Chapter 10 - Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

This chapter draws heavily from the topic of human–computer interactions (HCIs) and its relation to artificial intelligence (AI). HCI is the study of the ways people interact with and through computers. It grew out of the work on human factors or ergonomics with the intellectual aim of analyzing tasks that people perform with computers and the practical concerns of designing more usable and reliable computer systems. As computers have infiltrated homes and businesses, the scope of HCI has broadened to include the cognitive, social, and organizational aspects of computer use. HCI can provide techniques to model people's interactions with computers, guidelines for software design, methods to compare the usability of computer systems, and ways to study the effect of introducing new technology into organizations. Models of HCI serve much the same purposes as architectural, scientific, or engineering models. They can be used to predict behavior, assist in design, and evaluate competing theories and designs. HCI is a new discipline, and it has had little opportunity to mature because computers and their users are changing so rapidly. HCI blends the psychology and technology of computing, offers a beginning to turn software design from an art into a science, and offers guidelines for good practice in developing and deploying computer systems. The chapter covers the background of HCI, interaction with computers, computer-mediated communication, the psychology of computer use, the models of HCI, computer system design and evaluation, and the social and organizational aspects of computer use.