USABILITY ENGINEERING AND HUMAN COMPUTER

OBJECTIVES
A.INTRODUCTION
B.HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
C.WHY USABILITY ENGINEERING AND HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION
D.HOW USABILITY CAN BE ACHIEVED
E.CHALLENGES
F.FUTURE
G.CONCLUSION


INTRODUCTION
-Usability engineering (UE):
Is the techniques of developing a system which is interactive, usable or meets the needs of users.
-Human computer interaction (HCI):
Is the discipline which deal with the study of interaction between users and computers.

-Usefulness:
*For an interactive system to be useful it should be goal centred.
-Usability:
*Is a system that takes account of users’ capability, limitations and needs .
Example
*The use of cork-screw for opening bottles sealed with cork.


HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
-Around 1945 people were studying ergonomics(efficiency) of machines.
-E.g. ergonomic society of UK was found in 1949.
-In 1960,s most computer software and hardware users were computing professionals.
-In 1970’s the computer users were diverse so came a need of human interactive system.
-HCI has developed into a discipline or field in its own right over the last ten years or so.


WHY UE AND HCI?
-Increases the productivity-as its work force is more productive
-Decrease training and supportive costs.
-Increase the customer satisfaction and decreases technophobia.
-Reduces disastrous and fatal errors in the system which are safety-critical.
Example.
Aircraft which has all its documentation online can cause accident if its interface is not clear.


HOW UE AND HCI CAN BE ACHIEVED
-Approaches of designing products
*Product-centred design
*User-centred design

PRODUCT-CENTRED DESIGN
&Is the production process which does not take an account of the user’s needs.
* Assumptions of the product centered design
-The result of a good design is having a product working.
-The product’s specifications are derived from the customer.
-There’s no further contact until delivery.


PROBLEMS
*Lack of user involvement caused problems such as;
*Products were not useful or usable.
*Eventually the product-centered approach was abandoned.

USER-CENTRED DESIGN
&Is the design practice which is rooted in the idea that user must take center -stage in the design of any computer system.
-precisely to make human being a focal point that technology should serve rather than the other way round

*Assumptions of the user centered-approach:
-The result of a good design is a satisfied user.
-The process of design is a collaboration between designers and users.
-User and designer are in constant communication during the entire process


Criteria of user-centred approach.

*Learnability-refer to how easy it is to learn to use the product.
*Efficiency-refers to how supportive the product is in carrying out a certain task.
*Memorability - refer to how easy it is to remember how the system is used once it has been learned.
*Safety-Protecting the user from dangerous and undesirable situations.
*Entertaining-if a product was for entertainments then it has to reach that goal. *Motivating- the product made should encourage the user to continue working with it.
*Visibility-links in the interface has to be clearly visible.
*Affordance- the price of the product should relate to the income of the society.
*Feedback- the interface has to respond on whatever is done and give right suggestions.
*Colour- Product should take an account of colour psychology.

CHALLENGES
*Hard to get requirements from users who have no technique expertise.
*Due to technological advancements, the societies’ needs varies with time.
*Large amount of fund is need in the development of new product.
*Difficult to build a system which can suit all types of users and their needs.

FUTURE
*Computes are too cumbersome and unwieldy tools. We need a small and specific appliances for specific jobs.
*Decreasing costs but increaced efficiency of products.
*Increasing innovation in input techniques (i.e., voice, gesture, pen).
*Increasingly widespread use of computer to different groups of people who are outside of the computing profession.
*Wider social concerns leading to improved access to computers by currently disadvantaged groups.

CONCLUSION
-UE and HCI is all about to impart,
*Designers,
*Developers and
*Implementers ;
with the necessity of usefulness and usability of the products which in turn will bring about good functionality, high efficiency and eventually increased productivity of the products or machines.


References
-Andrew S, et al.(2008).The human- computer interaction handbook: Fundamentals evolving technologies.
-Stuart C, et al. (1983). The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction.
-Brad A, et al (1998).A belief History of Human-Computer Interaction Technology.
-Don Norman, (1998).The Invisible Computer; Cambridge MA, MIT press
-www.pure usability.co.uk/File/ISO13407.png

THE RESEARCH FIELD IN COMPUER SCIENCE

This is the course which is to be undertaken by this second semister by all first years. I think the course will equip we as first years with the research tools which will us in future career in research field.