HCI - Accommodating human diversity - Revision history

Livierja: /* Accessibility */

2009-11-23T17:27:10Z

Accessibility

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	=Accessibility=		=Accessibility=
-	~~------------------------STUFF TO COVER~~
-	~~Concerns~~
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-	~~Age: Font size , Macular Degeneration~~
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-	~~Physical Disabilities: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_blindness Color Blindness] Optical Seizures~~
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-	~~Education: Mental Model of the user, What we can assume the user will understand - Time to learn~~
-	~~Language: Terminology, Certain words may have different meaning~~
-	~~-----------------------DELETE IF YOU DONT NEED~~
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	When creating a Human Computer Interface, it is important to take a step back and consider who is going to be using it. The physical, mental, and cultural state of the end user will vary, and knowing how this could effect how they perceive your interface is critical. Addressing these different characteristics of the possible end user, there are several categories which designers need to consider.		When creating a Human Computer Interface, it is important to take a step back and consider who is going to be using it. The physical, mental, and cultural state of the end user will vary, and knowing how this could effect how they perceive your interface is critical. Addressing these different characteristics of the possible end user, there are several categories which designers need to consider.

Livierja: /* Human Properties */

2009-11-23T16:19:54Z

Human Properties

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	::When designing for a specific demographic, aspects such as attention span, emotional state, and motivation must be taken into account. Interfaces likely to be utilized in emergency situations should be as simple and direct as possible, whereas educational software interfaces can be more complex and entertaining, as they must hold the users attention in a meaningful way.		::When designing for a specific demographic, aspects such as attention span, emotional state, and motivation must be taken into account. Interfaces likely to be utilized in emergency situations should be as simple and direct as possible, whereas educational software interfaces can be more complex and entertaining, as they must hold the users attention in a meaningful way.
	:*'''Culture'''		:*'''Culture'''
-	::When deploying an interface in an unfamiliar region, it is imperative that none of the symbols used be offensive in the local culture. As well, no element should be incomprehensible to the locals. Idioms and colloquialisms are to be avoided for this reason. An outside specialist may be required to advise on this aspect.	+	::When deploying an interface in an unfamiliar region, it is imperative that none of the symbols used be offensive in the local culture. As well, no element should be incomprehensible to the locals. Idioms and colloquialisms are to be avoided for this reason. An outside specialist may be required to advise on this aspect. See also [http://www.cas.mcmaster.ca/wiki/index.php/HCI_-_Accommodating_human_diversity#Cultural_Context Cultural Context].
	:*'''Size/Spatial Aspects'''		:*'''Size/Spatial Aspects'''
	::The height, weight, and reach of the end-user must be taken into account. Interfaces should be designed to accommodate a range of physiques.		::The height, weight, and reach of the end-user must be taken into account. Interfaces should be designed to accommodate a range of physiques.

Livierja: /* Human Properties */

2009-11-23T16:18:51Z

Human Properties

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	==Human Properties==		==Human Properties==
	:*'''Gender'''		:*'''Gender'''
-	::Males and females tend to interact differently with computers; ideally, interfaces should be designed to be gender-neutral. Study in this field has uncovered gender differences relating to user confidence/behaviour and hardware interaction.	+	::Males and females tend to interact differently with computers; ideally, interfaces should be designed to be gender-neutral. Study in this field has uncovered gender differences relating to user confidence/behaviour and hardware interaction. <sup>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_HCI R5]</sup>
	:*'''Handedness'''		:*'''Handedness'''
	::This mainly comes into play when designing physical interfaces – control panels, for example. An interface should always be designed such that both right handed and left handed operators can make use of the system with minimal inconvenience.		::This mainly comes into play when designing physical interfaces – control panels, for example. An interface should always be designed such that both right handed and left handed operators can make use of the system with minimal inconvenience.

