Advanced HCI – COM719M1

Human Capabilities: Physiology

HCI Accessibility
Tasks and Contexts

Dr Joan Condell
Supported by Ms Anne Hinds
 Week 3

 Human Capabilities: Physiology

 Ergonomics (Physical fit between human and machine)
 Fitt’s law (Model of psychomotor behaviour)

 HCI Accessibility

 Tasks and Contexts:

 Impact of technology at organization level
 Impact of technology at the user level
 Human Capabilities: Physiology
ERGONOMICS
 Distinct subject from HCI
 Determines constraints on way systems are designed
 Suggests detailed / specific guidelines / standards

 Human factors
 Study of physical characteristics of interaction
• Arrangement / design of controls
• Physical environment e.g. Health issues
• Layout / physical qualities of screen e.g. Use of colour
 Focus on user performance
 How interface enhances / detracts from this
 YouTube:
Mar 07, IDO: Ergonomics Virtual
Reality

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=namDFPIgONc

IDO:Ergonomics man model

- Answers questions of ergonomics early on prior to the construction of a
physical prototype based on 3D data
- Makes valuable time and cost savings in product development
- Examine controls with regard to their accessibility and manageability,
perform positionings and comfort analyses and assess visual space in a
meaningful manner.
 ERGONOMICS (1):
Arrangement / design of controls

• Logically group sets of controls together to allow rapid access

• Promotes efficiency
• Keep opposing controls separate
• Discourages frustration
• Lighting should be arranged to avoid glare / refection distorting displays
• Controls should be spaced to allow adequate manoeuvrability
• Entire system interface should be arranged appropriately for user’s position
• Critical displays at eye level
 ERGONOMICS (2):
Use of colour
Visual system has limitations with colour
• High proportion of population suffers from deficiency in colour vision

• Keep colours as distinct as possible

• Only use blue for critical info

• Use other cues aside from colour

• Colours should correspond to common conventions / user expectations

• Remember colour conventions are culturally dependent e.g.

• Red in Western cultures = danger / warning
• Red in China = happiness / good fortune
• Mourning differences in cultures: black or white
• N.B. we design for global market
 ERGONOMICS (3):
Physical environment
• Where will it be used?
• Who will use it?
• Will users sit / stand / move about?

• Can influence acceptance and user’s health / safety

• Consider: size of users
• Smallest should be able to reach all controls
• Biggest shouldn’t be cramped
• All users should be seated for comfort and stability
• Back support
• If standing: have room to move around
 ERGONOMICS (4):
Health issues

Poor design of safety-critical systems e.g. aircraft crashing….

• Physical position
• Able to reach controls comfortably and see all displays
• Not stand for long periods of time
• If sitting provide back support
• Temperature: Avoid extremes
• Extremes of hot and cold will affect performance / health
• Users lose concentration and performance deteriorates at high/low temperatures
• Lighting: Avoid glare on screen
• Users able to see screen without discomfort / eyestrain
• Noise : Comfortable level
• Excessive noise is harmful to health, can cause pain, loss of hearing
• Time: Control time spent using system
• Excessive use of CRT displays may be harmful to users???
 Human Capabilities: Physiology
FITT’S LAW
• Humans are limited creatures with specific physical limitations:
• Sensory limits (what/how much our senses can perceive)
• Motor / responder limits (reach and strength)
• Cognitive processing limits (reaction time / accuracy)
• No 2 people have the exact same limitations!

