Introduction

Chapter 1

Dr. Andrew Besmer

Introduction

Types of HCI Contributions

  • Empirical
    • Qualitative
    • Quantitative
    • Surveys, Focus Groups, Time Diaries, Sensors, Instrumentation, Ethnography, etc…
  • Artifact
    • Often accompanied by empirical

Types of HCI Contributions

  • Methodological
    • New approach or process to carry out research
    • Instrument for measurement
  • Theoretical
    • Predictive or descriptive concepts/models
  • Dataset
    • Data
  • Opinion
    • Persuade readers

Research

  • Research generally needs to be
    • Relevant/rigorous
    • Influence
      • Interface design
      • Development processes
      • User training
      • Public policy
    • Traditionally focuses on practical results that improve quality of life

Measurement

  • Early measurement based on human performance
    • Completion Time
    • Success Rate/Error Rate
    • Time to Learn
    • Retention Over Time
    • Satisfaction
  • Typically Task Based Study
    • Separated - Discrete/make sense
    • Quantified/Measured

Micro/Macro HCI

  • Micro-HCI
    • Task Performance
  • Macro-HCI
    • User Motivation, Collaboration, Trust, etc…
    • Societal Impact
  • Consider something enjoyable like a video game

Experimental

  • Experimental Model
    • Hypothesis testing with statistics
    • Good for how often, long, successful, etc…
    • Not always suited to why
    • Well understood
  • Other Models
    • Ethnography
    • Focus Group
    • Interview, etc…

Early Research

  • Researching a new topic?
  • Consider exploratory research using:
    • Surveys
    • Interviews
    • Ethnography
    • etc…

Types of Research

  • Certain domains may lend different types of research
  • Consider mobile “in the wild” vs laboratory
    • Weather
    • Distractions
  • Issues to consider such as consent to data collection

Data Collection and Replication

  • No such thing as perfect data collection
  • Rarely is one study or finding the definitive answer
  • Replication is important
    • Studies should include sufficient details for replication
    • Results in “triangulation”

Replication

  • Even better when verified using different research methods
    • Multiple studies
      • Broad shallow navs are better than narrow deep
  • Findings can change over time
    • Frustrations of early web users vs today

Design Nuance

  • Design is not simple and not an optimization problem
  • Different stakeholders can be… different
  • Understand conflicts/tradeoffs between groups
  • Even if something is better, may not be adopted
    • Keyboard
  • Sometimes people desire it… iPhone

Questions?

  • Questions?