SYS3470

Human-computer interaction

D Eaves

6 points - 3 hours per week - Second semester - Caulfield - Prerequisites: SYS2001 or SYS2168 - Prohibitions: SYS3080, SYS3084, SYS4470

Objectives At the completion of this subject students should know cognitive and psychological aspects of computer system design and use; understand contemporary directions in the evolution of interface design; be able to design system structures and interfaces appropriate to the environment in which they are to be used; and appreciate how to evaluate their own and others' interface designs.

Synopsis This subject covers the design of computer system interfaces from a number of perspectives. These vary in level from an introduction of the nature of human vision and colour perception through broad psychological issues involved in computer system use. Topics to be covered include the following. Cognitive styles: human cognitive styles, cognitive styles in computing. The impact of early hardware and software limitations on contemporary systems. Cognitive research on man-computer interactions. Current models of interaction and their limitations. Natural language: the nature of language. The early history of natural language systems. Early translation programs. The attractions of natural language. Pitfalls. Chomsky and deep structures. Syntax and semantics. Dialogue management: existing interaction techniques. The nature of conversation. Redundancy, human communication. Dialogue components. Dialogue context and control. How humans give instructions. How humans teach. Conversational computing versus command mode computing. Levels of interaction. Graphic representation techniques: graphic and advanced tools for professional and end-user human-machine interaction. Graphic representation in object-based programming languages. Principles of intelligent graphic interface design and use.

Assessment Written: 50% - Examination: 50%

Prescribed texts

Johnson-Laird P The computer and the mind 2nd edn, Fontana, 1993

Recommended texts

Thimbleby H User interface design ACM, 1990

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