HCI Remixed
edited by Thomas Ericson and David W. McDonald
2008 The MIT Press
Chapter 6
Summary:
In the late 70s, Henry Lieberman read an essay about a creative programming environment. He got to meet the author of the piece a few years later and viewed a brief demo of the program on which the essay was written. The program, Pygmalion, is recognized as the first system to make use of icons as individual, self-contained entities. It also introduced the concept of programming by example, or by developing a program by showing the computer an example of what you wanted to do. Many of Pygmalion's features are a part of the foundations of modern interfaces.
Discussion
It's interesting that so many features that we take for granted today came from this one program. Without it, who know where we would be today.
Chapter 7
Summary:
The Xerox Star workstation provided a number of fundamental HCI principles that remain important to this day. The Star interface was modeled after physical office properties. Documents could be put into folders, which in turn could be put into cabinets. Printer, in-baskets, and wastebaskets were also available. It could also allow selection of an object that could then be modified.
Discussion
I had never thought about how many functions that we use today were based on an actual office environment. This goes to show that the study of CHI can have a huge impact for years down the road.
Chapter 9
Summary:
This chapter deals with the art of making a computer "disappear." This can be done through making computers smaller and integrating them with everyday objects, or by hiding the computer in an object that is seen as "interactive." For example, instead of placing a touch-screen interface in a wall, replace the majority of the wall with the interface.
Discussion
When considering this chapter, I couldn't really think of many examples of disappearing computers. I'm not sure if this indicates a minimal use of such systems, or if they are so successful that I don't notice them.
Chapter 10
Summary:
Location based services are an area of computing that is just now becomming technologically viable on a large scale. In the past, indoor location systems were tested and found to improve several aspects of the involved test subjects everyday activites. To give one example, a receptionist could track where a particular employee was, and forward a call directly to their location. With the advent of individual GPS compatible machines, it is likely that similar services will become more and more prominant.
Discussion:
While I like the concept of having location-based services available, I can't help being concerned over the possible privacy issues. It's one thing to have special benefits based on your location, but I don't doubt that the technology will be used in some kind of Big Brother capacity.
While I like the concept of having location-based services available, I can't help being concerned over the possible privacy issues. It's one thing to have special benefits based on your location, but I don't doubt that the technology will be used in some kind of Big Brother capacity.
Chapter 46
Summary:
Mental models are an important part of the design process. When designing a system, the designer must determine the goals, operators, methods, and selectional rules that explicitly represent how the user will view the system.
Mental models are an important part of the design process. When designing a system, the designer must determine the goals, operators, methods, and selectional rules that explicitly represent how the user will view the system.
Discussion:
Mental models should always be considered when designing a system. If a designer can conceive how a user will view the product, then it will more likely than not be a success.
Mental models should always be considered when designing a system. If a designer can conceive how a user will view the product, then it will more likely than not be a success.
Chapter 47
Summary:
Fitt's law describes the amount of time it takes to reach a target based on the size of the target and the length of the required movement. In CHI, this can be applied to targets on a screen. To improve selection times, a target could be placed next to a "hard" boundry (i.e. the edge of a screen), or an item could expand as the curser approaches it.
Discussion:
I have seen presentations on this before, and must say that while when using techniques to improve selections times, care needs to be taken. In programs where a users next move is predicted, for example, it is all too easy for the prediction to override the actual intent of the user (like Apple devices assuming that their spelling auto-correct is right and replacing the intended word).
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