Livierja: /* References */

2009-11-23T16:18:09Z

References

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	::An interface must be designed with the actual device it will run on in mind. An interface designed to run on a standard desktop, for example, would likely be unusable on a mobile device such as a cell phone. In addition, time-sensitive systems (the interface for a plane's avionics suite, say) should provide information as directly as possible, rather than relying on complicated visuals which may slow response time.		::An interface must be designed with the actual device it will run on in mind. An interface designed to run on a standard desktop, for example, would likely be unusable on a mobile device such as a cell phone. In addition, time-sensitive systems (the interface for a plane's avionics suite, say) should provide information as directly as possible, rather than relying on complicated visuals which may slow response time.

		+	=See Also=
		+	:# [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_human-computer_interaction_topics List of HCI Topics]
	=References=		=References=
	:# [http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/ Center for Universal Design]		:# [http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/ Center for Universal Design]
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	:# [http://www.agingsociety.org/agingsociety/pdf/hearing.pdf Hearing Loss]		:# [http://www.agingsociety.org/agingsociety/pdf/hearing.pdf Hearing Loss]
	:# [http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorcontrasts.asp Colour Contrasts]		:# [http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorcontrasts.asp Colour Contrasts]
		+	:# [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_HCI Gender HCI]

Livierja: /* Human Properties */

2009-11-23T16:12:36Z

Human Properties

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	==Human Properties==		==Human Properties==
		+	:*'''Gender'''
		+	::Males and females tend to interact differently with computers; ideally, interfaces should be designed to be gender-neutral. Study in this field has uncovered gender differences relating to user confidence/behaviour and hardware interaction.
	:*'''Handedness'''		:*'''Handedness'''
	::This mainly comes into play when designing physical interfaces – control panels, for example. An interface should always be designed such that both right handed and left handed operators can make use of the system with minimal inconvenience.		::This mainly comes into play when designing physical interfaces – control panels, for example. An interface should always be designed such that both right handed and left handed operators can make use of the system with minimal inconvenience.
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	::Accommodations for physically disabled users should be provided wherever possible. This could include anything from larger buttons to voice activation and touch-screen interfaces.		::Accommodations for physically disabled users should be provided wherever possible. This could include anything from larger buttons to voice activation and touch-screen interfaces.
	:*'''Mentally/Learning Disabled'''		:*'''Mentally/Learning Disabled'''
-	::	+	::When designing for special populations, the capabilities of the user must be taken into account. An interface for such a population should be as straightforward and easy to learn as possible.
	:*'''Other Conditions'''		:*'''Other Conditions'''
	::Epilepsy (covered above) is one example of a condition that does not fall under any other heading. Any other such common issues in the user population must be accounted for.		::Epilepsy (covered above) is one example of a condition that does not fall under any other heading. Any other such common issues in the user population must be accounted for.

Livierja: /* Human Properties */

2009-11-23T15:47:09Z

Human Properties

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	::The height, weight, and reach of the end-user must be taken into account. Interfaces should be designed to accommodate a range of physiques.		::The height, weight, and reach of the end-user must be taken into account. Interfaces should be designed to accommodate a range of physiques.
	:*'''Visual Capability'''		:*'''Visual Capability'''
-	::Conditions to be considered include blindness, near/farsightedness, and colourblindness. ~~[EXPANDING]~~	+	::Conditions to be considered include blindness, near/farsightedness, and colourblindness. Visual considerations are discussed above.
	:*'''Auditory Capabilities'''		:*'''Auditory Capabilities'''
	::Deaf users should be taken into account. If the interface relies heavily on sound, accompanying visual indicators should be included.		::Deaf users should be taken into account. If the interface relies heavily on sound, accompanying visual indicators should be included.
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	::Accommodations for physically disabled users should be provided wherever possible. This could include anything from larger buttons to voice activation and touch-screen interfaces.		::Accommodations for physically disabled users should be provided wherever possible. This could include anything from larger buttons to voice activation and touch-screen interfaces.
	:*'''Mentally/Learning Disabled'''		:*'''Mentally/Learning Disabled'''
		+	::
	:*'''Other Conditions'''		:*'''Other Conditions'''
-	::Epilepsy (covered above)	+	::Epilepsy (covered above) is one example of a condition that does not fall under any other heading. Any other such common issues in the user population must be accounted for.

