Thinking Critically about Usability

I think the principles of “usability” presented by Issa and Isaias fit better into ‘HCI – now’ in the diagram. As the definition and understanding of usability develops, it becomes apparent usability is intertwined with every other HCI principle so it should not be treated as an independent entity. Perhaps, in the past when computers were not as sophisticated and were used for simpler tasks, HCI was also simpler and human-computer dynamics were clearer cut. The ‘now’ branch demonstrates the interconnectedness of all the principles of HCI and usability, and the shifting focus towards a more interactive relationship between humans and computers. With the development in computer technology and our increasing competence of users, expectations of computers have also risen substantially. We no longer envision computers as glorified calculators but as complex tools, critical aides, and even necessities upon which we depend. Since computers are designed by humans for humans, I believe that with technological advances, computers will become more human-like and allow interactions HCI to become seamless. Eventually, computers will be designed to understand and to learn human inputs through our interactions without us having to translate our inputs into a computer language. With this level of sophistication, computers will certainly seem to “understand and support” human beings.