• Fitt’s Law = model of psychomotor behaviour (1954)

• Based on time / distance
• Can predict human movement / motion based on rapid aimed
movement (not drawing/writing)
• Obvious! Distance moved affects movement time / precision
demanded by size of target
 FITT’S LAW:
Different timing constants for different devices

MT = a + b log 2(2D/W)
MT = movement time
Regression coefficients a, b depend on pointing device / user skill
D = distance of movement from start to target centre
W = width of target
Constants also depend on device state (pointing / dragging):
• User is holding a device down, hand is tensed, so pointing accuracy and
speed are different
• Accuracy for moving cursor around > Accuracy to point

http://acs.ist.psu.edu/discrete-math/applets/fittslaw/FittsLawApplet.html
 HCI Accessibility

 Products exclude users unnecessarily

 Increase Accessibility and Usability

 Ensure interactive systems can be used by

anyone, regardless of
• strengths/weaknesses
• level of expertise
• disabilities
• environments they are in
 Universal Access = ‘Design for all’

• Designs that can be used by anyone, anytime,

anywhere
• Simplify life for everyone by making things more
usable by as many as possible
• Universal design (US)
‘Design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the
greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised
design’
• ‘Design for all’ (Europe)
‘System design which can be used by all users regardless of their
strengths and weakness, their level of expertise, disabilities or
environments’
 YouTube:
Feb 08, Research Project in
Universal Design in US Census

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6eW5CjnHEM

Synapse TAP Workstation

- provides integrated turn-key access solutions that empower individuals
with disabilities
- helps employers meet their accommodation requirements in the
workplace
- offers speech recognition on any computer including UNIX,
mainframe, Mac and PC platforms
- provide universal access to users regardless of their disability
 Universal Design =
Inclusive, hands-on approach

• Accommodate diversity in users, applications, services

E.g. TV, DVD player, mobile phone

• 7 Principles of Universal Design (

www.design.ncsu.edu/cud)
• Authors collaborate to establish principles to guide
range of design disciplines to…
• Evaluate existing design
• Guide design process
• Educate designers / consumers about characteristics of more
usable products / environments
 1 Equitable Use

‘The design is useful and marketable to people with

diverse abilities’

• Provide same means of use for all

• Avoid segregating / stigmatising users
• Make privacy, security and safety provisions available for all
• Make design appealing to all
 2 Flexibility in Use

‘The design accommodates a wide range of individual

preferences and abilities’

• Provide choice of methods of use

• Accommodate right and left handed access / use
• Facilitate user’s accuracy / precision
• Provide adaptability to user’s pace
 3 Simple and Intuitive Use

‘Use of design is easy to understand, regardless of the

user’s expertise, knowledge, language skills or current
concentration level’

• Eliminate unnecessary complexity

• Be consistent with user expectations / intuition
• Accommodate wide range of literacy / language skills
• Provide effective prompts / feedback during / after task
completion
 4 Perceptible Information

‘The design communicates necessary information

effectively to the user, regardless of ambient
conditions or the user’s sensory abilities’

• Use different modes for redundant presentation of essential info

(pictorial / verbal / tactile)
• Maximise ‘legibility’ of essential info
• Make it easy to give instructions / directions
• Make compatible with variety of techniques / devices used by
people with sensory limitations
 5 Tolerance for Error

‘The design minimises hazards and the adverse

consequences of accidental or unintended actions’

• Arrange elements to minimise hazards / errors

• Provide warnings of hazards / errors
• Provide fail-safe features
• Discourage unconscious action in tasks that require vigilance
 6 Low Physical Effort

‘The design can be used efficiently and comfortably

and with a minimum of fatigue’

• Allow user to maintain neutral body position

• Use reasonable operating forces
• Minimise repetitive actions
• Minimise sustained physical effort
 7 Size and Space for Approach
and Use
‘Appropriate size and space is provided for approach,
reach, manipulation and use, regardless of user’s body
size, posture or mobility’

• Provide clear line of sight to important elements for seated /

standing user
• Make reach to all components comfortable for seated / standing
user
• Accommodate variations in hand / grip size
• Provide adequate space for use of assistive devices or personal
assistance
 Inclusive Design
‘Information Society for all’
Poor Design
• present unnecessary difficulties for users
• ‘disabled by design’
• e.g. button difficult to operate as it’s too small
solution = replace by bigger one!
• simple fixes
• e.g. colour code sockets / connectors
 Accessibility = Design for everyone

