Chapter 1: Introduction

This chapter sets the scene for the book. Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) is both an area of academic research and a practical design discipline, and the two are often closely connected. As a research area HCI studies the way that digital technology impacts humans. As a design discipline it seeks to create specific applications and user interfaces so that the wider socio-technical systems of which they are a part function better. This may include the physical design of devices and environments as well as the more obvious digital aspects. In the early days of HCI, the focus was on an individual with a single screen and keyboard, often in an office. Now the most obvious applications are on smartphones but also include voice-based systems, smart TVs, and AI driven by passive sensing in environments. There are many rich human roles across the design, development and deployment of these systems: user researchers, designers, front-end developers, product managers, local experts, families and friends. The design discipline has reinvented itself over the years; you might see the terms user interface design, interaction design, or now most commonly user experience design. All share a common focus on helping the people who live and work with the digital systems that surround us.