HCI Theory

Theory is the bedrock of many sciences, providing a rigorous method to advance knowledge, through testing and falsifying hypotheses about observable phenomena. To begin with, the nascent field of HCI followed the scientific method borrowing theories from cognitive science to test theories about user performance at the interface. But HCI has emerged as an eclectic interdiscipline rather than a well-defined science. It now covers all aspects of human life, from birth to bereavement, through all manner of computing, from device ecologies to nano-technology. It comes as no surprise that the role of theory in HCI has also greatly expanded from the early days of scientific testing to include other functions such as describing, explaining, critiquing, and as the basis for generating new designs. The book charts the theoretical developments in HCI, both past and present, reflecting on how they have shaped the field. It explores both the rhetoric and the reality: how theories have been conceptualized, what was promised, how they have been used and which has made the most impact in the field -- and the reasons for this. Finally, it looks to the future and asks whether theory will continue to have a role, and, if so, what this might be. Table of Contents: Introduction / The Backdrop to HCI Theory / The Role and Contribution of Theory in HCI / Classical Theories / Modern Theories / Contemporary Theory / Discussion / Summary

Yvonne Rogers is the director of the Interaction Centre at UCL and a professor of Interaction Design. She is internationally renowned for her work in HCI and ubiquitous computing. She is also a visiting professor at the Open University, Indiana University, and Sussex University and has spent sabbaticals at Stanford, Apple, Queensland University, UCSD, and University of Cape Town. Her research focuses on augmenting and extending everyday learning and work activities with a diversity of novel technologies. She was one of the principal investigators on the UK Equator Project (2000-2007) where she pioneered ubiquitous learning. She has published widely, beginning with her Ph.D. work on graphical interfaces to her recent work on public visualizations and behavioral change. She has also been awarded a prestigious EPSRC dream fellowship where she is rethinking the relationship between aging, computing, and creativity. Central to her work is a critical stance towards how visions, theories, andframe works can shape the fields of HCI, cognitive science, and Ubicomp. She has been instrumental in promulgating new theories (e.g., external cognition), alternative methodologies (e.g., in-the-wild studies), and far-reaching research agendas (e.g., Being Human: HCI in 2020 manifesto). She is also a co-author of the definitive textbook on Interaction Design and HCI now in its 3rd edition that has sold over 150,000 copies worldwide. She is a Fellow of the British Computer Society and the ACMs CHI Academy.