The Human

Humans are limited in their capacity to process information. This has important implications for design.

Information is received and responses given via a number of input and output channels:
visual channel
auditory channel
haptic channel


Information is stored in memory:
sensory memory
short-term (working) memory
long-term memory

Information is processed and applied:
reasoning
problem solving
Emotion influences human capabilities.
Users share common capabilities but are individuals with differences, which should not be ignore.


The Human
the human, the central character in any discussion of interactive systems.
The human, the user, is, after all, the one whom computer systems are designed to assist.
The requirements of the user should therefore be our first priority.
In this lecture we will look at areas of human psychology coming under the general banner of cognitive psychology


cognitive psychology:
is a sub-discipline of psychology exploring internal mental processes. It is the study of how people perceive, remember, think, speak, and solve problems)