Human Computer Interaction - Chapter 1: What Is Interaction Design

Chapter 1

What is interaction design?

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Bad designs

– Elevator controls and labels on the bottom

row all look the same, so it is easy to push

a label by mistake instead of a control

button

– People do not make same mistake for the

labels and buttons on the top row. Why

not?

From: www.baddesigns.com

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Why is this vending machine

so bad?

• Need to push

button first to

activate reader

• Normally insert bill

first before making

selection

• Contravenes well

known convention

From: www.baddesigns.com

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Good design

• Marble answering

machine (Bishop,

1995)

• Based on how

everyday objects

behave

• Easy, intuitive and a

pleasure to use

• Only requires onestep actions to

perform core tasks

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Good and bad design

• What is wrong with

the remote on the

right?

• Why is the TiVo

remote so much

better designed?

– Peanut shaped to fit in

hand

– Logical layout and

color-coded, distinctive

buttons

– Easy to locate buttons

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What to design

• Need to take into account:

– Who the users are

– What activities are being carried out

– Where the interaction is taking place

• Need to optimize the interactions users

have with a product

– So that they match the users’ activities and

needs

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Novel interface

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Understanding users’ needs

• Need to take into account what

people are good and bad at

• Consider what might help people

in the way they currently do things

• Think through what might provide

quality user experiences

• Listen to what people want and get

them involved

• Use tried and tested user-centered

methods

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Activity

• How does making a call differ when

using a:

– Cell phone

– Public phone box?

• Consider the kinds of user, type of

activity and...