HCI 2e home page

HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION
second edition

Dix, Finlay, Abowd and Beale

detailed contents


book covers


Foreword xi

Preface to the second edition xiii

Preface to the first edition xv

Introduction 1

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Part I - Foundations 9


Chapter 1 - The human

Overview
1.1 Introduction 12
1.2 Input--output Channels 13
1.2.1 Vision 14
Design Focus: Getting noticed 16
1.2.2 Hearing 22
Worked exercise: using sound in interfaces 24
1.2.3 Touch 24
1.2.4 Movement 25
1.3 Human memory 26
1.3.1 Sensory memory 27
1.3.2 Short-term memory 28
Design Focus: Cashing in 29
1.3.3 Long-term memory 30
1.4 Thinking: reasoning and problem-solving 36
1.4.1 Reasoning 38
1.4.2 Problem-solving 40
Worked exercise: goals and operators 42
1.4.3 Skill acquisition 44
1.4.4 Errors and mental models 46
Design Focus: Whose error? 47
1.5 Individual differences 48
1.6 Psychology and the design of interactive systems 48
1.6.1 Guidelines 49
1.6.2 Models to support design 49
1.6.3 Techniques for evaluation 49
Worked exercise: semantic networks 50
1.7 Summary 51
Exercises 51
Recommended reading 51


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Chapter 2 - The computer

Overview
2.1 Introduction 54
2.1.1 A typical computer system 55
2.1.2 Batch and interactive input 55
2.2 Text entry devices 56
2.2.1 The keyboard 56
2.2.2 Other text entry devices 60
2.3 Positioning and pointing devices 63
2.3.1 The mouse 63
2.3.2 Other 2D positioning devices 65
2.3.3 Keyboard-based positioning devices 67
2.3.4 Classifying 2D pointing devices 69
2.3.5 Positioning in 3D space 69
2.4 Output devices 72
2.4.1 Cathode ray tube 72
2.4.2 Liquid crystal display (LCD) 76
2.4.3 3D displays 77
2.5 Paper: printing and scanning 79
2.5.1 Printing 79
2.5.2 Fonts and page description languages 82
2.5.3 Screen and page 84
2.5.4 Scanners and optical character recognition 85
Worked exercise: input and output devices 87
2.6 Memory 89
2.6.1 Short-term memory 89
2.6.2 Long-term memory 90
2.6.3 Understanding speed and capacity 91
2.6.4 Compression 92
2.6.5 Storage format and standards 93
2.6.6 Methods of access 94
Worked exercise: basic architecture of a system 95
2.7 Processing 96
2.7.1 Effects of finite processor speed 96
Design Focus: The myth of the infinitely fast machine 97
2.7.2 Limitations on interactive performance 98
2.7.3 Networked computing 98
Worked exercise: effects of advances in memory/processing power 100
2.8 Summary 101
Exercises (not printed)
Recommended reading 102


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Chapter 3 - The interaction

Overview
3.1 Introduction 103
3.2 Models of interaction 104
3.2.1 The terms of interaction 104
3.2.2 The execution--evaluation cycle 105
3.2.3 The interaction framework 106
Design Focus: VCR 109
3.3 Frameworks and HCI 109
3.4 Ergonomics 110
3.4.1 Arrangement of controls and displays 111
Design Focus: Industrial interfaces 112
3.4.2 The physical environment of the interaction 113
3.4.3 Health issues 114
3.4.4 The use of colour 115
3.4.5 Ergonomics and HCI 115
3.5 Interaction styles 115
3.5.1 Command line interface 116
3.5.2 Menus 117
3.5.3 Natural language 117
3.5.4 Question/answer and query dialog 118
3.5.5 Form-fills and spreadsheets 119
3.5.6 The WIMP interface 120
3.5.7 Point-and-click interfaces 121
3.5.8 Three-dimensional interfaces 122
3.6 Elements of the WIMP interface 123
3.6.1 Windows 124
3.6.2 Icons 125
3.6.3 Pointers 125
3.6.4 Menus 127
3.6.5 Buttons 129
3.6.6 Toolbars 129
Design Focus: Learning toolbars 129
3.6.7 Palettes 130
3.6.8 Dialog boxes 130
3.7 Screen design and layout 131
3.7.1 Presenting information 131
Design Focus: Checking screen colours 132
3.7.2 Entering information 133
3.7.3 Aesthetics and utility 134
3.7.4 Knowing what to do 134
3.7.5 Localisation/internationalisation 135
3.8 Interactivity 136
3.9 The context of the interaction 137
3.10 Summary 138
Exercises 139
Recommended reading 139

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Part II - Design practice 141


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Chapter 4 - Usability paradigms and principles

