HCI definition

Content:
This class reminded me the feeling of confusion and stress the first time I use my first computer, under the OS of dos. Time has gone when people are afraid of computers. Now using computers is as easy as using televisions, thanks to the researchers and engineers in the field of HCI. I am very happy that Dr. Kanav provided me with the opportunity to be exposed to this field. In my simple way of thinking, HCI is to study the way of communication between human beings and machines. HCI is so important because it can affect effectiveness, productivity, moral and safety.

In the reading material given by Dr. Kanav, HCI is defined as “a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them”. This is a long sentence to read. But I don’t entirely agree with this definition. This definition of HCI puts great emphasis on machine, while in my opinion, the central component in HCI should be human beings. The definition given by SIGCHI may be correct for the early stage of HCI development. But now, more and more designs take psychology and anthropology into account. For example, when we flip the screen of e-reader, we expect to read the next page, as this is the natural reaction. Another example, when we shop online, we put items into a shopping bag before checking out, just as we do in a shopping mall. In this sense, HCI is not only about the communication and feed-back between human and computer, but is also concerned with human behavior and habits.  What is more, we also communicate with other people through websites or chatting software, such as posting comments on blogs. I also find that human-human communication on the internet is designed to simulate that in real life. For example, people’s homepage are designed as there “home”, and friends can visit this “home” just like they do in daily life. In this sense, the design of HCI has extended to human-human interaction rather than only between human and machine.
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I’d like discuss the pros and cons of a GPS navigator.

Pros:
Portable
Universality: It guides me to my destination with voice prompts, arrows on the map, and directions at the top of the map.
Hands-Free phone feature
Easy to use: touch screen

Cons:
Cost
Map is not updated daily. It does not take into account situations such as road construction.


Posted by Jing Lu