HCI stands for human-computer interaction. But what exactly is HCI? Well, when you break down the concept, it looks at the relationship between humans and the design, execution and the assessment of various technology systems. Essentially, it is how people use and interact with technology. Think about people physically pushing buttons or using touchscreens, face recognition, or fingerprint technology. All of these things fall into the scope of HCI.
Next, you have psychology. They use this for applying analytical purpose and for applying the different theories that they have in psychology. Sociology, on the other hand, uses this concept as a way of looking at how technology interacts with businesses, charities and groups to find the most effective application. Finally, you have industrial design. They use this to simplify products that will eventually hit the consumer market like coffee pots, cars and laptops.
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In terms of cons, because of the lack of granular scaling of resources, any savings that you might see can be lost in terms of wasted resources. This isn't always the case, but you have to use your resources as effectively as possible. Human computer interaction can also be very technology-sensitive.
When it comes to UX design, and overall usability, one of the core things that you should ask is, "Can someone use this easily?" That's the core behind the concept of HCI: both usability and ease of use.
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What is It?
The ultimate goal behind HCI is to design more user-friendly interfaces that make it easier for humans to navigate websites and other technologies. That is the ultimate goal behind it. When you consider these things, you will look at how to design and assess systems accurately. In the second part, you want to learn how to reduce your design time while you have different heuristics and interactive system design.How is It Used?
You have a couple of distinct areas where they have used this such as computer science, psychology, sociology and industrial design. Let's have a look at how they use HCI in each of the industries. For example, computer science uses it to make applications and engineering more simple. They want to make things as navigable as possible.Next, you have psychology. They use this for applying analytical purpose and for applying the different theories that they have in psychology. Sociology, on the other hand, uses this concept as a way of looking at how technology interacts with businesses, charities and groups to find the most effective application. Finally, you have industrial design. They use this to simplify products that will eventually hit the consumer market like coffee pots, cars and laptops.
Photo: CAP / DigitalVision / Getty
The Differences Between UX and HCI
Both UX and UI design overlap with HCI on a regular basis. When it comes down to it, HCI was a precursor to UX. The main difference between HCI and UX is the purpose for which professionals utilize these understandings. HCI practitioners will generally involve themselves in scientific research to gain a more pragmatic understanding of the user while a UX designer will hone in on these understandings to create a product such as a smartphone app. Ultimately, HCI practitioners are more academic-centric while UX designers are more industry-focused.What are the Necessary Components?
You should understand the necessary components to get the most from it. Some of the guidelines that you might follow include:- Make it easy to reverse most actions.
- Give feedback regularly.
- Keep the design consistent.
- Name commands with simple action verbs.
Pros and Cons
You have a few pros and cons on each side. In terms of pros, it helps to make your designs more user friendly, which ultimately translates to a better experience. The other thing is that you hope it will make the experience more enjoyable. Finally, it works on efficiency and makes your system more efficient than what it would be otherwise. With a deeper understanding of your user, you not only can create a better and more usable system now, but also utilize your understanding for future projects.In terms of cons, because of the lack of granular scaling of resources, any savings that you might see can be lost in terms of wasted resources. This isn't always the case, but you have to use your resources as effectively as possible. Human computer interaction can also be very technology-sensitive.
Examples of HCI
Virtual reality is a perfect example of HCI at work. As the computer and user interact, it is supposed to give the user a different perspective. When done well, virtual reality can truly mimic the real world - a perfect example of quality HCI at work. Another example is voice search, like Amazon Alexa and Google Voice Search. These voice search applications and devices allow the user to interact with a device or system that directs them to an Amazon purchase or a Google query. It is interesting to see how HCI has developed over the years into things that users utilize on a daily basis.
How Can Companies Benefit from Using It?
The biggest benefit as a company that comes from using HCI is from more user friendly products. You are able to make computers and systems much more receptive to the needs of the user, creating a better user experience. In a way, you might consider this goal-driven design that helps you to achieve your goals more easily. That will ultimately lead to greater success in business, which is ultimately the biggest benefit of HCI.When it comes to UX design, and overall usability, one of the core things that you should ask is, "Can someone use this easily?" That's the core behind the concept of HCI: both usability and ease of use.
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