Book Image

Learn Human-Computer Interaction

By : Christopher Reid Becker
Book Image

Learn Human-Computer Interaction

By: Christopher Reid Becker

Overview of this book

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is a field of study that researches, designs, and develops software solutions that solve human problems. This book will help you understand various aspects of the software development phase, from planning and data gathering through to the design and development of software solutions. The book guides you through implementing methodologies that will help you build robust software. You will perform data gathering, evaluate user data, and execute data analysis and interpretation techniques. You’ll also understand why human-centered methodologies are successful in software development, and learn how to build effective software solutions through practical research processes. The book will even show you how to translate your human understanding into software solutions through validation methods and rapid prototyping leading to usability testing. Later, you will understand how to use effective storytelling to convey the key aspects of your software to users. Throughout the book, you will learn the key concepts with the help of historical figures, best practices, and references to common challenges faced in the software industry. By the end of this book, you will be well-versed with HCI strategies and methodologies to design effective user interfaces.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
1
Section 1 - Learn Human-Computer Interaction
5
Section 2 - How to Build Human-Centered Software
11
Section 3 - When to Improve Software Systems
The Future of HCI

By now, you should have picked up that HCI is intimately connected to people. Whether that be through the data we gather on users during research or throughout the software design process, the skills and experience we have been reviewing up to this point will allow you to extend your care for users. However, nothing is foolproof. You should not think that there is nothing more to learn even after completing a book; rather, you should see HCI as an opportunity for you to continuously gain new knowledge and skills. Because a computer is a great tool for gathering data, we design our software to capture data that allows a software team to capitalize on this feedback in order to understand our users and ultimately create better software solutions. The process is iterative and your role is continuous. The role that HCI designers play in this cycle is to improve the...