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April 4th: Let's Explore the Inner
Workings of HAL
Announcements
The Wonderful World of Machines
Disclaimer: I know some of you are thinking "What possible benefit can we get from reading and discussing old technologies like cordless phones and VCRs?" In fact, one student commented that these examples aren't useful because we [of a generation] find the devices to be intuitive. Although your intuitiveness is a benefit to your using contemporary machines, our goal is to understand the process users--lay and not-so-lay alike--go through when approaching machines and devices. Operating these devices might seem like "common sense," but don't forget that common sense is socially constructed. You may know how to use devices, but can you explain how from a users' perspective?
Also, VCRs are similar in complexity to program and switch as HDTVs are. In fact, HDTVs have quite a few modes and menus: component, TV, AV1, AV2, etc. Furthermore, I'm sure you can draw connections to DVRs.
Taming Hal Ch. 5, 6, and 7
Taming Hal: Designing Interfaces Beyond 2001 asks us to think about ways to understand and, therefore, communicate about machines that have different states and the following issues:
- Concurrency (pp. 70-72): "several things are happening at the same time in the same space."
- Hierarchy (pp. 74-76): a super state that embeds states (or other functions/features) that are not equal. Think of modes or states as containers.
- Synchronization (p. 77): when an event triggers another event at the same time.
- Population Stereotypes (p. 83): culturally held expectations regarding anything; in our case, objects have certain affordances that should act certain ways.
- For instance, what do you do when you see a door handle...a door knob...a button?
- What other concept do population stereotypes sound like?
- Universal Stereotypes (p. 93): well-established principles of user-interface design or any design.
- For instance, if you click on a right-pointing arrow, what do you expect? If you click a down arrow, what do you expect?
- Well, nothing is truly universal; there are always exceptions...a paradox.
ENGL 6008 "Rhetoric of Technology" preview
- Although this isn't in the book, what term do we use for technologies having similar features across platforms, devices, or, well, technologies?
- Guess what we call design cues that refer back to older devices that required the design to have the product work--hold up, run, or stay together?
For instance, the new plastic showers have grooves for ornamentation: These grooves are derivative of past tile showers that had grout in between the tiles. Therefore, the grooves on newer showers are a skeuomorph
Today's Group Activity
We're going to try to have a discussion, but I'd like some constructive small-group discussions first to get us thinking about
machines and their interactions with humans. In groups of no more than 3, watch this
clip from 2001: A Space Odyssey (I'll show it on the big screen), and think about any connections you might
find to the chapters we read for today (Degani Ch. 5, 6, and 7). Specifically,
consider the following questions:
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What are some population stereotypes
that "influence" Dave's approach to disabling HAL?
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How might knowing population
stereotypes be beneficial in creating effective user documents?
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Because future "projections" of
technologies are atomized or amplified versions of a present's technologies,
how might you update the procedure for dismantling HAL? In other words, what
are some common population stereotypes that would make Dave's job different
in the actual year 2001 (well, a decade later, in fact)?
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Fun question: Why do we often see evil
machines in science fiction when most of the time I hear people LOVE
technology?
Then, we'll either go chapter by chapter and
discuss the main points that help us understand interaction from a user's
perspective or jump around across the chapters. Below are some questions to get us thinking:
- Users create simplistic explanations to deal with things beyond their understanding (p.83)
- How might we use this knowledge?
- Should we take the time to explain what's going on to a user? What's our focus...how in depth should we be?
- On the other end of the spectrum, what shortcuts do you experts use when dealing with software?
- What do you do when something goes wrong?
- Cordless Phone Population stereotype
- Light Switches
- Alarm Clock Radios
- Turning the buzzer down to 0--totally silent
- Having two alarm times set
- Radio frequency change based on position in the room
- What's your threshold for bad or weak signals on the radio or television (satellite, cable, antenna)
Today's (possible) Individual Activity
If the conversation doesn't have lots of
contributions from many class members, we'll do the following questions
individually. As in, you'll answer the questions on a web page you link to your home page:
Chapter 5:
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Describe what Degani means by
concurrency. Besides the instruments/situations he brings up, briefly
discuss the concurrency of another instrument you're familiar with.
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Comment on hierarchy in systems similar
to your description above. Why do designers have hierarchal structures in
their instruments?
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Why do we encounter synchronization in
our modern machines? Explain why such a phenomenon makes user testing and
effective user documents so important.
Chapter 6:
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What are population stereotypes with
regard to machines? What are some common ones that seem to be apparent
across a few instruments?
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What the difference between 'population stereotypes' and 'universal stereotypes'?
Where might a design run into trouble if based on particular population
stereotypes? Be specific about the instruments.
Chapter 7:
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Let's be practical for once. Many
design choices are for cost benefits. Is that such a problem? Why or why
not? What might be the end result of pushing economics to the side when
taking users' needs into account?
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Degani mentions on pages 97-98 that "to
consider any interface from the user's perspective, we must begin by asking
what are the user's tasks." From such a statement, how is Degani viewing
human-computer interaction? Who might disagree with Degani's discussion of
"task"?
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Why does Degani claim that combining
two technologies into one is different from integrating two technologies
into one?
Planning for User Document #3
Now is your time to plan for User Doc #3. Make sure you review the guidelines on the assignments page. I've gotten a few questions about systems and educational guides, but please run your topic by me. Also, let me know if you're working with a partner, so we can determine if you're doing a large enough project for two people. However, individuals and groups usually do too much and have to scale back.
Before We Go...
Keep reading Degani's Taming Hal: Designing Interfaces beyond 2001 for next week. Next week's reading--Ch. 8, 9, and 10--is our last bit of reading. Consider Degani's argument that "'we' need more sophistication in our interfaces" (p. you need to find it).
Please have a draft for your User Document #3 user test next week--you need to have another student test your instructions. The completed draft is due April 18th. This document may be a group (as in two people) or individual assignment. I'm asking you to do a document for a significantly larger project than User Docs #1 and #2. Also, don't forget to bring your books with you next week.
Additionally, those of you enrolled in 5181 have your Bibliographic Essays and your HAL presentations due in two weeks (4/18).
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Aaron
A. Toscano's Homepage
