HCI Project
Table of Contents
Developments in Electronic Devices...................................................................................2
Origins of Computing.......................................................................................................2
Command Line Interfaces (CLIs)......................................................................................3
Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)......................................................................................3
Sense Orientation............................................................................................................5
Developments in User Interaction with Computing..........................................................6
User Development Factors................................................................................................11
Types of Users...............................................................................................................11
Ergonomics....................................................................................................................13
Health and Safety..........................................................................................................13
Demographics................................................................................................................14
Accessibility...................................................................................................................16
HCI in Society and its Impact............................................................................................17
Uses of HCI.....................................................................................................................17
Ways of HCI....................................................................................................................17
Impact of HCI.................................................................................................................18
Assistive Technologies...................................................................................................20
Design Principles of HCI....................................................................................................20
Recognition and Recall..................................................................................................20
Screen Design for Intuitive Data Entry...........................................................................21
Menu Selection..............................................................................................................21
Perception......................................................................................................................22
Shneiderman’s Rules of Interface Design......................................................................23
Behavioural Models........................................................................................................25
Reference List...................................................................................................................27
Over the years, technology has advanced substantially, affecting how humans interact
with computers. As a newly appointed trainee software developer at DS Displays tasked
,with making digital signs for AMAP Shopping Centre, an investigation will be launched
into the evolution of human-computer interaction (HCI) and its influence on society.
Developments in Electronic Devices
How developments in computing impact on the way humans interact with electronic
devices.
Origins of Computing
The earliest computers were only intended for calculations. They were not digital as the
first instance of computer usage was the abacus which was a wooden frame with rows of
beads that slid along a metal bar.
They aided humans in calculations in ancient times with many more mechanical devices
that followed suit to aid humans with tedious tasks such as guiding patterns for looms,
until today where we have fully digital computers capable of doing any task we require,
as well as virtualising entertainment and information.
These computers aided humans for centuries, however, the first modern computer was
theorised in the 19th and 20th century and would be designed to solve the increasingly
complex calculations. They were room-filling and prototypical but marked the dawn of
modern electrical computing. When Alan Turing first devised the principle of a universal
machine, it was to be used to compute anything that was computable, and this principle
is still followed by computers to this day. (Williamson, 2021)
As they were sizable and have not left the realm of concept, they were not as widely
used as they are today, however, it has proven its uses for its era. In World War 2, they
were used to decrypt encrypted messages (Enigma code) sent across radio by the
Germans.
British codebreakers at Bletchley Park in the height of the war developed a computer
called Colossus, the world’s first electronic digital programmable computer. It used
paper-tape input and used vacuum tubes which helped to break the Enigma code and
help win the war. (Boyd, 2017)
Old computers, such as the Tunny that was used to create Enigma by the Germans, do
resemble the interaction methods that can be used on modern computers. The German
messages were typed into a teleprinter keyboard, like how computers today use
keyboard for text input.
The teleprinter itself changed each keyboard letter/character into 5-bit teleprinter code,
just like a modern computer keyboard converts typed letters into binary code which the
computer can understand. (Copeland, 2017)
,Command Line Interfaces (CLIs)
Command line interfaces are a way to interact with the computer’s operating system
solely through commands queried into the system which can be used to run programs,
calculations and configure the operating system.
Every operating system has a CLI, such as Microsoft Windows making use of the
command prompt or Windows PowerShell, and Linux-based operating systems utilise
Bourne-Again Shell (bash) as the default CLI.
CLI’s work by accepting commands a user queries into the system and outputting an
appropriate response, such as requesting to open a program. Different CLI’s use different
syntax, but they essentially perform the same task.
When programs are opened in a CLI, it is now focused on it until the user exits it or if it is
set to exit in its algorithm after a certain event. When accessing a program, commands
are also performed that are recognised by the program so its functionality can be utilised
by the user.
The same idea applies to performing calculations, and CLI’s also display an appropriate
output for every command queried.
CLI’s were a revolutionary change in the way that humans interact with computers as it
is most intuitive to essentially tell the computer what task the user desires to complete
in a language a computer is capable of understanding. Their outputs have allowed
humans to instantly receive intuitive feedback on their inputs and keep a consistent loop
of interaction.
CLI’s provide several advantages such as speed as there is no graphical limitations set
on its hardware.
They are also quick and efficient to complete single tasks as only a simple command can
be quickly queried to execute it. (Hassan, 2023)
It would be most effective for DS Displays’ software developers to use CLI’s for backend
computer configuration as it is likely they will have a lot of computers in their office and
the IT team can quickly and efficiently set up the computers.
Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)
A graphical user interface is where a user can interact with a computer’s operating
system with the aid of a digital interface.
They provide graphical components like icons, mouse pointers, menus and buttons which
are intuitive to humans as they visually represent their functions, which makes it an
upgrade from CLI’s on how humans interact with computers.
, This is because humans are instinctively visual learners and require variation in what
they see as opposed to CLIs showing only text. This made computers efficient for day-to-
day use, especially for computer novices who have not found it appealing to learn
multitudes of commands for navigation.
They certainly provide the greatest form of feedback from computers to humans;
however, they have had a long journey to end up where they are now.
In the early 1980s, concepts for early GUIs came about as a way to market computer
usage to the general public rather than people with specialised computing skills as they
could manipulate files and directories with a GUI’s visual elements, and it provided a
place to showcase and store virtual media on computers such as photos and videos that
can be re-watched right there on the very same computer storing it. (Juviler, 2023)
As graphical capabilities of personal computers expanded towards the mid-1990s, colour
and graphics of GUIs felt more realistic and allowed for more content to be displayed on
computer screens. This allowed them to be more functional, especially for entertainment
as some of the first and most well-known games such as Doom were popularised in this
era.
The latest endeavour in GUIs is their usage in mobile phones and portable devices. The
power and efficiency a GUI can provide in day-to-day tasks can now be utilised from
anywhere the user wishes, and are adapted to compact screen sizes, no less capable
than average computers, and revolutionise communication.
GUIs can even be found on many household appliances such as fridges and washing
machines as embedded systems to further enhance their functionalities for the user.
This goes to show that GUIs have advanced greatly over time due to them being the best
way for humans to interact with computers. (Perlman, 2014)
When it comes to the argument on whether command line interfaces or graphical user
interfaces are superior, it essentially comes down to the task aiming to be achieved.
Command line interfaces, while they do not provide an excellent interface for a user to
work with, an experienced computer user will find great efficiency completing tasks with
simple queries they are well-versed with, however, for the average user, it is most
suitable for them to have the comfort of a graphical user interface depicting the
functionality of different elements of the usage of an operating system. (Team, 2023)
A GUI is what the software for DS Displays will use as the user will need the benefit of
being able to see all the interactions they do, as well as the fact that AMAP Shopping
Centre will use a GUI operating system to show the signs on their displays
Table of Contents
Developments in Electronic Devices...................................................................................2
Origins of Computing.......................................................................................................2
Command Line Interfaces (CLIs)......................................................................................3
Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)......................................................................................3
Sense Orientation............................................................................................................5
Developments in User Interaction with Computing..........................................................6
User Development Factors................................................................................................11
Types of Users...............................................................................................................11
Ergonomics....................................................................................................................13
Health and Safety..........................................................................................................13
Demographics................................................................................................................14
Accessibility...................................................................................................................16
HCI in Society and its Impact............................................................................................17
Uses of HCI.....................................................................................................................17
Ways of HCI....................................................................................................................17
Impact of HCI.................................................................................................................18
Assistive Technologies...................................................................................................20
Design Principles of HCI....................................................................................................20
Recognition and Recall..................................................................................................20
Screen Design for Intuitive Data Entry...........................................................................21
Menu Selection..............................................................................................................21
Perception......................................................................................................................22
Shneiderman’s Rules of Interface Design......................................................................23
Behavioural Models........................................................................................................25
Reference List...................................................................................................................27
Over the years, technology has advanced substantially, affecting how humans interact
with computers. As a newly appointed trainee software developer at DS Displays tasked
,with making digital signs for AMAP Shopping Centre, an investigation will be launched
into the evolution of human-computer interaction (HCI) and its influence on society.
Developments in Electronic Devices
How developments in computing impact on the way humans interact with electronic
devices.
Origins of Computing
The earliest computers were only intended for calculations. They were not digital as the
first instance of computer usage was the abacus which was a wooden frame with rows of
beads that slid along a metal bar.
They aided humans in calculations in ancient times with many more mechanical devices
that followed suit to aid humans with tedious tasks such as guiding patterns for looms,
until today where we have fully digital computers capable of doing any task we require,
as well as virtualising entertainment and information.
These computers aided humans for centuries, however, the first modern computer was
theorised in the 19th and 20th century and would be designed to solve the increasingly
complex calculations. They were room-filling and prototypical but marked the dawn of
modern electrical computing. When Alan Turing first devised the principle of a universal
machine, it was to be used to compute anything that was computable, and this principle
is still followed by computers to this day. (Williamson, 2021)
As they were sizable and have not left the realm of concept, they were not as widely
used as they are today, however, it has proven its uses for its era. In World War 2, they
were used to decrypt encrypted messages (Enigma code) sent across radio by the
Germans.
