This document discusses human-computer interaction (HCI) and provides information on various related topics: 1. It outlines the objectives and goals of HCI, which include producing usable and safe systems that are easy to learn, remember, use effectively and efficiently. 2. It describes factors that influence HCI such as the user, task, system functionality and constraints. Input and output channels like vision, hearing and touch are also discussed. 3. Guidelines for interface design are provided regarding arrangement of controls, physical environment, lighting and noise. Frameworks for assessing interaction and concepts from ergonomics are also covered.

1. HUMANCOMPUTER
INTERACTION(UNIT-1)
C.Vinoth

2. Objectives
• Introduction to the fundamentals of human-computer
interaction
• Be familiar with the design technologies for individuals
and persons with disabilities
• Be aware of mobile HCI
• Learn the guidelines for user interface

3. The Goals of HCI
• HCI are to produce usable and safe systems
Usability
• easy to learn
• easy to remember how to use
• effective to use
• efficient to use
• safe to use
• enjoyable to use

4. Factors in HCI
Organisation Factors
• Training, job design, politics, roles, work organisation
• Environmental Factors
• Noise, heating, lighting, ventilation
• Health and Safety Factors
The User
• Cognitive processes and capabilities
• Motivation, enjoyment, satisfaction, personality, experience
• Comfort Factors
• Seating, equipment, layout.

5. Factors
User Interface
• Input devices, output devices, dialogue structures, use of
colour, icons, commands
• navigation, graphics, natural language, user support,
multimedia,
Task Factors:
• Easy, complex, novel, task allocation, monitoring, skills
Constraints :
• Cost, timescales, budgets, staff, equipment, buildings
System Functionality:
• Hardware, software, application
Productivity Factors
• Increase output, increase quality, decrease costs
• decrease errors,increase innovation

6. Input Output channels
• A person’s interaction with the outside world occurs
through information being received and sent: input
and output.
• Input in human is mainly though the senses and out
put through the motor control of the effectors. There
are five major senses:
• Sight
• Hearing
• Touch
• Taste
• Smell

7. Cont…..
• Taste and smell do not currently play a significant role in
HCI
• However, vision hearing and touch are central. Similarly
there are a number of effectors:
• Limbs
• Fingers
• Eyes
• Head
• Vocal system.
In the interaction with computer, the fingers play the
primary role, through typing or mouse control, with some
use of voice, and eye, head and body position.

8. Cont…..
• Vision- primary source of information for the average person.
-Divide visual perception into two stages:
• the physical reception of the stimulus from outside world
• The processing and interpretation of that stimulus.
• The human eye- The eye is a mechanism for receiving light
and transforming it into electrical energy.
-Light is reflected from objects in the world and their
image is focused upside down on the back of the eye
-The receptors in the eye transform it into electrical
signals, which are passed to brain.
-The cornea and lens at the front of eye focus the light
into a sharp image on the back of the eye, the retina.
-The retina is light sensitive and contains two types of
photoreceptor: rods and cones.

9. HUMAN EYE
• Rods- Rods are highly sensitive to light and therefore allow us to see
under a low level of illumination.
There are approximately 120 million rods per eye, which are
mainly situated towards the edges of the retina. Rods therefore
dominate peripheral vision.
• Cones-Cones are the second type of receptor in the eye. They are less
sensitive to light than the rods and can therefore tolerate more light.
• Fovea-Fovea is a small area of the retina on which images are fixated.
• Blind spot-Blind spot is also situated at retina. Although the retina is
mainly covered with photoreceptors there is one blind spot where the
optic nerve enter the eye.
• Nerve cells-The retina also has specialized nerve cells called ganglion
cells.
• X-cells-These are concentrated in the fovea and are responsible for the
early detection of pattern.
• Y-cells-These are more widely distributed in the retina and are
responsible for the early detection of movement.

10. EYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

11. Visual perception
• The information received by the visual apparatus must be
filtered and passed to processing elements which allow us to
recognize coherent scenes, disambiguate relative distances
and differentiate color.
• Perceiving size and depth
• Visual acuity
• Law of size constancy
• Perceiving brightness
• Perceiving color
A third factor that we need to consider is perception of
color. Color is usually regarded as being made up of
three components:
• hue
• intensity
• saturation

12. Perceiving color
• Hue-
Hue is determined by the spectral wavelength of the
light.
-Blues have short wavelength,
-Greens medium
-Reds long. Approximately 150 different hues can be
discriminated by the average person
• Intensity-
Intensity is the brightness of the color.
• Saturation-
Saturation is the amount of whiteness in the colors.

13. Cont…
• 8% of males and 1% of females suffer from color
blindness, most commonly being unable to discriminate
between red and green. The capabilities and limitations of
visual processing

14. Color Theory
• Color theory encompasses a multitude of definitions, concepts
and design applications.
• Primary Colors-In traditional color theory, these are the 3
pigment colors that cannot be mixed or formed by any
combination of other colors. All other colors are derived from
these 3 hues
• PRIMARY COLORS Red, yellow and blue
• Secondary Colors These are the colors formed by mixing the
primary colors.
• SECONDARY COLORS Green, orange and purple
• Tertiary colors These are the colors formed by mixing one
primary and one secondary color.
• TERTIARY COLORS Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple,
blue-purple, blue-green and yellow-green.

15. Color Theory
• Color Harmony Harmony can be defined as a pleasing
arrangement of parts, whether it be music, poetry, color,
or even an ice cream sundae. In visual experiences,
harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye. It
engages the viewer and it creates an inner sense of order,
a balance in the visual experience.
• When something is not harmonious, it's either boring or
chaotic.
• The human brain will reject under-stimulating information.

16. The Computer
• Input devices -Input is concerned with recording and
entering data into computer system and issuing
instruction to the computer.
• input devices can be defined as: a device that, together
with appropriate software, transforms information from the
user into data that a computer application can process
• selecting an input device and deciding how it will be
used to control events in the system
• In general, the most appropriate input device will be the
one that:

17. • Matches the physiology and psychological characteristics
of users, their training and their expertise.
• Is appropriate for the tasks that are to be performed.
• Is suitable for the intended work and environment.
TEXT ENTRY DEVICES :
Keyboard
QWERTY keyboard
Alphabetic keyboard
Dvorak Keyboard
Chord keyboards
Phone pad and T9 entry
Handwriting recognition
Speech recognition

18. Chord keyboards ,Phone pad and T9
entry,

19. Positioning, Pointing and Drawing
Pointing devices are input devices that can be used to
specify a point or path in a one-, two- or three- dimensional
space
• Mouse & Foot mouse
• Touch pad
• Track ball
• Joystick
• Touch screen
• Eye gaze

20. Physical controls and sensors Sound
output
• Cathode ray tube
• Liquid Crystal Display
• Digital paper
Display devices
• Another mode of output that we should consider is that of
auditory signals.
• Sounds like beeps, bongs, clanks, whistles and whirrs are
all used for varying effect.

21. Physical controls
• Sense of touch and feel is also used for feedback; tactile
feedback has its own importance and is being used in
many interactive devices. We usually feel textures when
we move our fingers over a surface.
Touch, feel and smell
• A desktop computer has to serve many functions and do
has generic keys and controls that can be used for a
variety of purpose. In contrast, these dedicated controls
panes have been designed for a particular device and for
a single use

22. HUMAN MEMORY
• Memory contains our knowledge of actions or procedures.
• It allows us to repeat actions, to use language, and to use new
information received via our senses.
• It also gives us our sense of identity, by preserving information
from our past experiences.
• Memory is the second part of our model of the human as an
information-processing system.
• Memory is associated with each level of processing.
• It is generally agreed that there are three types of memory or
memory function:
• Sensory buffers
• Short-term memory or working memory
• Long-term memory

23. STRUCTURE OF MEMORY

24. Sensory memory
• The sensory memories act as buffers for stimuli received
through the senses.
• A sensor memory exists for each sensory channel:
 iconic memory for visual stimuli
 echoic memory for aural stimuli
 haptic memory for touch stimuli