	==Platform Type==		==Platform Type==

Livierja: /* Linguistic Context */

2009-11-23T15:41:14Z

Linguistic Context

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	==Linguistic Context==		==Linguistic Context==
-
-	~~'''IS THAT YOU COMPUTER?'''~~
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	Additionally, understanding the natural language of a region is vital to the system's usability. If the users cannot understand the interface, the system will not function as they wish.		Additionally, understanding the natural language of a region is vital to the system's usability. If the users cannot understand the interface, the system will not function as they wish.

Poitrj2: /* Platform Type */

2009-11-23T05:26:44Z

Platform Type

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:26, 23 November 2009
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	==Platform Type==		==Platform Type==
-	::An interface must be designed with the actual device it will run on in mind. An interface designed to run on a standard desktop, for example, would likely be unusable on a mobile device such as a cell phone. In addition, time-sensitive systems (the interface for a plane's avionics suite, say) should provide information as directly as possible, rather than relying on ~~complication~~ visuals which may slow response time.	+	::An interface must be designed with the actual device it will run on in mind. An interface designed to run on a standard desktop, for example, would likely be unusable on a mobile device such as a cell phone. In addition, time-sensitive systems (the interface for a plane's avionics suite, say) should provide information as directly as possible, rather than relying on complicated visuals which may slow response time.

	=References=		=References=

Poitrj2: /* Visual Considerations */

2009-11-23T05:25:51Z

Visual Considerations

Poitrj2: /* Audio Considerations */

2009-11-23T05:25:06Z

Audio Considerations

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	==Audio Considerations==		==Audio Considerations==
	Another factor that must be considered in the diversity of the end user is their hearing. Users will have varying ability to hear or recognize audio output from an interface.		Another factor that must be considered in the diversity of the end user is their hearing. Users will have varying ability to hear or recognize audio output from an interface.
-	:*Frequency	+	:*'''Frequency'''
	::As both men and women grow older (to a greater extreme men)<sup>[http://www.agingsociety.org/agingsociety/pdf/hearing.pdf R3]</sup> we lose the ability to discern different frequencies of sound, especially at higher frequencies. The interface must take into account that the end user may have a smaller range of identifiable sounds, and make any audio queues within the audio range of any user.		::As both men and women grow older (to a greater extreme men)<sup>[http://www.agingsociety.org/agingsociety/pdf/hearing.pdf R3]</sup> we lose the ability to discern different frequencies of sound, especially at higher frequencies. The interface must take into account that the end user may have a smaller range of identifiable sounds, and make any audio queues within the audio range of any user.

-	:*Volume	+	:*'''Volume'''
	::It is also necessary to have any of the audio output from the interface to be loud enough for the user to understand. It may be necessary to have the volume of any audio outputs to be variable to allow any user comfortable audio output.		::It is also necessary to have any of the audio output from the interface to be loud enough for the user to understand. It may be necessary to have the volume of any audio outputs to be variable to allow any user comfortable audio output.