• make info / services online available to users

• irrespective of age / ability
• E.g. magnification / screen readers / Braille
display

• Support / advice for people with sight problems

• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind)
(www.rnib.org.uk/webaccesscentre)
 Usability = Present functions so
they can be used by all

ISO usability definition:

‘the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction with which
specified users achieve specified goals in particular
environments’

• If user can’t find what they want in reasonable time then re-
examine
• Poor usability e.g. not using title tag which helps search
engines find site and also describes page
• See Jacob Nielsen’s site: www.useit.com
 User diversity
• User-centred design does not always pay sufficient
attention to user diversity
• Tendency to favour design…
• with small sample of users
• for ‘typical user
• Risk market loss / Reduced levels of user satisfaction
• Real world = considerable variance of users
• Provide wide range of designs
• Provide alternative means of access
• Ageing tend to develop minor disabilities
• Sensory, cognitive, psychomotor (hands / arms / posture)
 International Standards Organization
(ISO) Recommendations for HCI

• National / International Standards on Interface

design
• European Union Directives on Health / Safety working
with computer systems
• Legal issues affecting design and use of system
 National / International Standards on
Interface Design

European Directive on ‘Minimum Health and Safety

Requirements for Work with Display Screen
Equipment’: EEC 90/270 Law on 1 Jan 1993
(see Hill p.49-50)

• Minimum ergonomic requirements for computing equipment,

environment and HCI
• Software must be ‘easy to use’
• ‘Principles of software ergonomics must be applied’
• ISO 9241 is International Standard for Ergonomics
 EEC 90/270

• Software must be suitable for task allowing efficient working

• Easy to use: easy to learn / intuitive / appropriate for ability
• Speed of response should be immediate and appropriate
• Adaptable to operators skill level: experienced vs. novice
• Should prevent errors and allow recovery
• No quantitative and qualitative testing without informing user
• Give feedback on performance
 ISO 9241: 17 parts

1. General introduction 11. Usability statements

2. Guidance on tasks requirements 12. Presentation of information
3. Visual display requirements 13. User guidance
4. Keyboard requirements 14. Menu dialogues
5. Workstation layout requirements 15. Command dialogues
6. Environmental requirements 16. Direct manipulation dialogues
7. Display requirements with reflections 17. Form filling dialogues
8. Requirements for displayed colours
9. Requirements for non-keyboard input devices
10. Dialogue principles
 Other Standards on Interface Design

BS 7649
• Design of Documentation for users of applications software –
produced in 1993
• 90 pages on documentation design

BS 7179
• Ergonomics of design/use of visual display terminals in offices
• 6 parts
 International Standards Organization
(ISO) Recommendations for HCI

• National / International Standards on Interface design

• European Union Directives on Health / Safety
working with computer systems
• Legal issues affecting design and use of system
 European Union Directives on
Health / Safety working with
computer systems

General requirements
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Act 1992

Display Screen Equipment Regulations EEC 90/270

• All new workstation introduced after 1 Jan 1993 and existing after 1 Jan
1997 must comply with regulations
• Covers people habitually using display screen equipment
• Detailed requirements for
• Screens, Keyboards
• Work desk / work surface
• Environment, Operator and computer interface
 Usability and Software Ergonomics

EEC 90/270 said ‘software must be usable for the task..’

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) say..

