HCI is the study of how the users of computers utilise them to complete tasks in the environment they will finally be used in

• Business Users

• Using systems for one particular use to use with the specific business

• Personal Users

• Using systems for personal use on a more varied spectrum e.g. internet, word processing, desktop publishing

• Disabled Users (Mental and Physical)

• Physical Disabilities i.e. one arm, one eye etc.
• Mental Disabilities  

• Tourists

• Language Barrier
• Different Cultural Issues

• Different User Levels Of Expertise

• Expert
• Average
• Low

• Eyesight

• The most common form of user problem as many people have to wear eyesight correction (e.g. glasses, contact lenses).

 

Technology

There are various input and output devices for HCI. Some examples are shown below:

Keyboard

The set of typewriter-like keys that enables you to enter data into a computer. Computer keyboards are similar to electric-typewriter keyboards but contain additional keys.  The standard layout of letters, numbers, and punctuation is known as a QWERTY keyboard because the first six keys on the top row of letters spell QWERTY.

Touch Screen

A screen that has a touch-sensitive transparent panel covering it. Instead of using a device such as a mouse or tracker ball, you can use your finger to point to objects on the screen. Touch screens provide a natural interface for users with limited knowledge. Most users find touch screens tiring to the arms after long use.

Mouse

A device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen. A mouse is a small hand shaped item you can roll along a hard, flat surface. Its name is comes from its shape, which looks a bit like a mouse, its wire you can imagine to be the mouse's tail, and the fact that the user must make it scurry along a surface. As you move the mouse, the pointer on the display screen moves in the same direction. Mice contain at least one button and sometimes as many as three. Some newer mice also include a scroll wheel for scrolling through long documents.

Monitor

Another term for display screen. The term monitor usually refers to the entire box, where display screen can mean just the screen, but also the term monitor often means the box has graphics capabilities.

Printer

A device that prints text or illustrations on paper. There are many different types of printers. There are many types of printers including ribbon, dot-matrix, inkjet, laser and thermal are the most popular. The most common household printer is an inkjet and this will take black, and usually a three colour cartridges to produce the best printout possible.

Tasks

These are things the users need to complete through using the interface to achieve the goal. Designing a HCI poorly would cause stress, low employee moral and effectiveness, ill health etc. The tasks need to be designed simply and need to be as easy to complete as possible, taking into account all the details above and it should be able to offer a choice of the way the user wants to complete the task.

Interaction Style

This is the way that users will use the system to get the desired effect. This could be inputted through keyboard, mouse or touch screen. The style will vary from system to system, it could just be through a series of presses or clicks on buttons within the system or could need actual textual input e.g. type in name and address.

Environment

This is where the system will be used, this could be:

• In a Home Environment (e.g. checkout on a website)
• In a Office Environment (e.g. sales order processing program)
• On a Street (e.g. handheld pc with questionnaire program on it)

The way the system is designed could also be based on:

• Temperature of the environment – should be around 21 degrees.
• Lighting – should be overhead lighting of satisfactory light level.
• Surroundings – background noise of offices such as noisy CPU fans and printers constantly going can add to stress levels.

Legal Issues

There are many legal issues surrounding working with computers, these include:

• Display Screen – not sitting too close, at a satisfactory resolution
• Data Protection – keeping personal details (names, addresses, credit details) safe and secure with the use of firewalls and passwords
• Ergonomics – making sure that the user and the computer are aligned correctly not to cause strain to the user
• Software Design – make sure that the software has not been designed before and copyrighted.

Examples of HCI’s

• GUI Systems – Windows And Linux
• Virtual Reality – Mostly Gaming
• Flight Simulators