An Illustrative Example of Four HCI Design Approaches for Evaluating an Automated System Interface

Automation technology has been embedded into nearly every facet of today\u27s society, from cellular phones and personal digital assistants to automated teller machines to highly advanced systems in aviation and industrial operations. Still, the fundamental element for the successful operation of these products and systems is a well designed interface between humans and technology. To address this issue, this paper seeks to highlight how Ebert\u27s (1994) four approaches to HCI design (ethnographic/anthropomorphic, cognitive, predictive modeling, empirical) can be effectively integrated to develop better interfaces between humans and society\u27s complex systems. First, a brief overview of these approaches will be presented, emphasizing how the outcomes of one approach can inform the implementation of the next approach. Then, a step-by-step analysis of a hypothetical task performed using an automated postal machine will serve to illustrate the process of applying these approaches to evaluating an automated system interface