Knowra Human–computer interaction Human–computer interaction Human–computer interaction is the study and design of interactions between people and computing systems, including their interfaces, contexts, and effects.
User interface : The means through which a person interacts with a computer system. HCI examines how these interaction points communicate system capabilities and accept user actions.
Human-centered design : An approach to design that grounds development in users, their needs, and iterative evaluation. It organizes HCI work around understanding people and improving designs through repeated feedback.
Human factors and ergonomics : The study of how to design systems, tools, and environments around human capabilities and limitations. This older discipline supplied methods and concerns that shaped early HCI.
Graphical user interface : An interface that uses visual elements such as windows, icons, and menus to support interaction. Its conventions and limitations are a major subject of interface design and evaluation.
Computer science : The discipline concerned with computation, algorithms, information, and the design of computing systems. HCI overlaps with computer science while centering people and interaction in system design.
Usability : The extent to which specified users can achieve specified goals effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily in a context of use. It provides a central way to evaluate whether an interaction works for its intended users.
Usability testing : A method for evaluating a product by observing representative users attempt relevant tasks. Observed difficulties reveal where an interface conflicts with users' goals or expectations.
Cognitive psychology : The study of mental processes including perception, memory, attention, and reasoning. Its models helped explain how people interpret information and operate interactive systems.
Mobile computing : The use of portable computing devices and wireless networks while users move between locations. Mobility makes context, attention, and constrained input central HCI concerns.
Information architecture : The organization and labeling of information to support findability and understanding. It focuses on structuring content, a narrower concern within many HCI projects.
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