What is human-computer interaction (HCI)?
Human-Computer Interaction is a new field of computing that has the primary purpose of building human interfaces to computers such that they are easier to learn, easier to use, and cause the person using the computer to commit less errors. People who work in human-computer interaction (commonly called HCI) know how to measure groups of potential users and interpret the data collected from the users so that it can be applied to the interface design. Human-centered design techniques are used to build prototypes of the proposed user interface, and this interface is then tested with users and modified as needed to ensure that the interface meets ease of use criteria. People who work in HCI have backgrounds in design, psychology, and computer systems building. Many also have backgrounds in technical writing and sociology. A classic example of the type of product an HCI person produces is the mobile telephone. HCI people had to come up with a design that worked with only a few menu selection