• Usable systems are safe, comfortable, efficient, easy and
maybe even enjoyable to use
• Before they approve a system they look for specific criteria
 International Standards Organization
(ISO) Recommendations for HCI

• National / International Standards on Interface design

• European Union Directives on Health / Safety working
with computer systems
• Legal issues affecting design and use of system
 Legal issues affecting design and use of system (1):
Copyright

Law and the interface

• Can’t copy idea, only expression of that idea!
• Software is protected under Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988
• Copyright belongs to author of software unless employed to write it
• Unlawful to copy software or change / adapt it
• Licensed users have right to make backup copy / minor alterations

Shareware, online database, public domain software

• Downloaded material subject to copyright laws
• Shareware should be licensed; Public domain doesn’t need license
 Legal issues affecting design and use of system (2):
Software Licensing/ Disposal / Piracy

Software Licensing: Different software vendors adopt different policies on use

of software in office / at home / on laptop:
• only 1 copy in use at any one time
• make 2nd copy for home or laptop but not both
• can only use on one specific machine
• site licenses – annual fee for unlimited copying at one site
• volume license: multi-site organisations – throughout organisation
Disposal
• where upgrade is performed license may/may not transfer to other users
• not allowed to sell old when buy upgrade

Piracy
• unauthorised copying of software breaks civil and criminal law
• 6 months jail + £5000 fine!
• copyright owner can sue for damages
 Legal issues affecting design and use of system (3):
Hacking / Data protection

Computer Misuse Act 1990

• Criminal offence to move, copy, alter or erase program without
authorised access
• Aimed at hackers and those spreading viruses

Data Protection Act 1998

• Criminal offence to hold personal data about individual on computers
unless holder is registered with the Data Protection Registrar
 Organisational and Business Context:
HCI is important for business success
 Context in which interfaces / interactions exist is critically important
 4 levels of user:
 Individual e.g. office automation systems
 Work group e.g. project management systems
 Organisational e.g. communications systems
 Inter-Organisational e.g. supply chain management (SCM) systems
 Workers who use computers do not generally work in isolation
 Work within organisations
 Various variables occur:
 User satisfaction
 Worker productivity
 IS departmental structure
 Technical support for communications
 Balance of power…………etc….
 Four levels of user

4 Inter-Organisation

3 Organisation

2 Work Group

1 Individual Individual Individual Individual

 Different systems for different levels
of user
Categorize INDIVIDUAL users according to work performed:
 Office support staff – routine, repetitive, highly structured tasks
e.g. word processing using off-the-shelf software
 Knowledge workers e.g. engineers, designers, programmers
 Middle managers, executives
Systems for WORK GROUP: organized in teams, departments etc.
 Project-oriented – group forms to accomplish assignment, after group dismantles
 Management team – stable group of upper-level managers
ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL systems: support entire organization
 Systems can connect company to external sources e.g. customers, suppliers, etc.
INTER-ORGANISATIONAL: link companies to external organizations
 B2B (business to business) link between suppliers and customers
 Primarily internet enabled
 Support computer-computer transactions
 Tasks and Contexts
- Impact at organization level
 Most organisations consist of different interest groups in conflict
with each other
 Need to analyse perceived interests of ‘stakeholders’
 Issues that affect acceptance of technology by users
 Employees experience computerisation and economy/society changes which can
consist of system failure, large scale job losses
 Consider in system design…
 Systems may not take into account conflict / power relationships
 Those who benefit may not do the work
 Not everyone may use systems
 Soft systems methodology takes broader view of
human/organisational issues
 Models user roles/tasks in organisations
 YouTube:
Aug 07, Soft Systems Methodology,
John Mackness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZn8QrZI7OI
 Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)

Broad view of human/organisational issues

Identifying broader human issues for designers
Model user roles/tasks in organisations
Understand situation in which perceived problem lies

Good for gathering info about end-user requirements

Useful parts
 Rich picture
 Root definition
 CATWOE tests
 …then use traditional techniques (e.g. data flow diagrams) …..
 Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) (1)

1/2: Problem situation

Build ‘rich picture’ of problem

List people/organisations etc. involved / influencing system

3: Root definition
Describe in 1 sentence important aspects of system: Think about all stakeholders

Completeness of definition assessed by performing CATWOE test:

e.g. Customers of system…A…T…W…O…Environment in which system operates
 Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) (2)

