SENG 310: Human Computer Interaction

Lecture 2. The history of Human Computer

Interaction

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Highlights from the last course

Human Computer Interaction is a usability engineering processDesign, implementation, evaluationUsability=how well a user can use the functionality of the interfaceDimensions of usability:

- learnability- memorability- efficiency

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Today

History of Human Computer Interaction:Key systems, people and ideas- Where does the philosophy of HCI come

from?- Who were the main personalities?- Important milestones- The journey from the lab to the market

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Vanevar Bush

First HCI theorist1945: published “As we may think” in Atlantic MonthlyIdentified the information storage and retrieval problem:new knowledge does not reach the people who could benefit from it“publication has been extended far

beyond our present ability to make real use of the record”

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Vanevar Bush - Memex

A tool for administrating informationA theoretical proto-hypertext systemBush described the device as electronically linked to a library and able to display booksand films from the library and automatically follow cross-references from one work to another.The hypothetical technology : a combination of electromechanical controls and microfilm cameras, all integrated into a large desk.

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Memex

The main functionality of Memex= external memory

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Ivan Sutherland: “Sketchpad” (1963)

A drawing program using direct manipulation

introduced many ideas/concepts now found in today’s interfaces

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Ivan Sutherland (cont’d)

pointing the light-pen on the cathode ray tube: design a master picture and create instances from that master

Object oriented programming

Hierarchical structures (pictures and subpictures)

Icons: small pictures representing more complex items

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AppleNewton

Buxton andFitzmaurice

GO PenPoint

PalmPilot

Vadem Clio

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Douglas Engelbart

Strongly influenced by the theories of Vanevar Bush

saw the computer as an augmenting tool, rather than a tool for automatation: empower the user rather than replacing human work by computers

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Douglas Engelbart (cont’d)A Conceptual Framework for Augmenting Human Intellect (SRI Report, 1962)

"By augmenting man's intellect we mean increasing the capability of a man to approach a complex problem situation, gain comprehension to suit his particular needs, and to derive solutions to problems. One objective is to develop new techniques, procedures, and systems that will better adapt people's basic information-handling capabilities to the needs, problems, and progress of society."

...Doug Engelbart

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Engelbart: the NLS (oN Line System )

shared-screen collaboration involving two persons at different sites communicating over a network with audio and video interface.

http://sloan.stanford.edu/mousesite/1968Demo.html

Creating links (in-file object adressing and linking)

Multiple windows with flexible view control

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Engelbart's Workstation 1966 - Keyset, keyboard, monitor, mouseFrom www.bootstrap.org

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Engelbart: the first mouse (1964)

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The personal computer

Alan Kay (1969), Xerox ParcThe Dynabook concept (and cardboard prototype) described what is now known as a laptop computer Software (Smalltalk) aimed mostly at giving children unlimited expression opportunities with all digital media imaginable. target audience: children

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The Smalltalk language

Smalltalk was designed to mimic Kay's biological model of individual entities, or "cells," communicating with each other via messages.Eventually this language would father the genre of Objected Oriented Programming languages.

The Personal Computer (cont’d)

Xerox PARC, mid-’70sAlto computer

a personal workstation local processor, bit-mapped display, mouse

GUI text and drawing editing,windows, menus, scroll bars, mouse selection, etc

local area networks (Ethernet) for personal workstations

Electronic mail could make use of shared resources

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The Xerox Parc Alto: 1973

Only 2000 were built

Price ~ 40,000 $

Alto was not a commercial breakthrough

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Xerox Star: 1981designed as an office automation system important design goal: to make the "computer" as invisible to users as possible Another important assumption: occasional users, rather than people who spent most of their time at the machine.So, Star should be easy to learn and remember. First commercial system to provide a user interfaceStar is often mistaken for a computer. In fact, Star is a software package; the machine was designed to meet the needs of the software design.

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Xerox Star

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Xerox StarProgressive disclosure: detail should be hidden from users until they ask or need to see it.

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Apple Lisa

LISA=Logical Integrated Software Architecturedeveloped between 1979-1983initially designed as a text-based systemafter several field trips to Xerox Star, migration to a graphical, windows-based systemSophisticated hardware technology: Motorola 68000 processor + 1megabyte of memory.Document-based (program icons rare)

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Apple Lisa

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Apple Macintosh (1984)

Original design by Jeff Raskin: a computer that would work as an appliance; designed for people who were not fascinated in learning how it worked.Self-contained machineUse strongly guided by physical design: the user is forced to use the mouse (few function or even cursor keys)This strategy also forced software developers to create applications suitable for a mouse-driven graphical interface.

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Apple MacIntosh

Problem of the Mac: Only 128k main memory

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The desktop of the Mac

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Microsoft Windows

Release of the IBM PC AT in August 1984 running at 6MHz;

At the same time Microsoft releases MS-DOS 3.0 for PCs.

Windows planed 1983 was released on August 11, 1987

Windows 1.01 was a huge disappointment: almost unusable interface built on the criptic MS-DOS operating system; unsightly tiled windows, lack of icons

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Microsoft Windows

You know now:

Progress in HCI is a result of:cheaper computers/workstations meant people more important than machines

excellent interface ideas focus on human needs instead of system needs (user centered design)

ideas evolve into products through several iterations

pioneer systems developed innovative designs, but often commercially unviablesettler systems (many years later) well-researched designs + killer applications

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Examples of exam questions

1. Briefly describe the contribution of Vanevar Bush to the field of Human Computer Interaction.

- Engelbart- Ivan Sutherland- Alan Kay