Overview
4.1 Introduction 143
4.2 Paradigms for interaction 144
4.2.1 Time-sharing 145
4.2.2 Video display units 145
4.2.3 Programming toolkits 146
4.2.4 Personal computing 147
4.2.5 Window systems and the WIMP interface 148
4.2.6 The metaphor 148
4.2.7 Direct manipulation 150
4.2.8 Language versus action 152
4.2.9 Hypertext 153
4.2.10 Multi-modality 154
4.2.11 Computer-supported cooperative work 155
4.2.12 The world-wide web 155
4.2.13 Agent-based interfaces 157
4.2.14 Ubiquitous computing 158
4.3 Principles to support usability 162
4.3.1 Learnability 162
4.3.2 Flexibility 167
4.3.3 Robustness 172
Worked exercise: direct manipulation interfaces 175
4.4 Summary 177
Exercises 177
Recommended reading 177


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Chapter 5 - The design process

Overview
5.1 Introduction 179
5.2 The software life cycle 179
5.2.1 Activities in the life cycle 180
5.2.2 Validation and verification 184
5.2.3 Management and contractual issues 185
5.2.4 Interactive systems and the software life cycle 187
5.3 Using design rules 190
5.3.1 Standards 191
5.3.2 Guidelines 193
Worked exercise: guidelines 197
5.4 Usability engineering 199
5.4.1 Problems with usability engineering 203
Worked exercise: usability specification 203
5.5 Iterative design and prototyping 205
5.5.1 Techniques for prototyping 208
Design Focus: Prototyping in practice 209
5.5.2 Warning about iterative design 211
5.6 Design rationale 212
5.6.1 Process-oriented design rationale 214
5.6.2 Design space analysis 216
5.6.3 Psychological design rationale 217
Worked exercise: design rationale 219
5.7 Summary 220
Exercises 220
Recommended reading 221


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Chapter 6 - Models of the user in design

Overview
6.1 Introduction 223
6.2 User requirements modelling 223
6.3 Socio-technical models 224
6.3.1 USTM/CUSTOM 224
6.3.2 OSTA 226
6.3.3 ETHICS 226
6.4 Soft systems methodology 227
6.5 Participatory design 229
6.6 Cognitive models 230
6.7 Goal and task hierarchies 231
6.7.1 GOMS 233
Design Focus: GOMS saves money 234
Worked exercise: GOMS 235
6.7.2 Cognitive complexity theory 235
6.7.3 Problems and extensions of goal hierarchies 240
6.8 Linguistic models 241
6.8.1 BNF 241
6.8.2 Task-action grammar 242
6.9 The challenge of display-based systems 245
6.10 Physical and device models 246
6.10.1 Keystroke level model 246
Worked exercise: keystroke level analysis 250
6.10.2 Three-state model 251
6.11 Cognitive architectures 254
6.11.1 The problem space model 254
6.11.2 Interacting cognitive sub-systems 256
6.12 Summary 257
Exercises 258
Recommended reading 259


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Chapter 7 - Task analysis

Overview
7.1 Introduction 260
7.2 Differences between task analysis and other techniques 261
7.3 Task decomposition 262
7.4 Knowledge-based analysis 268
7.5 Entity--relationship-based techniques 274
Worked exercise: hierarchical task analysis 279
7.6 Sources of information and data collection 280
7.6.1 Documentation 281
7.6.2 Observation 281
Worked exercise: search strategies 282
7.6.3 Interviews 285
7.6.4 Initial analysis 286
7.6.5 Sorting and classification 286
7.7 Uses of task analysis 287
7.7.1 Manuals and tuition 287
7.7.2 Requirements capture and systems design 289
7.7.3 Detailed interface design 289
7.8 Summary 290
Exercises 291
Recommended reading 291


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Chapter 8 - Dialog notations and design

Overview
8.1 What is dialog? 292
8.1.1 Structured human dialogs 293
8.2 Dialog design notations 294
8.3 Diagrammatic notations 296
8.3.1 State transition networks 296
8.3.2 Hierarchical state transition nets 297
Design Focus: Using STNs in prototyping 299
8.3.3 Concurrent dialogs and combinatorial explosion of states 300
8.3.4 Escapes and help 303
8.3.5 Petri nets 305
8.3.6 State charts 306
please see errata
8.3.7 Flow charts 307
8.3.8 JSD diagrams 309
Design Focus: Digital watch -- documentation and analysis 311
8.4 Textual dialog notations 313
8.4.1 Grammars 313
8.4.2 Production rules 314
8.4.3 CSP and event algebras 318
Worked exercise: dialog notations 320
8.4.4 Parametrized and dynamic interleaved dialog structure 323
8.5 Dialog semantics 324
8.5.1 Notation-specific semantics 325
8.5.2 Links to programming languages 325
8.5.3 Links to formal specification 326
8.5.4 Distributed and centralized dialog description 328
8.5.5 Maximizing syntactic description 328
8.6 Dialog analysis and design 330
8.6.1 Action properties 330
8.6.2 State properties 332
8.6.3 Presentation and lexical properties 335
8.7 Summary 337
Exercises 338
Recommended reading 339