4: Conceptual model
Describes what system would need to do so that its existence would be root definition
Contains verbs describing processes concerned with…
• purpose, performance, decision-making, resouces, enivonrmnet
Could use data flow diagrams

5: Compare model with reality

Discuss differences between model and reality and possible new systems models
• Could deepen rich picture……back to Stage 3 and proceed
• Alternatively could have enough info…on to Stage 6

6/7: Change and action

Clarify ideas for change into new system design
Implement new design (could use SSADM)
 Impact at organisation level:
Emerging Technologies

3 categories of recent developments/trends

 Ubiquitous computing

 Social computing

 Value-sensitive computing

Outcome: We’ve changed how we do things!

 Personal activities
 Job-related tasks
 Commerce , communication, community forming……
 YouTube: June 08 Ubiquitous Computing
Physicist and futurist M Kaku,
P Saffo Stanford University
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HHEQuspi4o

Kaku
- "an invisible intelligent network hidden in our walls, our furniture,
even our clothing“; “all-seeing eye”
- potential benefits e.g. pills that could monitor your health from the
inside, sunglasses acting as a mobile home entertainment centre.

Saffo
- “you'll know that ubiquitous computing's arrived when you realise
computers have become invisible."
-
 Impact at organization level
- Pervasive / Ubiquitous computing

 Ubiquitous computing (Weiser)

 ‘invisibly enhancing the world that already exists’
 Newer forms of hardware
 Tablet PCS
 Handheld computers, personal digital assistants (PDA)
 Smart phones

 How to design for usability, usefulness, accessibility?

 All have different properties / functions
 Need different interface designs
 e.g. tablet needs digital pen
 Ubiquitous computing:
Challenges for HCI
Design space
• Develop new HCI concepts to realise all scenarios
• How to deal with alternative, multiple input options?
User experience
• We carry several intelligent interconnecting devices
• How can we understand, make sense of and use their functionality?
Task-centric evaluation techniques may be inappropriate
• Usability techniques are task-centric
• Need new approaches when tasks are less obvious / continuous
Social implications
• Dangers of technologies – address concerns
• Security, privacy, control and visibility are important
 Impact at organization level
- Social Computing and Communityware

 Community computing / online computing

 Communityware = software that allows decentralised groups of
people to:
 Form communities
 Share preferences / knowledge
 Perform social activities

 For diverse groups of people sharing interests / preferences without obvious

goals
 Impact at organization level
- Value-sensitive design (VSD)

Value = economic worth of object

VSD = Design of technology that accounts for human values in

principled, comprehensive manner
 Ethical issues e.g. Accessibility, privacy, accountability, intellectual property
 Social consequences e.g. displacement, digital divide, feelings, attitude,
trust, overall well-being

E.g. HDTV display technology in office environment

 VSD and HCI Development

VSD tries to reflect what we consider important in our lives

Sensitive to ethical / moral values
HCI concerns and VSD are consistent

Several features of VSD tie closely with HCI e.g.:

• VSD tries to be proactive to influence design early
• VSD looks at home, education, online etc. not just workplace;
HCI encompasses a broad organisational, social, cultural human experience
• VSD contributes unique methodology: conceptually, empirically, technically
• VSD is an interactional theory
• VSD builds from psychological proposition
 Tasks and Contexts
– Impact at the user level
Observe people carrying out tasks

Evaluation
• GOMS (Goals, Operators, Methods, Selection): prediction of time to perform
task optimally
• KLM (Keystroke level model): simple way of estimating how long it would take
expert to carry out specified task (with no errors)
• Heuristic evaluation: Search for potential usability problems in design using
checklist

See from this how user role has evolved

• Traditional design -> UCSD
 Lecture 3 Week 3: Review

 Human Capabilities: Physiology/Fitt’s Law

 HCI Accessibility

 Tasks and Contexts: impact at organization/user level

NOW: Lab for completion of practical

work and individual project work