HP684: Human Factors in Information Systems

1
HP684 Human Factors in Information Systems

• University of Ballarat
• AUSTRALIA

2
Staff

• Psychologists
• Eugene V. Aidman, Ph.D.
  (unit coordinator)
• Angus McLachlan, Ph.D.
• IT expert
• Marijke Heywood

3
Scope of the discipline

• Industrial engineering
• human factors
• ergonomics
• engineering psychology
• man-machine systems
• human-computer interaction HCI(the core of this
  unit)

4
HCI as a discipline is concerned with

• the design, evaluation, and implementation of
  interactive computing systems for human use
• the study of major phenomena surrounding the use
  of such systems

5
In particular, HCI looks at

• joint performance of tasks by humans and machines
• the structure of human-machine communication
• the social and organisational interactions with
  machine design
• human capability to use machines and its
  limitations
• interface design, algorithms and programming,
  implementation and evaluation

6
Prime objectiveto this end one needs

• to find out how to make computer / information
  technology more usable by people
• to study people, computer technology and the ways
  these influence one another

7
Key elements to understand

• the computer / information technology
• the people who use it user
• what is meant by more usable
• the work people are trying to perform with the
  use of the technology task
• -gt user-centred approach !!!

8
HCI is multidisciplinaryhence contributions from

• computer science
• psychology
• cognitive science
• sociology
• graphic design
• evaluation methods
• analytical - empirical

9
This unit focuses on psychology

• human cognitive and other mental capabilities,
  and
• how to incorporate knowledge of these into the
  design of technology
• treatment of technology itself will be limited to
  its functionality (coding left out completely)
• unifying principle useability, hence
• methods of evaluating designs against it

10
Human - machine interaction

• does NOT have to be a computer (VCR?)
• must be designed as integral part of the system
  (cant be plugged in at the last minute!)
• should support the tasks to be performed by the
  system
• should forgive carelessness and mistakes

11
Useability is no longer optional

• Health Safety standards in most developed
  countries require computer systems in the
  workplace that are not just safe but useable
• suitable for the task
• easy to use, and adapted or adaptable to users
  knowledge experience
• provide feedbak on performance (e.g. tone phone)
• conform to principles of software ergonomics

12
Meaning IntegrationConstructs Taxons

• bipolar
• descriptive
• semantic opposites
• more differentiating
• analytic

• unipolar
• nominative
• no opposites
• more inclusive
• (stereo)type-based