25. Short-term memory
• Short-term memory or working memory acts as a ‘scratch-
pad’ for temporary recall of information.
• It is used to store information which is only required
quickly.
• Short-term memory can be accessed rapidly, in the order
of 70 ms.
• It also decays rapidly, held there temporarily, in the order
of 200 ms.
• There are two basic methods for measuring memory
capacity.
• first involves determining the length of a sequence which
can be remembered in order
• second allows items to be freely recalled in any order

26. short-term memory

27. Long-term memory
• long-term memory is main resource.
• store factual information, experiential knowledge,
procedural rules of behaviour – in fact, everything that it
know.
• it has a huge, if not unlimited, capacity
• it has a relatively slow access time of approximately a
tenth of a second
• Long-term memory is intended for the long-term storage
of information

28. Long-term memory structure

29. • There are two types of long-term memory
Episodic memory -Episodic memory represents our
memory of events and experiences in a serial form
• Semantic memory-Semantic memory, on the other hand,
is a structured record of facts, concepts and skills that we
have acquired
• The information in semantic memory is derived from that
in our episodic memory.

30. REASONING AND PROBLEM
SOLVING
• Humans use information to reason and solve problems.
• Human thought is conscious and self-aware
Reasoning
• Reasoning is the process by which we use the knowledge
we have to draw conclusions or infer something new
about the domain of interest.
• Types of reasoning:
• Deductive
• Inductive
• Abductive

31. Types of Reasoning
• Deductive reasoning-
Deductive reasoning derives the logically necessary
conclusion from the given premises.
e.gIt is Friday
Therefore she will go to work.
• Inductive reasoning-
Induction is generalizing from cases we have seen to
infer information about cases we have not seen.
e.g. ‘All elephants have trunks‘
• Abductive reasoning-
• Abduction reasons from a fact to the action or state that
caused it.(explanations for the events we observe)
e.g.Sam always drives too fast when she has been drinking.

32. Problem solving
• Human problem solving is characterized by the ability to
adapt the information we have to deal with new situations
often solutions seem to be original and creative
• Gestalt theory
• The Gestalt view that problem solving involves both reuse
of knowledge and insight
• Problem solving is both productive and reproductive
• Reproductive problem solving draws on previous
experience as the behaviorists claimed
• Productive problem solving involves insight and
restructuring of the problem

33. • Problem space theory:
• Newell and Simon proposed that problem solving centers on
the problem space
• problem space comprises problem states
• problem solving involves generating these states using legal
state transition operators.
• The problem has an
-initial state
-goal state
-operators (to move from the former to the latter states)
Experimental techniques are employed to select appropriate
operators to reach the goal.
heuristic is means–ends analysis
• In means–ends analysis the initial state is compared with the
goal state and an operator chosen to reduce the difference
between the two.

34. Analogy in problem solving
• A third element of problem solving is the use of analogy.
Similarities between the known domain and the new one
are noted and operators from the known domain are
transferred to the new one.
Skill acquisition
• All of the problem solving that we have considered so far
has concentrated on handling unfamiliar problems.
eg. commonly studied domain is chess playing
Errors and mental models
• Human capability for interpreting and manipulating
information is quite impressive.
• trivial, resulting in no more than temporary inconvenience
or annoyance.
• Others may be more serious, requiring substantial effort
to correct.

35. THE COMPUTER
• A typical compute
• There is the computer ‗box‘ itself, a keyboard, a mouse
and a colour screen.
• Levels of interaction –
batch processing:
• dump a pile of punched
cards onto a reader, press
the start button, and then return a few
hours later.
• With batch processing the interactions take place over
hours or days.

36. Richer interaction – everywhere,
everywhen
• Information appliances are putting internet access or
dedicated systems onto the fridge, microwave and
washing machine: to automate shopping, give you email
in your kitchen or simply call for maintenance when
needed.

