Usability Quote of the Day

May 23, 2012

There's something very odd going on here. If designers made completely unrealistic assumptions about the physical world when designing technology, then we would blame them (and likely sue them) for technical incompetence. Yet when they make grossly unrealistic assumptions about human nature... we don't blame the designers, we blame the unfortunate people who are just trying to do what the design requires. -- Kim Vicente, The Human Factor, p. 45.    (via interaction-design.org)

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Computers with a 'human' face

A human user interface design for computers ...

"For many years now, researchers have tried to make computers more user-friendly, sometimes with the use of avatars on screen trying to educate us. Results have never been really successful. But now, a researcher at Florida State University (FSU) is working to give computers a human 'face' and her computer-generated characters can be tailored to a specific audience. For example, she is using such agents to challenge young women's stereotypes about the engineering profession by employing non-stereotypical engineering 'mentors' like pseudo-women.

Here are some details about this FSU project.

"Up until now, the personal computer's potential to be a valuable teaching and learning tool has been stymied by its 'soulless' nature," said Amy L. Baylor, [an associate professor of instructional systems and director of FSU's Center for Research of Innovative Technologies for Learning (RITL).] "At RITL, we're using computers to simulate human beings in a controlled manner so we can investigate how they affect and persuade people."

Every day at RITL, researchers in the areas of instructional technology, human-computer interaction, communication, computer science and psychology work to develop innovative uses of technologies to support learning and performance."   continued ...   (Via ZDNet)

Animated Computer Instructor. - User Interface Design, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Ergonomics

Animated Computer Instructor.

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