British codebreakers at Bletchley Park in the height of the war developed a computer
called Colossus, the world’s first electronic digital programmable computer. It used
paper-tape input and used vacuum tubes which helped to break the Enigma code and
help win the war. (Boyd, 2017)
Old computers, such as the Tunny that was used to create Enigma by the Germans, do
resemble the interaction methods that can be used on modern computers. The German
messages were typed into a teleprinter keyboard, like how computers today use
keyboard for text input.
The teleprinter itself changed each keyboard letter/character into 5-bit teleprinter code,
just like a modern computer keyboard converts typed letters into binary code which the
computer can understand. (Copeland, 2017)
,Command Line Interfaces (CLIs)
Command line interfaces are a way to interact with the computer’s operating system
solely through commands queried into the system which can be used to run programs,
calculations and configure the operating system.
Every operating system has a CLI, such as Microsoft Windows making use of the
command prompt or Windows PowerShell, and Linux-based operating systems utilise
Bourne-Again Shell (bash) as the default CLI.
CLI’s work by accepting commands a user queries into the system and outputting an
appropriate response, such as requesting to open a program. Different CLI’s use different
syntax, but they essentially perform the same task.
When programs are opened in a CLI, it is now focused on it until the user exits it or if it is
set to exit in its algorithm after a certain event. When accessing a program, commands
are also performed that are recognised by the program so its functionality can be utilised
by the user.
The same idea applies to performing calculations, and CLI’s also display an appropriate
output for every command queried.
CLI’s were a revolutionary change in the way that humans interact with computers as it
is most intuitive to essentially tell the computer what task the user desires to complete
in a language a computer is capable of understanding. Their outputs have allowed
humans to instantly receive intuitive feedback on their inputs and keep a consistent loop
of interaction.
CLI’s provide several advantages such as speed as there is no graphical limitations set
on its hardware.
They are also quick and efficient to complete single tasks as only a simple command can
be quickly queried to execute it. (Hassan, 2023)
It would be most effective for DS Displays’ software developers to use CLI’s for backend
computer configuration as it is likely they will have a lot of computers in their office and
the IT team can quickly and efficiently set up the computers.
Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)
A graphical user interface is where a user can interact with a computer’s operating
system with the aid of a digital interface.
They provide graphical components like icons, mouse pointers, menus and buttons which
are intuitive to humans as they visually represent their functions, which makes it an
upgrade from CLI’s on how humans interact with computers.
, This is because humans are instinctively visual learners and require variation in what
they see as opposed to CLIs showing only text. This made computers efficient for day-to-
day use, especially for computer novices who have not found it appealing to learn
multitudes of commands for navigation.
They certainly provide the greatest form of feedback from computers to humans;
however, they have had a long journey to end up where they are now.
In the early 1980s, concepts for early GUIs came about as a way to market computer
usage to the general public rather than people with specialised computing skills as they
could manipulate files and directories with a GUI’s visual elements, and it provided a
place to showcase and store virtual media on computers such as photos and videos that
can be re-watched right there on the very same computer storing it. (Juviler, 2023)
As graphical capabilities of personal computers expanded towards the mid-1990s, colour
and graphics of GUIs felt more realistic and allowed for more content to be displayed on
computer screens. This allowed them to be more functional, especially for entertainment
as some of the first and most well-known games such as Doom were popularised in this
era.
The latest endeavour in GUIs is their usage in mobile phones and portable devices. The
power and efficiency a GUI can provide in day-to-day tasks can now be utilised from
anywhere the user wishes, and are adapted to compact screen sizes, no less capable
than average computers, and revolutionise communication.
GUIs can even be found on many household appliances such as fridges and washing
machines as embedded systems to further enhance their functionalities for the user.
This goes to show that GUIs have advanced greatly over time due to them being the best
way for humans to interact with computers. (Perlman, 2014)
When it comes to the argument on whether command line interfaces or graphical user
interfaces are superior, it essentially comes down to the task aiming to be achieved.
Command line interfaces, while they do not provide an excellent interface for a user to
work with, an experienced computer user will find great efficiency completing tasks with
simple queries they are well-versed with, however, for the average user, it is most
suitable for them to have the comfort of a graphical user interface depicting the
functionality of different elements of the usage of an operating system. (Team, 2023)
A GUI is what the software for DS Displays will use as the user will need the benefit of
being able to see all the interactions they do, as well as the fact that AMAP Shopping
Centre will use a GUI operating system to show the signs on their displays
