Discuss Human Computer Interface ”; Previous Next This tutorial provides the basic knowledge on human computer interface and designing. It also throws a light on the current tools and practices and the future aspects of HCI designing. Print Page Previous Next Advertisements ”;
Information Search & Visualization ”; Previous Next Database Query A database query is the principal mechanism to retrieve information from a database. It consists of predefined format of database questions. Many database management systems use the Structured Query Language (SQL) standard query format. Example SELECT DOCUMENT# FROM JOURNAL-DB WHERE (DATE >= 2004 AND DATE <= 2008) AND (LANGUAGE = ENGLISH OR FRENCH) AND (PUBLISHER = ASIST OR HFES OR ACM) Users perform better and have better contentment when they can view and control the search. The database query has thus provided substantial amount of help in the human computer interface. The following points are the five-phase frameworks that clarifies user interfaces for textual search − Formulation − expressing the search Initiation of action − launching the search Review of results − reading messages and outcomes Refinement − formulating the next step Use − compiling or disseminating insight Multimedia Document Searches Following are the major multimedia document search categories. Image Search Preforming an image search in common search engines is not an easy thing to do. However there are sites where image search can be done by entering the image of your choice. Mostly, simple drawing tools are used to build templates to search with. For complex searches such as fingerprint matching, special softwares are developed where the user can search the machine for the predefined data of distinct features. Map Search Map search is another form of multimedia search where the online maps are retrieved through mobile devices and search engines. Though a structured database solution is required for complex searches such as searches with longitude/latitude. With the advanced database options, we can retrieve maps for every possible aspect such as cities, states, countries, world maps, weather sheets, directions, etc. Design/Diagram Searches Some design packages support the search of designs or diagrams as well. E.g., diagrams, blueprints, newspapers, etc. Sound Search Sound search can also be done easily through audio search of the database. Though user should clearly speak the words or phrases for search. Video Search New projects such as Infomedia helps in retrieving video searches. They provide an overview of the videos or segmentations of frames from the video. Animation Search The frequency of animation search has increased with the popularity of Flash. Now it is possible to search for specific animations such as a moving boat. Information Visualization Information visualization is the interactive visual illustrations of conceptual data that strengthen human understanding. It has emerged from the research in human-computer interaction and is applied as a critical component in varied fields. It allows users to see, discover, and understand huge amounts of information at once. Information visualization is also an assumption structure, which is typically followed by formal examination such as statistical hypothesis testing. Advanced Filtering Following are the advanced filtering procedures − Filtering with complex Boolean queries Automatic filtering Dynamic queries Faceted metadata search Query by example Implicit search Collaborative filtering Multilingual searches Visual field specification Hypertext and Hypermedia Hypertext can be defined as the text that has references to hyperlinks with immediate access. Any text that provides a reference to another text can be understood as two nodes of information with the reference forming the link. In hypertext, all the links are active and when clicked, opens something new. Hypermedia on the other hand, is an information medium that holds different types of media, such as, video, CD, and so forth, as well as hyperlinks. Hence, both hypertext and hypermedia refers to a system of linked information. A text may refer to links, which may also have visuals or media. So hypertext can be used as a generic term to denote a document, which may in fact be distributed across several media. Object Action Interface Model for Website Design Object Action Interface (OAI), can be considered as the next step of the Graphical User Interface (GUI). This model focusses on the priority of the object over the actions. OAI Model The OAI model allows the user to perform action on the object. First the object is selected and then the action is performed on the object. Finally, the outcome is shown to the user. In this model, the user does not have to worry about the complexity of any syntactical actions. The object–action model provides an advantage to the user as they gain a sense of control due to the direct involvement in the design process. The computer serves as a medium to signify different tools. Print Page Previous Next Advertisements ”;
Guidelines in HCI ”; Previous Next Shneiderman’s Eight Golden Rules Ben Shneiderman, an American computer scientist consolidated some implicit facts about designing and came up with the following eight general guidelines − Strive for Consistency. Cater to Universal Usability. Offer Informative feedback. Design Dialogs to yield closure. Prevent Errors. Permit easy reversal of actions. Support internal locus of control. Reduce short term memory load. These guidelines are beneficial for normal designers as well as interface designers. Using these eight guidelines, it is possible to differentiate a good interface design from a bad one. These are beneficial in experimental assessment of identifying better GUIs. Norman’s Seven Principles To assess the interaction between human and computers, Donald Norman in 1988 proposed seven principles. He proposed the seven stages that can be used to transform difficult tasks. Following are the seven principles of Norman − Use both knowledge in world & knowledge in the head. Simplify task structures. Make things visible. Get the mapping right (User mental model = Conceptual model = Designed model). Convert constrains into advantages (Physical constraints, Cultural constraints, Technological constraints). Design for Error. When all else fails − Standardize. Heuristic Evaluation Heuristics evaluation is a methodical procedure to check user interface for usability problems. Once a usability problem is detected in design, they are attended as an integral part of constant design processes. Heuristic evaluation method includes some usability principles such as Nielsen’s ten Usability principles. Nielsen”s Ten Heuristic Principles Visibility of system status. Match between system and real world. User control and freedom. Consistency and standards. Error prevention. Recognition rather than Recall. Flexibility and efficiency of use. Aesthetic and minimalist design. Help, diagnosis and recovery from