-- an acronym for Human/Computer Interaction or Human/ Computer Interface. The former describes a process, the latter describes a thing.

Human/Computer Interaction is a design process underlying the development of computer interfaces to match the requirements of the human/user. Subjects such as cognitive psychology, proxemics, semiotics, and symbology are synergistically applied to the design of the interface. Issues integral to HCI include user efficiency, user procedures, information organization, and task functionality.

Human/Computer Interface is the interface or link between the computer and human. Its development is derived from the design process of HCI.

The basic drive of Human Computer Interaction is to provide usable user interfaces. The need for HCI is obvious: if people cannot use the computer system, then it is rendered useless, no matter how "beautiful" the underlying code is.

(To Be Completed, I just happen to be studying HCI right now and saw this pop up on the New Writeups... If anyone is interested, the text is "Human Computer Interaction" by Jenny Preece, ISBN 0-201-62769-8)

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