Abstract
How do we reimagine the digital world? To focus solely on technology is to miss the point: our interactions with that technology. My field, human-computer interaction, poses a fundamental question: how can we ensure that computers meet the needs of the people who use them? Not in general, but at every moment and for every person.
This lesson offers an overview of this field, including its role in the computer revolution, and historical examples that remain visionary even today. I explain the theoretical underpinnings of this multidisciplinary field, which draws on the natural and social sciences as well as computer science, engineering and design, and the challenges that arise when we study phenomena that we otherwise create.
I analyze the problems that interactive systems can cause, with examples of critical systems where minor user interface flaws have led to disasters. I also describe the different relationships we have with computer systems, whether as a tool we learn to use, an intelligent assistant that accomplishes our tasks, or a rich medium for communicating with others.
Finally, I outline a perspective towards genuine partnerships between humans and their digital instruments.
