Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Micro Specialization | Module 4: Guidelines in HCI by Prakhar Chauhan | Learn Smarter
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Module 4: Guidelines in HCI

This chapter provides a comprehensive exploration of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) guidelines, focusing on usability principles and evaluation methods. Key concepts include Norman's Seven Principles, Nielsen's Ten Usability Heuristics, and methods like Heuristic Evaluation and Contextual Inquiry, emphasizing their application in design. Understanding these frameworks enables designers to create user-friendly interfaces and identify usability issues effectively throughout the design lifecycle.

Sections

  • 4

    Guidelines In Hci

    This section examines foundational guidelines and evaluation methods in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), outlining principles that ensure user-friendly design.

  • 4.1

    Lecture 1: Norman's Seven Principles

    Donald Norman's Seven Principles provide foundational guidelines for creating intuitive and user-friendly interfaces in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).

  • 4.1.1

    Discoverability

    Discoverability in HCI emphasizes how easily users can perceive possible actions within a system.

  • 4.1.2

    Feedback

    This section covers the importance of feedback in human-computer interaction, highlighting its role in ensuring effective communication between users and systems.

  • 4.1.3

    Affordances

    This section on affordances discusses how design elements communicate their potential use to users without requiring additional instructions.

  • 4.1.4

    Signifiers

    Signifiers provide explicit clues that guide users on how to interact with components and where actions can be performed within an interface.

  • 4.1.5

    Mapping

    Mapping in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) establishes essential relationships between controls and their effects, guiding user understanding and interaction.

  • 4.1.6

    Constraints

    This section discusses the concept of constraints in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), detailing how they restrict user actions to enhance usability and prevent errors.

  • 4.1.7

    Conceptual Models

    Conceptual models are essential for understanding how users perceive and interact with systems.

  • 4.2

    Lecture 2: Norman's Model Of Interaction

    This section discusses Donald Norman's Model of Interaction, which outlines the cognitive and physical steps users take while interacting with a system, highlighting the importance of bridging the 'gulfs' of execution and evaluation.

  • 4.2.1

    The Execution Phase (Transforming Intentions Into Actions)

    This section explores the Execution Phase of user interaction, detailing how intentions are converted into actions within a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) context, emphasizing the user's goals, intentions, and the importance of the system's response.

  • 4.2.2

    The Gulf Of Execution

    The Gulf of Execution refers to the gap between a user's intentions and the actions available in a system, highlighting challenges in user interaction design.

  • 4.2.3

    The Evaluation Phase (Interpreting System Feedback And State)

    The Evaluation Phase focuses on how users interpret the feedback from interactive systems to assess their task accomplishment.

  • 4.2.4

    The Gulf Of Evaluation

    This section discusses the Gulf of Evaluation, which is the gap between a user's interpretation of a system's feedback and their goals.

  • 4.2.5

    Designing To Bridge The Gulfs

    The section discusses how to bridge the gaps in user interaction with systems through effective design principles based on Donald Norman's model.

  • 4.3

    Lecture 3: Nielsen's Ten Heuristics With Examples Of Its Use

    This section explores Jakob Nielsen's Ten Usability Heuristics, providing a practical framework for evaluating user interfaces.

  • 4.3.1

    Visibility Of System Status

    This section emphasizes the importance of maintaining transparency between the user and the system to enhance user experience.

  • 4.3.2

    Match Between System And The Real World

    This section explores how user interfaces should align with users' real-world experiences and cognitive models to enhance usability.

  • 4.3.3

    User Control And Freedom

    User control and freedom in HCI emphasizes the importance of providing users with options to navigate freely, reverse actions, and manage their interactions effectively.

  • 4.3.4

    Consistency And Standards

    This section emphasizes the importance of consistency and standards in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), focusing on Norman's principles and Nielsen's heuristics that guide effective design.

  • 4.3.5

    Error Prevention

    Error prevention involves designing interfaces to reduce the likelihood of user mistakes, thereby improving usability.

  • 4.3.6

    Recognition Rather Than Recall

    This section emphasizes minimizing cognitive load by designing systems that allow users to recognize options and actions rather than having to recall them from memory.

  • 4.3.7

    Flexibility And Efficiency Of Use

    This section discusses how user interfaces can be designed to accommodate both novice and expert users, promoting efficiency through flexible options.

  • 4.3.8

    Aesthetic And Minimalist Design

    This section discusses the importance of aesthetic and minimalist design in user interfaces to enhance user experience by focusing on essential elements.

  • 4.3.9

    Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, And Recover From Errors

    This section discusses the importance of providing clear error messages and support to help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors in a user interface.

  • 4.3.10

    Help And Documentation

    This section addresses the importance of help and documentation in improving user experience by providing accessible, concise, and task-oriented guidance.

  • 4.4

    Lecture 4: Heuristic Evaluation

    Heuristic Evaluation is an expert-based usability inspection method that assesses interfaces against established usability principles to identify usability problems efficiently.

  • 4.4.1

    The Systematic Process Of Heuristic Evaluation

    The systematic process of heuristic evaluation outlines a structured method for identifying usability issues in interface designs through expert assessments based on established heuristics.

  • 4.4.2

    Advantages Of Heuristic Evaluation (Why It's A Go-To Method)

    Heuristic evaluation is a cost-effective and efficient usability inspection method that identifies usability issues early in the design process.

  • 4.4.3

    Limitations Of Heuristic Evaluation (Important Considerations)

    Heuristic evaluation is an effective usability method with several inherent limitations that designers must consider.

  • 4.5

    Lecture 5: Contextual Inquiry And Cognitive Walkthrough

    This section explores Contextual Inquiry and Cognitive Walkthrough as essential methods for understanding user behavior and enhancing system learnability in Human-Computer Interaction.

  • 4.5.1

    Contextual Inquiry: Understanding Users In Their Natural Habitat

    Contextual Inquiry is a qualitative research method used to understand user behavior and work practices while they interact with their environment.

  • 4.5.1.1

    Core Principles Of Contextual Inquiry

    Contextual Inquiry is a qualitative user research method aimed at understanding user behavior and requirements in their natural environment.

  • 4.5.1.2

    The Process Of Contextual Inquiry

    Contextual Inquiry is a user-centered research method focusing on observing users in their natural environment to understand their behaviors and needs.

  • 4.5.1.3

    Advantages Of Contextual Inquiry

    Contextual Inquiry is an ethnographic research method that provides deep insights into user behavior and needs by observing them in their natural environments.

  • 4.5.1.4

    Disadvantages Of Contextual Inquiry

    This section discusses the disadvantages of using Contextual Inquiry as a method for understanding user behavior in their natural environment.

  • 4.5.2

    Cognitive Walkthrough: Evaluating Learnability Step-By-Step

    The Cognitive Walkthrough method is a usability inspection technique focusing on assessing the learnability of a system, particularly for first-time users.

  • 4.5.2.1

    The Process Of Cognitive Walkthrough

    The Cognitive Walkthrough is a structured usability inspection method focused on evaluating learnability from a new user's perspective by simulating their interaction with a system.

  • 4.5.2.2

    Advantages Of Cognitive Walkthrough

    Cognitive Walkthrough is a method for evaluating the usability of interfaces, particularly focusing on their learnability for new users.

  • 4.5.2.3

    Disadvantages Of Cognitive Walkthrough

    Cognitive walkthroughs, while useful in usability testing, come with several disadvantages that can affect their effectiveness and applicability.

Class Notes

Memorization

What we have learnt

  • Norman's principles enhance...
  • Nielsen's heuristics provid...
  • Heuristic Evaluation and Co...

Final Test

Revision Tests