Lecture 6: Human Cognition

Lecture 6: Human Cognition

1. cognition

   • interact with technology; know human capabilities

2. cognitive process

   • attention (focus on smth, info)
     • multitasking & attention (light multitasker can focus more when face distraction)
       • make info more salient (obvious to seeen)
   • perception (hear, touch, smell, taste, eyes)
     • use icons, sound, speech output, text, tactile feedback [colour + symbol]
   • memory (recognize things better than recall things; recall-directed & recognition-based scanning)
     • encoding then retrieving [ ppl can rmb 7+-2 info in a time]
       • use primary & secondary button styles, categories, colour, flagging, time stamping
   • learning (learn by doing)
     • encourage exploration, guide learners
   • reading, speaking, listening
     • short instructions
   • problem solving, planning, reasoning & decision making
     • provide additional info; use simple computational aids

3. Mental models

   • learn & use to understand system; make inferences on how carry out tasks; involve concous & unconcious process
   • knowledge; user's understanding on how use the system (what to do next); deal with unfamiliar system (how system work)

4. Gulf of execution & evaluation

   • gap btwn user & interface; reduce cognitive effort
   • execution: distance from user to physical system
   • evaluation: distance from physical system to user

5. conceptual models

   • concept / how is the overall design
   • underlying understanding on how technology / device work
   • 3 conceptual model
     • designer has their own conceptual model of the system
     • system image is the actual implementation of the design
     • user's model is built through interaction with system

6. external cognition

   • externalizing to reduce memory load (write down to remind us
   • computational offloading (use external tool; eg: use pen / calculator / do in mind to solve Math question)
   • annotating & cognitive tracing (modify existing representation; eg: crodd off / ticking / underline)