Understanding Users in human Computer interaction

Understanding Users in human Computer interaction

1. Human Computer Interaction Pamir Institute of higher education Lecturer : Asadullah Eman || Phone : [phone]

2. Week 3-4 : Understanding Users User needs and goals User psychology and Cognitive Models Personas and Scenarios User Research Methods( Interview, surveys, observation…)

3. User Needs and Goals Understanding user needs and goals is a critical component of the HCI design process. User Needs : These refer to the essential requirements and desires that users have when interacting with a system or product. These needs can be: Functional: The ability to complete a task efficiently. Emotional: Feeling confident and satisfied while using the system.

4. User Needs and Goals Identifying user needs involves gathering data about users' behaviors, preferences, and pain points through various research methods, such as: Interviews Surveys Observations User Goals : These refer to the specific objectives that users aim to achieve when using a system or product. Goals can range from: Simple tasks: Checking the weather. Complex activities: Managing a project.

5. User Needs and Goals Understanding user goals requires designers to consider the context in which users operate, including their: Tasks Environments Constraints By aligning the design of a system with user goals, designers can create interfaces that facilitate goal achievement and enhance overall user satisfaction .

6. User Psychology and Cognitive Models User psychology and cognitive models play a crucial role in HCI by providing insights into how users perceive, process, and interact with information. Cognitive Psychology : This field studies mental processes such as: Perception Memory Attention Problem-solving These processes are essential for understanding user behavior and designing effective interfaces.

7. User Psychology and Cognitive Models 1. Perception Process: How users receive and interpret sensory information from their environment. Example: When using a smartphone, users perceive icons on the screen. Good design ensures icons are easily recognizable and visually distinct, helping users quickly identify apps. 2. Memory Process : How users store and recall information. Example: When logging into an account, users rely on their memory to recall their username and password. Systems that offer features like “Remember Me” help reduce the burden on users' memory. Examples:

8. User Psychology and Cognitive Models 3 . Attention Process : How users focus on specific information while ignoring other stimuli. Example : In a complex dashboard with multiple data points, designers can use visual cues like color-coding and highlights to draw users' attention to critical information, ensuring they don’t overlook important data. 4. Problem-Solving Process : How users identify solutions to obstacles they encounter. Example : When troubleshooting an error message on a computer, users follow a series of steps (like checking the internet connection) to solve the issue. Providing clear error messages and step-by-step guides can assist in efficient problem-solving. Examples:

9. User Psychology and Cognitive Models Cognitive Models : Theoretical frameworks that describe the mental processes involved in human-computer interactions. They help designers predict user interactions and identify usability issues. Common cognitive models include : 1. Model Human Processor (MHP) The Model Human Processor (MHP) is a way to understand how humans process information, similar to how a computer works. It divides human thinking into three parts: Perceptual System – Takes in information through senses (like eyes and ears). Cognitive System – Processes the information and makes decisions. Motor System – Controls physical actions (like typing or clicking a mouse).

10. User Psychology and Cognitive Models Examples of MHP: Typing on a Keyboard – Your eyes (perceptual) see the letters, your brain (cognitive) decides what to type, and your fingers (motor) press the keys. Driving a Car – You see a red light (perceptual), decide to stop (cognitive), and press the brake (motor). Using a Smartphone – You see a notification (perceptual), decide to open it (cognitive), and tap the screen (motor).

11. User Psychology and Cognitive Models 2. GOMS Model The GOMS Model (Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection rules) predicts how long it takes users to complete a task by breaking it into steps: Goals – What the user wants to achieve (e.g., send an email). Operators – Basic actions taken (e.g., typing, clicking). Methods – Different ways to reach the goal (e.g., using a keyboard shortcut or a mouse). Selection Rules – Choosing the best method based on the situation. This model is used to analyze efficiency in user interfaces.

12. User Psychology and Cognitive Models Examples of GOMS Model: Copying and Pasting Text – Goal: Copy text; Operators: Highlight, press Ctrl+C , press Ctrl+V . Sending an Email – Goal: Send email; Operators: Click compose, type, press send. Opening a File in a Software – Goal: Open a file; Operators: Click "File," select "Open," choose file, click "OK."

13. User Psychology and Cognitive Models 3. Fitts ' Law Fitts ' Law states that the time to reach a target (like clicking a button) depends on two things: Distance – How far the target is from the starting point. Size – How big the target is. It means that closer and bigger buttons are easier and faster to click than smaller and farther ones.

14. User Psychology and Cognitive Models Examples of Fitts ' Law: Large Buttons on a Website – "Submit" buttons are large to make them easier to click. Smartphone Keyboards – The spacebar is big because it's used often and should be easy to tap. Gaming Controllers – Important buttons (like "Jump" or "Shoot") are larger and placed close to fingers for quick access.

15. User Psychology and Cognitive Models Applying these models helps designers: Align interfaces with users' mental processes Reduce cognitive load Enhance usability

16. Personas and Scenarios Personas and Scenarios are valuable tools in HCI, that helps designers to understand and empathize with users. Personas: are fictional user which are created based on real users’ behaviors, needs, characteristics. Advantages: Better Design making Best UX Design Getting users needs

17. How to create Persona? Data Collection Gathering users needs, behaviors and preferences using Research Methods. Users Segmentation(grouping) Group users based on the collected data e.g. new users, experience users, public people. Creating a specific fake user Create a fake user for every group. Visual Representation of fake user Use card or chart to represent information in the about the persona

18. How to create Persona? Every fake users should have: Name and Job Personal Information e.g. Age, Education, lifestyle Objectives and Needs Behaviors and Experience Scenario if possible e.g. a story about his life was using technology

19. Personas Example 1 Farid – Engineering Student Age: 23 years old Profession: Computer Engineering Student Skills: Familiar with software but dislikes UI complexity Goals: Wants to use simple educational software for learning Challenges: If an application is complex, he quickly loses interest Behavior: Mostly uses a mobile phone and prefers simple interfaces

20. Personas Example 1 Maryam – Online Shopping Enthusiast Age: 28 years old Profession : Marketing Specialist Skills : Experienced in online shopping, comfortable with fast websites Goals : Wants to quickly find and purchase products Challenges : Dislikes slow-loading websites Behavior : Mostly uses a mobile phone and prefers simple payment methods

21. Personas Example 1 Javed – Business Manager Age : 35 years old Profession : Company Manager Skills : Familiar with financial software but lacks technical expertise Goals : Wants to easily manage his company's financial status Challenges : Finds complex software time-consuming Behavior : Mostly uses a desktop computer and prefers simple dashboards

22. User Research methods User research is a fundamental aspect of HCI that involves gathering data about users' behaviors , needs, and preferences to inform the design process. There are various user research methods that designers can use to collect qualitative and quantitative data, these methods includes: Interviews Surveys Observations

23. User Research methods Interviews: Interviews are one-on-one conversations between researchers and users that aim to gather in-depth information about users' experiences, needs, and goals. Interviews can be: Structured interview: is a set of predefined questions. Unstructured interview: is a set of open-ended and explanatory questions. Semi-structured interview: is the combination of the two approaches.

24. User Research methods Survey: is a quantitative research method that involves collecting data from a large number of users through questionnaires. Survey can be: Online In-person Over-phone Survey includes various types of questions such as : multiple-choice Likert scale open-ended

25. User Research methods Observation: involve watching users as they interact with a system in their natural environment. Observations help researchers understand the context in which users operate and identify potential usability issues and areas for improvement. The best point is, in observation such data can be obtained that cannot be collected in interview or survey.