Product Description

Extensively revised and rewritten in light of recent advances, this best-selling text is a comprehensive examination of human-computer interaction. The central focus of this exciting revision is the design of computer technology, and how computer technology can be made more usable by people. It provides a multi-disciplinary approach to the subject through a synthesis of computer science, cognitive science, psychology, and sociology, and stresses a principled approach to interactive systems design that fits a software engineering environment.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #84077 in Books
• Published on: 1997-12-22
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 638 pages

Synopsis
Extensively revised and rewritten in light of recent advances, this best-selling text is a comprehensive examination of human-computer interaction. The central focus of this exciting revision is the design of computer technology, and how computer technology can be made more usable by people. It provides a multi-disciplinary approach to the subject through a synthesis of computer science, cognitive science, psychology, and sociology, and stresses a principled approach to interactive systems design that fits a software engineering environment.

From the Back Cover

Much has changed since the first edition of human–computer interaction was published. Ubiquitous computing and rich sensor-filled environments are finding their way out of the laboratory, not just into movies but also into our workplaces and homes. The computer has broken out of its plastic and glass bounds providing us with networked societies where personal computing devices from mobile phones to smart cards fill our pockets and electronic devices surround us at home and work. The web too has grown from a largely academic network into the hub of business and everyday lives. As the distinctions between the physical and the digital, and between work and leisure start to break down, human-computer interaction is also changing radically.

The excitement of these changes is captured in this new edition, which also looks forward to other emerging technologies. However, the book is firmly rooted in strong principles and models independent of the passing technologies of the day: these foundations will be the means by which today’s students will understand tomorrow’s technology.

The third edition of human–computer interaction can be used for introductory and advanced courses on HCI, Interaction Design, Usability or Interactive Systems Design. It will also prove an invaluable reference for professionals wishing to design usable computing devices.

Accompanying the text is a comprehensive website containing a broad range of material for instructors, students and practitioners, a full text search facility for the book, links to many sites of additional interest and much more: go to www.hcibook.com

New to this edition:

• A revised structure, reflecting the growth of HCI as a discipline, separates out basic material suitable for introductory courses from more detailed models and theories.
• New chapter on Interaction Design adds material on scenarios and basic navigation design.
• New chapter on Universal Design, substantially extending the coverage of this material in the book.
• Updated and extended treatment of socio/contextual issues.
• Extended and new material on novel interaction, including updated ubicomp material, designing experience, physical sensors and a new chapter on rich interaction.
• Updated material on the web including dynamic content and WAP.

Alan Dix is Professor in the Department of Computing, Lancaster, UK. Janet Finlay is Professor at the School of Computing, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. Gregory Abowd is Assistant Professor in the College of Computing at Georgia Tech, USA. Russell Beale is lecturer at the School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, UK.

Customer Reviews

Solid introduction to HCI - well resourced material
This book provides a good overview of the key components (the human, the computer and interaction) in HCI; a survey of the important methods (like design principles and task analysis); and, raises interesting and current issues (e.g. CSCW).

The material is brought to life through interesting case studies and design challenges. In addition, the books web site.. gives a range of other useful resources.

The books only failing is that with some of the material (e.g. the cognitive psychology) there is not a clear link into how the knowledge can be put into practice to produce better designs. At times the book reads like a list of 'things' in HCI without motivating links.

The book is widely used in UK to teach undergrad and conversion postgrad students.

taking the 'tech' out of 'technology'
An excellent testament to the intition of Dix et al. The book provides a broad and comprehensive insight into the working world of human interaction. The usual jargon that you would expect in computing material is not apparent instead offering terminology coherent to every day users. Well set out, providing indepth analysis, diagrams and a more novel look at a rather uncompromising subject. I would recommend this book to anyone at both graduate and post gradaute levels. Do not be put off all you 'techies' it make more than an allowance for you 'cyber geeks'.