The HCI/E(U) approach is based on a Conception for HCI/E and associated Frameworks for HCI research, comprising – Discipline; Design Problem; Design Knowledge; Design Practices (as set out above) and Design Research Exemplar – as set out below. The latter encapsulates all the HCI/E components.
The design research exemplar specifies a complete HCI/E design research cycle, which, once implemented, constitutes a case-study of an engineering approach to HCI.
The diagram, which follows, presents the HCI/E(U) design research exemplar for HCI/E.
Key: EP – Empirical Practice EK – Empirical Knowledge as: design guidelines; models and methods
SFP – Specific Formal Practice GFP – General Formal Practice
SFK Specific Formal Knowledge as: Specific Design Principle (Declarative and Methodological)
GFK – General Formal Knowledge as: General Design Principle (Declarative and methodological)
The HCI/E design research exemplar is described below by level, starting at the lowest level:
Level 1: User Requirements are transformed into an Interactive System by means of implicit design research, implicit design knowledge and implicit design practices of implement and test. The knowledge and practices at this level are not explicit and so are not addressed here. Hence, they do not appear in the diagram. If the design, however, is ‘for performance’ the knowledge and practices might be considered ‘Craft Engineering or some-such’.
As an illustration, User Requirements for e-shopping might be transformed into an Interactive e-shopping System to the satisfaction of the client. The knowledge and practices would comprise the experience and best practice of the interactive system designers. The research would comprise the enhancement of their design experience.
Level 2: Design Problems are explicitly, but empirically, derived from and validated, against User Requirements. Design Problems must, at least in principle, be soluble. User Requirements, however, may be impossible to be satisfied by an Interactive System. Likewise, Design Solutions are explicitly, but empirically, derived from and validated against the Interactive System. Design Research explicitly, but empirically, acquires and validates Design Knowledge. The latter supports the explicit, but empirical, Design Practices of Specification and Implementation and Test of Design Solutions from Design problems and from Design Solutions to Design Problems.
As an illustration, the e-shopping ‘check-out’ Design Problem of the slow and inaccurate billing of goods (ineffective performance) might be solved by a virtual shopping cart, which cumulates the costs of ordered goods (effective performance). The empirical Design Knowledge supporting the Design Practices might be expressed as: heuristics; guidelines etc.
Level 3: Specific Principle Design Problems are explicitly, but empirically, derived from and validated against Design Problems. Likewise, Specific Principle Design Solutions are explicitly, but empirically, derived from and validated against Design Solutions. Specific Principle Design Research explicitly, but empirically, acquires and validates Specific Principles. The latter support the explicit, formal Design Practices of Derivation and Verification of Specific Principle Design Solutions from Specific Principle Design Problems and from Specific Principle Design Solutions to Specific Principle Design Problems. That is to say, specify, then implement.
As an illustration, the e-shopping check-out ‘goods costs against client financial budget’ Specific Principle Design Problem of the slow and inaccurate client assessment of ordered goods’ costs against their financial budget (ineffective performance) might be solved by a virtual shopping cart, which deducts the financial costs of ordered goods against a client-specified financial budget (effective performance). The Specific Principle Formal Design Knowledge supporting the Specific Principle Formal Design Practices would be expressed as a Formal Specific Principle.
Level 4: General Principle Design Problems are formally derived from and validated against Specific Principle Design Problems. Likewise, General Principle Design Solutions are formally derived from and validated against Specific Principle Design Solutions. General Principle Design Research , formally acquires and formally validates General Principles. The latter support the formal Design Practices of Derivation and Verification of general Principle Design Solutions from General Principle Design Problems and from General Principle Design Solutions to General Principle Design Problems. That is to say, specify, then implement.
As an illustration, the e-shopping check-out ‘goods costs against client resources (that is, budget, calory’ Specific Principle Design Problem of the slow and inaccurate client assessment of ordered goods’ costs against their budget (ineffective performance) might be solved by a virtual shopping cart, which deducts the costs of ordered goods against a client-specified budget (effective performance). The Specific Principle Formal Design Knowledge supporting the Specific Principle Formal Design Practices would be expressed as a Formal Specific Principle.
As an illustration, the e-shopping check-out ‘goods costs against client financial and calorie budget’ General Principle Design Problem of the slow and inaccurate client assessment of ordered goods’ costs against their financial and calorie budget (ineffective performance) might be solved by a virtual shopping cart, which deducts the financial and calorie costs of ordered goods against a client-specified financial and calorie budget (effective performance). The General Principle Formal Design Knowledge supporting the general Principle Formal Design Practices would be expressed as a Formal General Principle.
Design Research Exemplar Illustrations
Towards Engineering principles for Human-Computer Interaction
Engineering Design Principles: Validating Successful HCI Design Knowledge to Support its Re-use