that show the benefit of usability
Usability is often considered as sign of quality
Usability gives a competitive advantage.
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 5 Albrecht Schmidt
Why Focus on User and Interaction?
How to discriminate your product or service?
Traditionally product discrimination is by
functionality and price
Why should a customer pick you, if
competitors offer very similar functions
(e.g. messaging services) at similar prices
(e.g. payed by advertising)?
Your product is easier to use?
You get your tasks done faster?
You have more fun doing what you want to do?
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 6 Albrecht Schmidt
Why Focus on User and Interaction?
Trends that make Human-Computer interaction more important
It becomes harder to discriminate by technology
Availability of bandwidth, storage and processing
New input and output technologies
Computing becomes part of many traditional devices
Willingness for training or learning applications decreases
Life-style technologies are more and more digital
Broad and diverse user groups
Majority of user are not interested in the technology
New understanding of computing
The old question: What can computers do?
The new question: What can humans do with computers?
B. Shneiderman. Leonardo's Laptop: Human Needs and the New Computing Technologies. 2002.
Book by Ben Shneiderman: Leonardo's Laptop
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 7 Albrecht Schmidt
Economic dimension of Usability?
Importance in the Context of WWW, Apps and New Media?
User Interface is often the central discriminating factor
Often the same product/service is sold at very similar prices
Competition is very close (just another App, browser tab, …)
Comparison is easily possible
Examples: Online-Shop
Users who cannot find the product in the shop cannot buy it
Users who can fill in the payment form are not going to buy
Users who worry if the item fits them are less likely to buy
Typically a direct correlation between usability and sales
“Bad Usability is Like a Leaky Pipe”
https://90percentofeverything.com/2006/11/13/bad-usability-is-like-a-leaky-pipe/
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 8 Albrecht Schmidt
Economic dimension of Usability?
Importance in the Context of WWW, Apps and New Media?
User Interface is often the central discriminating factor
Often the same product/service is sold at very similar prices
Competition is very close (just another App, browser tab, …)
Comparison is easily possible
Examples: Online-Shop
Users who cannot find the product in the shop cannot buy it
Users who can fill in the payment form are not going to buy
Users who worry if the item fits them are less likely to buy
Typically a direct correlation between usability and sales
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 9 Albrecht Schmidt
Concerns in Human-Computer Interaction
Science, Engineering, and Design Aspects
The joint performance of tasks by humans and machines
The structure of communication between humans and
machines
Human capabilities to use machines (including the
learnability of interfaces)
Engineering concerns that arise in designing and building
interfaces
The process of specification, design, and implementation of
interfaces
Design trade-offs
Algorithms and programming of the user interface itself
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 10 Albrecht Schmidt
Example: Sketch an Interface
How would a user interface that includes both functions look like?
Make sketches for 2 alternative interfaces.
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 11 Albrecht Schmidt
Example: Sketch an Interface
How would a user interface that includes both functions look like?
Make sketches for 2 alternative interfaces.
gift
Geschenk
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 12 Albrecht Schmidt
Example: Sketch an Interface
How would a user interface that includes both functions look like?
Make sketches for 2 alternative interfaces.
gift
https://www.mitp.de/IT-WEB/Software-Entwicklung/
Sketching-User-Experiences.html
das Geschenk : gift : el regalo
das Gift : poison : el veneno
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 13 Albrecht Schmidt
Example: Sketch an Interface
How would a user interface that includes both functions look like?
Make sketches for 2 alternative interfaces.
366
https://www.mitp.de/IT-WEB/Software-Entwicklung/
Sketching-User-Experiences.html
€366,00 : £299,56 : $482,80
€447,18 : £366,0 : $589,92
€277,46 : £227,08 : $366,00
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 14 Albrecht Schmidt
It is NOT Only About the User Interface!
Experience includes the overall product and service
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 15 Albrecht Schmidt
Human-Computer Interaction
…it is about visible innovation
What is your Solution?
Problems and challenges in Human-Computer Interaction
often not seen as problem before there is a solution
if problems are identified, they are typically easy to
understand by non-experts
Solutions in Human-Computer Interaction
once a solution is there, people will generally not remember
that there was a problem
good and in particular great solutions (if found) often appear
obvious (once they are there)
The step from problem to solution is however not trivial
(but this is often forgotten, once there is a solution)
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 16 Albrecht Schmidt
Example: Selection/Menu for Fonts
Is there a Problem? How to improve it?
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/theme-font-size-changer/
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 17 Albrecht Schmidt
Example: Selection/Menu for Fonts
Is there a Problem? How to improve it?
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ WordPad/Win7
addon/theme-font-size-changer/
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 18 Albrecht Schmidt
Example: Selection/Menu for Fonts
What is the next step for the Office 365 Dialog Box?
Office 365, 2019
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 19 Albrecht Schmidt
Discussion: How long does it take to
write a Thesis or a Book?
On a PC vs. on a Phone
Assume the following
the book has 40.000 words
typing speed for physical keyboard is 40 words per minute
typing speed for phone keyboard is 15 words per minute
Does this calculation make sense?
What are we missing here?
What is different when we write a text message?
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 20 Albrecht Schmidt
Summary
The interface between the user and the information has become
most critical for creating effective, efficient and pleasant systems.
Interface and interaction design defines how we can use
devices, services, and applications.
The interface and interaction design impacts the
performance of the user.
It is important to understand way people use a system as a
tool to achieve their goals.
Human-computer interaction is relevant as it becomes
harder to differentiate products based on features.
Good usability is economically important.
Sketching user interfaces and discussing design options
and trade-offs is important.
Innovation in Human-Computer interaction is mostly visible.
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 21 Albrecht Schmidt
Did you understand this block?
Can you answer these questions?
How does the user interface and interaction design impact the
user? Give specific examples.
Explain the economic benefits of a product that is easy to use in
the context of a Web based shoe shop.
What advantages can you expect if you improve the usability of
an App or web page?
Name some trends that make Human-Computer interaction more
important.
Sketch 2 alternative (and different) user interfaces for a world time
clock app for a smart watch and discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of the designs
Explain with the example of a font menu the improvement of
interactive technologies.
Give an example that highlights the statement “Problems in HCI
are often not seen as problem before there is a solution.”
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 22 Albrecht Schmidt
References
B. Shneiderman (2002). Leonardo's Laptop: Human Needs
and the New Computing Technologies.
http://mitpress.mit.edu/main/feature/leonardoslaptop/index.html
B. Buxton (2010). Sketching user experiences: getting the
design right and the right design. Morgan Kaufmann.
Harry Brignull (2006). Bad usability is like a leaky pipe.
https://90percentofeverything.com/2006/11/13/bad-usability-is-like-a-leaky-pipe/
Why is Human-Computer Interaction Important? 23 Albrecht Schmidt
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Attribution: Albrecht Schmidt
For more content see: https://hci-lecture.de
24 Albrecht Schmidt