37. CONT..
• A computer system comprises various elements, each of
which affects the user of the system.
• Input devices:
• Output display devices for interactive use:
• Virtual reality systems and 3D visualization which have
special interaction and
• display devices:
• Memory:
• Processing:
• Network Hubs:

38. Interaction models
• Interaction involves at least two participants: the user and the
system.
• The interface must therefore effectively translate between them
to allow the interaction to be successful.
The terms of interaction:
• The purpose of an interactive system is to aid a user in
accomplishing goals from some application domain.
• What is domain?
• A domain defines an area of expertise and knowledge in some
realworld activity.
• E.g In a graphic design domain, some of the important
concepts are geometric shapes, a drawing surface and a
drawing utensil. Tasks are operations to manipulate the
concepts of a domain

39. Cont….
• A goal is the desired output from a performed task.
The execution–evaluation cycle:
The interactive cycle can be divided into two major phases:
1. Execution
2. Evaluation
• These can then be subdivided into further stages, seven in all
• 1. Establishing the goal.
• 2. Forming the intention.
• 3. Specifying the action sequence.
• 4. Executing the action.
• 5. Perceiving the system state.
• 6. Interpreting the system state.
• 7. Evaluating the system state with respect to the goals
and intentions.

40. The interaction framework
• The interaction framework four main components:
• The System
• The User
• The Input
• The Output

41. Cont….
Assessing overall interaction:
• The interaction framework is presented as a means to
judge the overall usability of an entire interactive system.
FRAMEWORKS AND HCI:
The field of ergonomics addresses issues:
1. user side of the interface
2. covering input and output
3. user‘s immediate context
• Dialog design and interface styles can be placed
framework, addressing both articulation and performance.
Articulation :the way in which you express your feelings
and ideas, etc.

42. Frame Work

43. ERGONOMICS
• the study of people's efficiency in their working
environment.
• how the controls are designed
• the physical environment in which the interaction takes
place
• the layout and physical qualities of the screen
• ergonomics will certainly also touch upon human
psychology and system constraints

44. • Arrangement of controls and displays:
The exact organization that this will suggest will depend on
the domain and the application, but possible organizations
include the following:
• Functional controls and displays are organized so that
those that are functionally related are placed together;
• Sequential controls and displays are organized to reflect
the order of their use in a typical interaction (this may be
especially appropriate in domains where a particular task
sequence is enforced, such as aviation);
• Frequency controls and displays are organized according
to how frequently they are used, with the most commonly
used controls being the most easily accessible.

45. • The physical environment of the interaction:
• Physical issues in the layout and arrangement of the
machine interface, ergonomics is concerned with the
design of the work environment itself.
• Health issues:
• performance:
• users should be able to reach all controls comfortably and
see all displays. Users should not be expected to stand
for long periods and, if sitting, should be provided with
back support.
• Temperature:Extremes of hot or cold will affect
performance and, in excessive cases, health.
• performance deteriorates at high or low temperatures,
with users beingunable to concentrate efficiently

46. Cont..
Lighting:The lighting level will again depend on the work
environment.
• adequate lighting should be
• The light source should also be positioned
Noise:
• Excessive noise can be harmful to health, causing the user
pain, and in acute cases, loss of hearing.
• Noise levels should be maintained at a comfortable level
• This does not necessarily mean no noise at all.
• Noise can be a stimulus to users and can provide needed
confirmation of system activity.
Time:
• The time users spend using the system should also be
controlled. it has been suggested
• that excessive use of CRT displays can be harmful to users,
particularly pregnant women.

47. The use of color:
• Colors used in the display should be as distinct as
possible and
• distinction should not be affected by changes in contrast.
• Red, green and yellow are colors frequently associated
with stop, go and stand by respectively.
• Ergonomics and HCI
• Ergonomics is a huge area, which is distinct from HCI but
sits alongside it.

48. INTERACTION STYLES
• dialog between the computer and the user.
• The choice of interface style can have a profound effect on the
nature of this dialog.
• There are a number of
• common interface styles including
• command line interface
• menus
• natural language
• question/answer and query dialog
• form-fills and spread sheets
• WIMP
• point and click
• Three-dimensional interfaces.