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Chapter 9 - Models of the system

Overview
9.1 Introduction 341
9.2 Standard formalisms 341
9.2.1 Formal notations for communication 342
9.2.2 Formal notations for analysis 342
9.2.3 Model-oriented notations 343
9.2.4 Issues for model-oriented notations 347
9.2.5 Algebraic notations 348
9.2.6 Temporal and other logics 351
9.3 Interaction models 354
9.3.1 The PIE model 355
9.3.2 Predictability and observability 357
Worked exercise: interaction models 360
9.3.3 Reachability and undo 361
9.3.4 Other interaction models 363
9.4 Status/event analysis 365
9.4.1 Properties of events: clocks and calendars 366
9.4.2 Design implications 367
9.4.3 Naive psychology 367
9.4.4 Example -- email interface 368
9.4.5 Example -- screen button feedback 371
9.5 Summary 373
Exercises 374
Recommended reading 375


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Chapter 10 - Implementation support

Overview
10.1 Introduction 378
10.2 Elements of windowing systems 379
10.2.1 Architectures of windowing systems 380
10.3 Programming the application 384
Design Focus: Going with the grain 389
10.4 Using toolkits 390
Design Focus: Java and AWT 392
Worked exercise: interaction objects: usability and implementation 393
10.5 User interface management systems 395
10.5.1 UIMS as a conceptual architecture 395
10.5.2 Implementation considerations 399
10.6 Summary 402
Exercises 403
Recommended reading 403


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Chapter 11 - Evaluation techniques

Overview
11.1 What is evaluation? 406
11.2 Goals of evaluation 406
11.3 Styles of evaluation 407
11.3.1 Laboratory studies 407
11.3.2 Field studies 407
11.4 Evaluating the design 408
11.4.1 Cognitive walkthrough 409
11.4.2 Heuristic evaluation 412
11.4.3 Review-based evaluation 415
11.4.4 Model-based evaluation 415
11.5 Evaluating the implementation 415
11.5.1 Empirical methods: experimental evaluation 416
11.5.2 Observational techniques 427
11.5.3 Query techniques 431
Worked exercise: evaluation methods 434
11.6 Choosing an evaluation method 436
11.6.1 Factors distinguishing evaluation techniques 436
11.6.2 A classification of evaluation techniques 439
11.7 Summary 440
Exercises 441
Recommended reading 441


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Chapter 12 - Help and documentation

Overview
12.1 Introduction 444
12.2 Requirements of user support 445
12.2.1 Availability 445
12.2.2 Accuracy and completeness 445
12.2.3 Consistency 445
12.2.4 Robustness 446
12.2.5 Flexibility 446
12.2.6 Unobtrusiveness 446
12.3 Approaches to user support 446
12.3.1 Command assistance 447
12.3.2 Command prompts 447
12.3.3 Context-sensitive help 447
12.3.4 On-line tutorials 447
12.3.5 On-line documentation 447
12.4 Adaptive help systems 450
12.4.1 Knowledge representation: user modelling 451
12.4.2 Knowledge representation: domain and task modelling 453
12.4.3 Knowledge representation: modelling advisory strategy 453
12.4.4 Techniques for knowledge representation 454
12.4.5 Problems with knowledge representation and modelling 455
12.4.6 Other issues 456
12.5 Designing user support systems 457
12.5.1 Presentation issues 457
12.5.2 Implementation issues 458
12.6 Summary 459
Exercises 459
Recommended reading 460

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Part III - Application areas 461


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Chapter 13 - Groupware

Overview
13.1 Introduction 463
13.2 Groupware systems 464
13.3 Computer-mediated communication 467
13.3.1 Email and bulletin boards 467
13.3.2 Structured message systems 469
13.3.3 Video conferences and communication 471
13.3.4 Virtual collaborative environments 474
13.4 Meeting and decision support systems 476
13.4.1 Argumentation tools 476
13.4.2 Meeting rooms 477
13.4.3 Shared work surfaces 480
13.5 Shared applications and artefacts 481
13.5.1 Shared PCs and shared window systems 481
13.5.2 Shared editors 482
13.5.3 Co-authoring systems 484
13.5.4 Shared diaries 485
13.5.5 Communication through the artefact 486
13.6 Frameworks for groupware 488
13.6.1 Time/space matrix and asynchronous working 488
Worked exercise: computer-mediated communication 490
13.6.2 Shared information 491
13.6.3 Integrating communication and work 494
13.7 Implementing synchronous groupware 496
13.7.1 Feedback and network delays 496
13.7.2 Architectures for groupware 497
13.7.3 Shared window architectures 498
13.7.4 Feedthrough and network traffic 500
13.7.5 Graphical toolkits 501
13.7.6 Robustness and scaleability 502
13.8 Summary 506
Exercises 507
Recommended reading 507


