Assignment 1
HCI Concepts in Practice – The Example of Skype
Table of Contents
1. Description of Product and Context of Use 3
2. Scenarios 4
2.1 Concrete Scenario: Skype to Skype 4
2.2 Evaluation of Use of Scenarios 5
3. Reason for Selecting Skype 7
4. Overview of HCI Concepts Used 8
4.1 Usefulness 9
4.2 Enjoyment and User Satisfaction 9
4.2.1 Aesthetic Design 9
4.2.2 Empathy 9
4.2.3 User Control 10
4.3 Usability 10
4.3.1 Tolerance 10
4.3.2 Learnability/Memorability 10
4.3.2.1 Consistency 11
4.3.2.2 Simplicity 11
4.3.2.3 Individuality 11
4.3.2.4 Logic/Structure 11
4.3.2.5 Readability 12
4.3.2.6 Respecting Cultural Constraints 12
4.3.2.7 Visualising 12
4.3.2.8 Efficiency 12
4.3.3 Ergonomics 13
5. Insights Gained on the Use of HCI Concepts 13
5.1 Common Language 13
5.2 Better Understanding of What Makes Products Usable 13
5.3 Relativity of HCI Concepts 13
5.4 Tension between HCI Concepts 13
5.5 Acknowledgement of the Complexity of Good Design 13
Reference List 14
Appendix 1 16
Appendix 2 17
Appendix 3 19
1. Description of Product and Context of Use
Skype[1] is a software product that users can install on their personal computer and use to make Voice-over-IP telephone calls free of charge to other Skype users and to landline connections for low fees. Other features include an overview of which of the user’s contacts are online at a given moment, (video) conferencing, instant messaging, file transfer and sending sms.
The Skype client software actually runs on users’ personal computers instead of on a central server and uses other user computers to maintain a peer-to-peer computer network[2]. Skype was launched in 2003 and has, according to Thomann (2006), developed into the fastest growing internet community ever. The number of downloads and the number of online users is still rising steadily (see Appendix 1). There are between 7.5 and around 12 million users online at any given time (see...