CENTERED DESIGN

Historically, the development of computer systems has been primarily a technology-driven phenomenon, with technologists believing that “users can adapt ” to whatever they build. Human-centered design advocates that a more promising and enduring approach is to model users ’ natural behavior to begin with so that interfaces can be designed that are more intuitive, easier to learn, and freer of performance errors. In this paper, we illustrate different user-centered design principles and specific strategies, as well as their advantages and the manner in which they enhance users ’ performance. We also summarize recent research findings from our lab comparing the performance characteristics of different educational interfaces that were based on user-centered design principles. One theme throughout our discussion is human-centered design that minimizes users ’ cognitive load, which effectively frees up mental resources for performing better while also remaining more attuned to the world around them. Categories and Subject Descriptors H.5.2 [Information Interfaces and Presentation]: User Interfaces—user-centered design, interaction styles