CIS 577 Software User Interface Design and Analysis

Course Introduction

Expectations

• user task modeling
• design emphasis
• not platform specific programming

Project types

• Evaluation and critique of existing user interfaces
• User modeling and interface design
• Design and implementation of multimedia user interfaces
• Larger group project

What is Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)?

• Not just human factors
• No strong agreement

Main emphasis of HCI is user interface design

User interface involves

• Hardware
• Behavior of software
• Supporting documentation

Where do user interfaces come from?

• Designed by programmers
• Functionality dominates SW design and marketing
• Designer intuition is often used rather than user modeling (not good)

How are product managers rewarded?

• Function
• Cost
• Schedule

Note: The omission of usability from this list.

Course Goals for System Engineering

• Improve user's quality of life by building quality (not flashy) interactive systems
• Promote attention to user interface issues which should be considered by managers
• Become successful designers of systems that go beyond intuitive concepts like "user friendliness" and focus on supporting the user's real task goals

US Military Standard for Human Engineering and Design

• Achieve required performance
• Minimize personnel training requirements
• Achieve required reliability
• Foster design standardization

How is this done?

• Ensure functionality by basing design on user task analysis
• System reliability requires designer attention to details like privacy, security, and data integrity
• Standardization requires attention to issues like system integration, consistency, and portability
• Schedule and budget must allow for human factors work like user analysis and testing

Typical Human Factors Measures

• Time to learn
• Speed of performance
• User error rates
• Retention over time
• Subjective satisfaction

Motivation for Including HF in UI Design

• Life critical systems
• Industrial and commercial uses
• Personal applications
• Exploratory, creative, and cooperative systems

Accommodating Human Diversity in Design

• Physical workspaces
• Cognitive and perceptual ability differences
• Personality differences
• Cultural and international diversity
• User disabilities
• Elderly users

Goals of UI Education

• Influence future researchers
• Provide tools and techniques for systems implementation
• Raise computer consciousness of general public