Human-Computer Interaction (2nd Edition) [Hardcover]

Alan J. Dix (Author), Janet E. Finlay (Author), Gregory D. Abowd (Author), Russell Beale (Author), Janet E. Finley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0132398648 | ISBN-13: 978-0132398640 | Edition: 2

Extensively revised and rewritten in light of recent advances, this best-selling book is a comprehensive examination of human-computer interaction. It provides a multi-disciplinary approach to the subject through a synthesis of computer science, cognitive science, psychology and sociology, and stresses a principled approach to interactive systems design that fits a software engineering environment.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Extensively revised and rewritten in light of recent advances, this best-selling book is a comprehensive examination of human-computer interaction. It provides a multi-disciplinary approach to the subject through a synthesis of computer science, cognitive science, psychology and sociology, and stresses a principled approach to interactive systems design that fits a software engineering environment.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 638 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 2 edition (January 12, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0132398648
• ISBN-13: 978-0132398640
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,158,161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Needs reconstruction, but a good book, April 9, 2006

By 

John Harpur (Trim, Meath, IRELAND) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Human-Computer Interaction (3rd Edition) (Hardcover)

Let me begin by saying that years back I won an international award for something or other to do with contributions to ergonomics - the design of a computer system in fact. I looked at this book as a possible text for an undergraduate course I teach. This is a good book, despite the reviews, if you have the time the read it. It is thorough at the theoretical end and pretty damn thorough at that. If you want to know the history of HCI, recent and possible developments, this is a good book - but it is just too long for most undergrads and this is the main problem. Most undergrads believe that HCI is just pure waffle and in many cases that is unarguable - it takes the likes of Jef Raskin to restore some intellectual credibility to the area.

One the major strikes against this book, and it isn't alone, is the lack of connection with actual software packages in common usage and the alleged 'software engineering' skills they require. For too long HCI books have operated at a distance from actual 'multimedia' software or else have assumed that everyone has a bespoke lab of geniuses under their arms when a novel tool is required. This book, despite the calibre of the authors, does nothing to challenge the "grandstanding" that defines most HCI. Over tweny years ago, when I worked on expert systems, there was a creeping scepticism about their practical value - a solution in search of a problem. I would have liked this book to have done more to convince me that this epithet is not applicable to HCI. I hope the next edition expresses that reassurance.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to HCI, December 16, 2001

By 

XIAO Fuchun (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Human-Computer Interaction (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)

I used this book for one of my courses in professional computing.
I find this book to be quite readable, the essential and pertinent concepts are well-explained, and the scope of coverage is comprehensive. All the necessary aspects of HCI, the models of the user, interaction, system, are touched on. The chapter regarding the usability paradigms and principles is elucidated in a structured and systematic way, and the chapter on the dialog notations and design introduces some commonly used notations, including Petri Nets, which are also in common use in other IT topics.
This book does not delve into the more esoteric applications and theories behind HCI, but I would not necessary classify that as a shortcoming, for the book was probably never meant to be targetted at advanced researchers anyway.
All in all, I would highly recommend this book to those who want to get into the fundamentals of HCI, be able to use the concepts for practical applications in daily life, and who need a handy reference.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Steer clear if after a quick fix, December 17, 2007

By 

R "splog_the_troll" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Human-Computer Interaction (3rd Edition) (Hardcover)

A very good book that provides a solid foundation in a clear and easily readable format. If you're after a quick "HCI fix" or are trying to satisfy a course requirement where usability is seen as a niche then look elsewhere. If you want a good understanding of HCI and have a desire to make things more usable then this is a worthwhile read.