Human Computer Interaction

Table of Contents

Norman’s design principles

  1. Visibility
    • if more stuff is visible, the user’s more likely to know what to do next
    • when functions are hidden, it makes them more difficult to find and know how to use
    • sometimes things are designed so we can’t see how to make them work
    • need to see the state of a device and possible actions
    • so hide functions that are not immediately needed
  2. Feedback
    • send back info about what actions have been done, what’s been accomplished
    • audio, tactile, verbal, etc.
  3. Constraints
    • restrict possible user actions
  4. Mapping
    • relationship between controls and their effects
    • e.g. up/down arrows to represent up/down movement of cursor
  5. Consistency
    • similar concepts expressed in similar ways. use conventions.
    • follows rules - aesthetic, functional, layout
  6. Affordance
    • perceived/actual properties of an object that helps to figure out how it works
    • e.g. mouse button invites pushing
    • ‘afford’: ‘give a clue’