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	[[Image:macular_degeneration.jpg\|frame\|Age related Macular Degeneration]]		[[Image:macular_degeneration.jpg\|frame\|Age related Macular Degeneration]]
	It is also a necessary requirement that any user is able to visually understand what is displayed on the screen. Some factors that need to be considered are:		It is also a necessary requirement that any user is able to visually understand what is displayed on the screen. Some factors that need to be considered are:
-	:*Colour Contrast <sup>[http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorcontrasts.asp R4]</sup>	+	:*'''Colour Contrast''' <sup>[http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorcontrasts.asp R4]</sup>
	::To make any text displayed to be as legible as possible, it is necessary to have sharp contrast between background and text. The best suited background colours are achromatic colours: black, white and grey, with the textual colours fall within the middle colours of the spectrum: yellow, green and orange. Red, blue and violet are on the extremes of the human visual spectrum so our eyes are not as sensitive to them, making them difficult colours to contrast with others.		::To make any text displayed to be as legible as possible, it is necessary to have sharp contrast between background and text. The best suited background colours are achromatic colours: black, white and grey, with the textual colours fall within the middle colours of the spectrum: yellow, green and orange. Red, blue and violet are on the extremes of the human visual spectrum so our eyes are not as sensitive to them, making them difficult colours to contrast with others.
-	:*Colour Blindness <sup>[http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorcontrasts.asp R4]</sup>	+	:*'''Colour Blindness''' <sup>[http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorcontrasts.asp R4]</sup>
	::A portion of users may suffer from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_blindness colour blindness] and be unable to detect slight variations in colour, making certain aspects of an interface unreadable to them. This can be avoided by using a sharp contrast between background and text. As well, for this reason an interface should not rely on visual cues alone.		::A portion of users may suffer from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_blindness colour blindness] and be unable to detect slight variations in colour, making certain aspects of an interface unreadable to them. This can be avoided by using a sharp contrast between background and text. As well, for this reason an interface should not rely on visual cues alone.
-	:*Animated Visuals	+	:*'''Animated Visuals'''
	::Objects on a screen that are non static, being blinking, moving, updating etc. can cause the users that are screen read challenged difficult in reading or understanding the object. These objects must have the option to be frozen or paused for the user to understand its message.		::Objects on a screen that are non static, being blinking, moving, updating etc. can cause the users that are screen read challenged difficult in reading or understanding the object. These objects must have the option to be frozen or paused for the user to understand its message.
-	:*Resizing	+	:*'''Resizing'''
	::For users with limited visual ability, it is necessary to allow the user to change the size of the what is being displayed. This could include changing font sizes, resizing object sizes, or any other method to make an object understandable for a user with diminished visual ability.		::For users with limited visual ability, it is necessary to allow the user to change the size of the what is being displayed. This could include changing font sizes, resizing object sizes, or any other method to make an object understandable for a user with diminished visual ability.
-	:*Visual Queues	+	:*'''Visual Queues'''
	::Timed pop up menus or hints that are not read and understood before they hide again also need to be considered. If the end user has a problem understanding the message before it disappears for any reason, be it age or visual impairment, then the queue needs to appear for a longer duration to the user.		::Timed pop up menus or hints that are not read and understood before they hide again also need to be considered. If the end user has a problem understanding the message before it disappears for any reason, be it age or visual impairment, then the queue needs to appear for a longer duration to the user.
-	:*Photo sensitivity	+	:*'''Photo sensitivity'''
	::[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilepsy Epilepsy] is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent convulsions. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosensitive_epilepsy Photosensitive epilepsy] is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli such as flashing lights or moving patterns. Epilepsy occurs in approximately 1 in every 200 people and photo epilepsy occurs in approximately 1 in every 4000 people. About 96% of people while photo epilepsy are sensitive to light flashes between 15-20 flashes per second. For this reason blinking or updating of a CRT screen should be avoided, as this can cause flickering between 4 and 59 Hz and will likely trigger a convulsion.		::[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epilepsy Epilepsy] is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent convulsions. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosensitive_epilepsy Photosensitive epilepsy] is a form of epilepsy in which seizures are triggered by visual stimuli such as flashing lights or moving patterns. Epilepsy occurs in approximately 1 in every 200 people and photo epilepsy occurs in approximately 1 in every 4000 people. About 96% of people while photo epilepsy are sensitive to light flashes between 15-20 flashes per second. For this reason blinking or updating of a CRT screen should be avoided, as this can cause flickering between 4 and 59 Hz and will likely trigger a convulsion.
-	:*Visual Conditions	+	:*'''Visual Conditions'''
	::For users with limited vision due to age it is important to take into account the position and size of objects, text and visual cues. For example, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macular_degeneration macular degeneration] is a condition resulting in loss of central vision. Should the software be intended for the aged, positioning the locus of control to the left or right of the screen may prove to be a benefit.		::For users with limited vision due to age it is important to take into account the position and size of objects, text and visual cues. For example, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macular_degeneration macular degeneration] is a condition resulting in loss of central vision. Should the software be intended for the aged, positioning the locus of control to the left or right of the screen may prove to be a benefit.