errors. Documentation and Help The above mentioned ten principles of Nielsen serve as a checklist in evaluating and explaining problems for the heuristic evaluator while auditing an interface or a product. Interface Design Guidelines Some more important HCI design guidelines are presented in this section. General interaction, information display, and data entry are three categories of HCI design guidelines that are explained below. General Interaction Guidelines for general interaction are comprehensive advices that focus on general instructions such as − Be consistent. Offer significant feedback. Ask for authentication of any non-trivial critical action. Authorize easy reversal of most actions. Lessen the amount of information that must be remembered in between actions. Seek competence in dialogue, motion and thought. Excuse mistakes. Classify activities by function and establish screen geography accordingly. Deliver help services that are context sensitive. Use simple action verbs or short verb phrases to name commands. Information Display Information provided by the HCI should not be incomplete or unclear or else the application will not meet the requirements of the user. To provide better display, the following guidelines are prepared − Exhibit only that information that is applicable to the present context. Don”t burden the user with data, use a presentation layout that allows rapid integration of information. Use standard labels, standard abbreviations and probable colors. Permit the user to maintain visual context. Generate meaningful error messages. Use upper and lower case, indentation and text grouping to aid in understanding. Use windows (if available) to classify different types of information. Use analog displays to characterize information that is more easily integrated with this form of representation. Consider the available geography of the display screen and use it efficiently. Data Entry The following guidelines focus on data entry that is another important aspect of HCI − Reduce the number of input actions required of the user. Uphold steadiness between information display and data input. Let the user customize the input. Interaction should be flexible but also tuned to the user”s favored mode of input. Disable commands that are unsuitable in the context of current actions. Allow the user to control the interactive flow. Offer help to assist with all input actions. Remove “mickey mouse” input. Print Page Previous Next Advertisements ”;
HCI – Useful Resources ”; Previous Next The following resources contain additional information on Human Computer Interface. Please use them to get more in-depth knowledge on this topic. Useful Links on Human Computer Interface Human Computer Interaction Wiki – Wikipedia reference for Human Computer Interface. Useful Books on Human Computer Interface To enlist your site on this page, please drop an email to [email protected] Print Page Previous Next Advertisements ”;
Interactive Devices ”; Previous Next Several interactive devices are used for the human computer interaction. Some of them are known tools and some are recently developed or are a concept to be developed in the future. In this chapter, we will discuss on some new and old interactive devices. Touch Screen The touch screen concept was prophesized decades ago, however the platform was acquired recently. Today there are many devices that use touch screen. After vigilant selection of these devices, developers customize their touch screen experiences. The cheapest and relatively easy way of manufacturing touch screens are the ones using electrodes and a voltage association. Other than the hardware differences, software alone can bring major differences from one touch device to another, even when the same hardware is used. Along with the innovative designs and new hardware and software, touch screens are likely to grow in a big way in the future. A further development can be made by making a sync between the touch and other devices. In HCI, touch screen can be considered as a new interactive device. Gesture Recognition Gesture recognition is a subject in language technology that has the objective of understanding human movement via mathematical procedures. Hand gesture recognition is currently the field of focus. This technology is future based. This new technology magnitudes an advanced association between human and computer where no mechanical devices are used. This new interactive device might terminate the old devices like keyboards and is also heavy on new devices like touch screens. Speech Recognition The technology of transcribing spoken phrases into written text is Speech Recognition. Such technologies can be used in advanced control of many devices such as switching on and off the electrical appliances. Only certain commands are required to be recognized for a complete transcription. However, this cannot be beneficial for big vocabularies. This HCI device help the user in hands free movement and keep the instruction based technology up to date with the users. Keyboard A keyboard can be considered as a primitive device known to all of us today. Keyboard uses an organization of keys/buttons that serves as a mechanical device for a computer. Each key in a keyboard corresponds to a single written symbol or character. This is the most effective and ancient interactive device between man and machine that has given ideas to develop many more interactive devices as well as has made advancements in itself such as soft screen keyboards for computers and mobile phones. Response Time Response time is the time taken by a device to respond to a request. The request can be anything from a database query to loading a web page. The response time is the sum of the service time and wait time. Transmission time becomes a part of the response time when the response has to travel over a network. In modern HCI devices, there are several applications installed and most of them function simultaneously or as per the user’s usage. This makes a busier response time. All of that increase in the response time is caused by increase in the wait time. The wait time is due to the running of the requests and the queue of requests following it. So, it is significant that the response time of a device is faster for which advanced processors are used in modern devices. Print Page Previous Next Advertisements ”;
Human Computer Interface Tutorial PDF Version Quick Guide Resources Job Search Discussion This tutorial provides the basic knowledge on human computer interface and designing. It also throws a light on the current tools and practices and the future aspects of HCI designing. Audience This tutorial has been intended for the users willing to take the human computer interactions as a next level of study in their career. Prerequisites The basic knowledge of Graphical User Interface, Object Oriented Programming and software tools and menus are the only prerequisite for this tutorial. Print Page Previous Next Advertisements ”;