Unit 13: Human Computer Interaction

Human computer interaction (HCI) deals with the way people use computers, and how

IT professionals plan for and design this. One of the biggest changes that has happened
in the last 20 years has been the introduction of the graphical interface and in many
respects this has revolutionised the ways that we interact with computers.

There is currently no single universally acclaimed definition of HCI, only a series of
broad standards which describe various types of interface between computer and
human, and the ‘usability’ of those interfaces.

There are however, a number of very broad ‘working definitions’ and these confirm
that HCI is not confined to technical computing, and any study will indicate that the
subject crosses many boundaries. It could be included in the study of philosophy,
engineering, psychology, physiology, behaviour and many other areas.

HCI has grown to the extent that it is practically impossible for any single individual
to fully comprehend the complete subject area, hence this unit combines some
elements of HCI theory with practical aspects of designing and producing interfaces.

The topics included in the unit have been carefully selected to provide the broadest
possible introduction to the subject. HCI covers an enormous amount of theory of
which this unit can incorporate only a relatively small, yet focused, amount,
sufficient to form the basis of progression to higher education or specialised
employment within the field.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit a learner should:
1 Know about the impact of HCI on society, economy and culture
2 Understand the fundamental principles of interface design
3 Be able to design and produce simple interactive computer input and output
based on HCI principles
4 Be able to compare and contrast, using HCI principles, the effectiveness of
different designs of input and output.

Assignments:

Assignment 1.doc
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Assignment 2.doc
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Session 1