49. Command line interface:
• First interactive dialog style
• Expressing instructions to the computer directly
• Function keys
• Single characters
• Abbreviations or whole-word commands.
Menus:
• set of options available to the user is displayed on the
screen
• selected using the mouse, or numeric or alphabetic keys
• options are visible less demanding of the user, relying on
recognition rather than recall

50. Natural language:
• Users, unable to remember a command or lost in a
hierarchy of menus
• User may able to understand instructions expressed in
everyday words! Natural language understanding
• both of speech and written input
Question/answer and query dialog:
• The user is asked a series of questions (mainly with
yes/no responses, multiple choice, or codes)
• interaction step by step
• interfaces are easy to learn and use & limited in
functionality and power.
Form-fills and spreadsheets
• Interfaces are used primarily for data entry& dataretrieval
applications.

51. • User is presented with a display resembling a paper form
& slots to fill in.
• User works through the form, filling in appropriate values.
• Data are entered into the correct place.
• It allow some fields to be left blank.
• It also require correction facilities
The spread sheet comprises a grid of cells, each of which
can contain a value or a formula.
• The formula involve the values of other cells (for example,
the total of all cells in this column).
• The user can enter and alter values and formulae in any
order and the system will maintain consistency amongst
the values displayed, ensuring that all formulae are
obeyed.
• The user can therefore manipulate values to see the
effects of changing different parameters.

52. The WIMP interface:
• WIMP stands for windows, icons, menus and pointers
(sometimes windows , icons, mice and pull-down menus).
• WIMP interfaces include Microsoft Windows for IBM PC
compatibles
Point-and-click interfaces:
• Closely related to the WIMP
• Overlaps in the use of buttons, but may also include other
WIMP elements
• the point-and click style is not tied to mouse-based interfaces,
and also in touchscreen information systems.

53. Three-dimensional interfaces:
• Virtual reality(VR) VR is only part of a range of 3D
techniques available to the interface designer.
• The simplest technique is where ordinary WIMP elements,
buttons, scroll bars, etc., are given a 3D appearance
using shading, giving the appearance of being sculpted
out of stone.

54. • INTERACTIVITY:
• Dialog design is focused almost entirely on the choice and
specification of appropriate sequences of actions
• corresponding changes in the interface state.
E.g.
• The recognition rate for speech recognition is too low to
allow transcription from tape
• Airline reservation system, system can reliably recognize
yes and no it can reflect back its understanding of what
you said and seek confirmation.
• Speech-based input is difficult.
• Speech-based interaction easier.
• Interactivity is also crucial in determining the ‘feel‘ of a
WIMP environment.

55. • Menus are a major difference between the MacOS and
Microsoft Windows environments:
in MacOS you have to keep the mouse depressed
throughout menu selection;
 in Windows you can click on the menu bar and a pull-
down menu appears and remains there until an item is
selected or it is cancelled.
• Interactivity is also critical in dealing with errors.
• To deal with errors is to make sure that the user or the
system is able to tell when errors have occurred.

56. PARADIGMS
Time sharing:
Video display units: Presenting and manipulating information
from a computer in the form of images on a video display unit
Programming toolkits: Human problem-solving activity.
Personal computing: Graphics programming language for
children called LOGO
Window systems and the WIMP interface : The window is
the common mechanism associated with these physically and
logically separate display spaces.
The metaphor: It is a figure of speech that is used to make a
comparison between two things that aren't alike but do have
something in common.
• Hypertext : Hypertext is text which contains links to other
texts. HyperMedia is a term used for hypertext which is not
constrained to be text: it can include graphics, video and
sound.

57. Multi-modality:
• Simultaneous use of multiple communication channels for both
input and output.
• Humans quite naturally process information by simultaneous
use of different channels.
E.g. we can modify a gesture made with a pointing device by
speaking, indicating what operation is to be performed on the
selected object.
Computer-supported cooperative work:
The World Wide Web:
• Ubiquitous computing:Ubiquitous computing is a paradigm in
which the processing of information is linked
• with each activity or object as encountered.
• It involves connecting electronic devices.
• including embedding microprocessors to communicate
information.
• Devices that use ubiquitous computing have constant
availability and are completely connected.
• Ubiquitous computing is also known as pervasive computing,
everyware and ambient intelligence.