Human-Computer Interaction in the New Millennium

Human-computer interaction (HCI) has long been a focal area for innovative, multidisciplinary computing research and development. At the dawn of a new millennium, it is time to ask where this increasingly important field is going. What are the critical technical challenges and opportunities that will define HCI work in the years to come? What are the approaches that will sustain and enhance the vitality and effectiveness of HCI? In what ways will HCI differ from what it is today?

In this unique book, John M. Carroll, himself a prominent contributor to HCI understanding, presents answers to these questions from a number of leaders in the field. Half of the chapters are based on articles that first appeared in special issues of ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction and Human-Computer Interaction, revised and rewritten for a broader audience. The other half are original contributions, describing some of the latest work being done in HCI and providing a striking vision of the future. No single volume could cover the entire scope of HCI, but these selected writings will give you a good glimpse of the energy and creativity now driving HCI forward.

Topics covered include:

• The influence of the cognitive sciences on HCI
• Usability engineering, including both measurement and design
• Addressing interface concerns earlier in the development process; participatory design
• New user interface software tools for speech and voice, immersive displays, and position-sensing controls
• New interfaces and methodologies for supporting collaboration
• Interfaces that support navigation through vast amounts of information
• Situated computing and the integration of computers with real environments
• Learner-centered design; community computing
• Social and societal impacts

Whether you are a specialist in HCI, a software designer or developer, or simply a curious computer user, you will find here a wealth of interesting and stimulating ideas on the future of our interactions with computers.

Twenty-nine papers, 15 of them first published in special issues of the journals ACM transactions on computer-human interaction and Human-computer interactions, make up this assessment of the state of HCI at the turn of a new century. The contributors are researchers in computer science, cognitive psychology, computational design, information science, human factors engineering, and other disciplines from across the US as well as the UK and Germany. Sections are concerned with models, theories, and frameworks; usability engineering methods and concepts; user interface software and tools; groupware and cooperative activity; media and information; integrating computation and real environments; and HCI and society.

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John M. Carroll, Ph.D., is Professor of Computer Science, Education, and Psychology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he is also the director of the Center for Human-Computer Interaction. Dr. Carroll has written more than 250 technical papers, presented numerous conference plenary addresses, and authored or edited 14 books. He serves on editorial boards for a variety of journals and handbooks.