Transcript HCI-06 - School of Computer Science

Human-Computer
Interaction
Ananda Gunawardena
SAMS-CS 2006
Based on Slides by Neema Moravej
Do these look familiar?
Are these the best ways?
Maybe. Probably not.
They are still improving.
People keep trying to make the
desktop easier to use!
Applications
Which one is better?
We would have to find out
by running experiments.
One is not necessarily better
just because it looks ‘cooler’.
Who has used this before?
MP3 Controls
Pretty cool and funky looking!
But have you used this before?
MP3 Controls
Which interface is …
Easier?
More effective?
Sleeker?
Allow me to introduce…
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User Interface (UI)
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“CS” definition:


What is UI?
“visible piece of software which makes the services
of the underlying system easier to utilize efficiently
(and effectively)”
Neema’s definition:

“The way in which a piece of software looks,
behaves, and reacts to the user.”
HCI is everywhere!

Instant Messaging
HCI is everywhere!
Instant Messaging
 Sharing files (“peer-to-peer”)

HCI is everywhere!
Instant Messaging
 Sharing files (“peer-to-peer”)
 Playing music

UI research is a cool and important
part of computer science!
What’s HCI?
People who study UI are in the field of
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
 They figure out how to make hardware
and software UI effective, efficient, and
easy to use
 It’s a new field that is becoming extremely
important and changing quickly.

How are great interfaces made?
Hard work!
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Why is HCI Important?
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One might ask, “Does it really matter?
As long as the software works, who
cares what it looks like?”
One reason Windows won ‘the war’ was
because it improved the UI.
High quality software has people working
to create a fantastic user interface.
HCI: it’s not just for desktops!
Let’s look at the mobile phone

All devices present new constraints

What are some constraints in these cases?
Let’s look at the mobile phone


All devices present new constraints
The mobile phone is very small, how do
we provide information while still making
it

easy to read
 easy to use while in motion
 usable with one or two fingers
 attractive
Let’s look at the mobile phone


All devices present new constraints
The mobile phone is very small, how do we
provide enough information on such a small
screen while still making it





easy to read
easy to use while on the go
usable with one or two fingers
attractive
Not one pixel can be wasted!
What will we do in this class?
Design software for a mobile
phone emulator!
MP3 Player
Digital Book Reader
Address Book
Instant Messenger
Shopping List Application
Voice Notes