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Chapter 14 - CSCW and social issues

Overview
14.1 Introduction 510
14.2 Face-to-face communication 511
14.2.1 Transfer effects and personal space 511
14.2.2 Eye contact and gaze 512
14.2.3 Gestures and body language 513
14.2.4 Back channels, confirmation and interruption 513
14.2.5 Turn-taking 514
14.3 Conversation 516
14.3.1 Basic conversational structure 516
14.3.2 Context 518
14.3.3 Topics, focus and forms of utterance 519
14.3.4 Breakdown and repair 521
14.3.5 Constructing a shared understanding 522
14.3.6 Speech act theory 524
14.4 Text-based communication 528
14.4.1 Back channels and affective state 529
14.4.2 Grounding constraints 530
14.4.3 Turn-taking 532
14.4.4 Context and deixis 533
14.4.5 Pace and granularity 534
14.4.6 Linear text vs. hypertext 537
14.5 Group working 537
14.5.1 Group dynamics 537
14.5.2 Physical layout 538
14.5.3 Distributed cognition 540
14.5.4 Experimental studies 540
14.5.5 Field studies 543
14.6 Organizational issues 544
Design Focus: Implementing workflow in Lotus Notes 549
14.6.1 Who benefits? 544
14.6.2 Free rider problem 545
14.6.3 Critical mass 545
14.6.4 Cooperation or conflict? 546
14.6.5 Changing power structures 547
14.6.6 The invisible worker 548
14.6.7 Automating processes -- workflow and BPR 548
Design Focus: Implementing workflow in Lotus Notes 549
14.6.8 Evaluating the benefits 550
14.7 Summary 550
Exercises 551
Recommended reading 552


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Chapter 15 - Out of the glass box

Overview
15.1 Introduction 554
15.2 Multi-modal and multimedia systems 555
15.3 Speech in the interface 556
15.3.1 Structure of speech 556
15.3.2 Speech recognition 557
15.3.3 Speech synthesis 559
Design Focus: Mathematics for the blind 559
15.3.4 Uninterpreted speech 561
Design Focus: Choosing the right kind of speech 561
15.4 Non-speech Sound 562
15.4.1 Auditory icons 564
Worked exercise: auditory icons 565
15.4.2 Earcons 566
15.5 Handwriting Recognition 567
15.5.1 The technology 567
Design Focus: Apple Newton 567
15.5.2 Recognizing handwriting 568
15.6 Gesture recognition 569
15.7 Computer vision 569
15.8 Ubiquitous computing applications research 570
15.8.1 Automated capture, integration and access 571
15.8.2 Context-aware computing 573
15.8.3 Ubiquitous software services 574
15.8.4 Open research issues 574
please see errata
15.8.5 Other issues with ubiquitous computing 575
15.8.6 Cross-pollination of themes 575
15.8.7 Engineering, technology push and HCI research 576
15.9 Interfaces for users with special needs 576
15.10 Virtual reality 578
15.10.1 VR technology 578
15.10.2 Immersive virtual reality 579
15.10.3 VR on the desktop and in the home 580
please see errata
15.10.4 Command and control 581
15.10.5 Augmented reality 581
15.10.6 Current and future applications of virtual reality 582
Design Focus: Applications of augmented reality 582
15.11 Information and data visualisation 583
15.11.1 Scientific and technical data 583
Design Focus: Getting the size right 585
15.11.2 Structured information 585
15.11.3 Time and interactivity 587
15.12 Summary 590
Exercises 591
Recommended reading 591


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Chapter 16 - Hypertext, multimedia and the World Wide Web

Overview
16.1 Introduction 593
16.2 Text, hypertext and multimedia 593
16.2.1 Applications of hypermedia 594
16.2.2 Problems with hypermedia 595
16.3 The World Wide Web 596
16.4 Animation 598
16.5 Video and digital video 599
16.6 Educational technology 600
16.7 Design Focus: Designing for the World Wide Web 602
16.7.1 The World Wide Web 602
16.7.2 The Message and the medium 603
16.7.3 Information structure 604
16.7.4 Text 605
16.7.5 Graphics 606
16.7.6 Movies and sound 609
16.8 Summary 609
Exercises 610
Recommended reading 610

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References 611


Index 628


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