Information Processing

Humans as a component

One of the main things in HCI design are humans and the end users who will be using the design. With humans the design could never happen. While the Designing is taken place the humans can do testing and try out certain things to make sure that everything is functioning correctly.

Depending on how humans interact with the computer also depends on their Emotions, Intuition, Cultural influences, Language, Motivation, Senses and physical limitations, Problem solving abilities and how they learn and if they have any disabilities.

To make an HCI, the creator will need to know what the end users will want from the HCI such as the outcome that will be provided when the end users give it a certain command and also how long the end user will be willing to wait for something to happen. When the HCI Design is done, there will be a group of testers to test the HCI and see if it is correct before it is released for public use.

Human Information Processing (HIP)

HIP is the way which information is absorbed, analysed and use the information or do something with it. Humans can be put into a system prospective, our brains can be compared as the hardware of a system because our brain takes in the information and then we use our mind which could be the software which will allow us to process the information. Also the output will depend on our knowledge and how much we know.

HIP is the theory on how humans work like computers. It is believed that the sensed of humans such as our hands, mouth, eyes and nose are our input devices which for a computer the input devices could be a mouse and keyboard.

HIP allows humans to easily understand the information by splitting the information down into different steps which are:

·         Absorb the information
·         Analyse the information
·         Use the information
·         Do something with the information

GOMS (Goals, Operators, Methods and Selection)

This model can predict the time it will take to perform an action and how long it will take for the action to be followed and complete. The designer can set a goal which is the outcome of what the designer is going to/ perform a certain action which could be what will the outcome be if the designer double clicked an icon. The normal outcome should be that the folder/file opens, the GOMS model can predict how long that will take.

Goals – Goals is what the user wants to happen such as the task they want to perform such as saving your work on word.

Operators – Operators in the actual movement and actions that are taken to actually save the work on Word, the user will need click on the save button to save the work.

Methods – Methods is the way that is used to complete and action and goal that a user has set. The fastest way is to use shortcuts.

Selections – Selections is the method that is taken to actually complete an action. For example if you wanted to save your work, you can either use the mouse to click on the save button or you can used the faster option and press the CTRL + S key which will then automatically save the work for you. It is the faster way because it is a lot quicker to press CTRL + S than it is to use the mouse to click on the save button.