Comp 15 - Usability and Human Factors Unit 3a - Cognition and Human Performance This material was developed by Columbia University, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number 1U24OC000003.

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Overview Cognition and Human Computer Interaction in a cognitive engineering approach A model of human information processing including perception, attention, memory and cognition Mental models and interactive behavior Distributed cognition Cognition and Human Computer Interaction in a cognitive engineering approach A model of human information processing including perception, attention, memory and cognition Mental models and interactive behavior Distributed cognition Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Cognition and Human Computer Interaction (HCI) HCI is intersection between psychology/ social sciences and computer sciences/ technology HCI seeks to understand and support human beings interacting with technology Drawing on basic science research Applied cognitive HCI work Study of cognition and information processing is increasingly viewed as central to advances in HCI Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

HCI: Cognitive Engineering Approach Principles, methods and tools to assess and guide design of computerized systems to support human performance Focus on attention, perception, memory, comprehension, problem solving, and decision making Analysis of cognitive tasks and processing constraints imposed by the human information processing system Principles, methods and tools to assess and guide design of computerized systems to support human performance Focus on attention, perception, memory, comprehension, problem solving, and decision making Analysis of cognitive tasks and processing constraints imposed by the human information processing system Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Cognitive Theory and HCI Informative Useful research findings Predictive Providing tools to model user behavior Prescriptive Providing advice for design or evaluation Explanatory Accounting for user behavior Generative Provide design dimensions and constructs to inform design and selection of external representations Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Driving with a Computer Keyboard “Imagine trying to drive a car using a computer keyboard. The four arrow keys are used for steering, the space bar for braking and the return key for accelerating. To indicate left you need to press the F1 key and to indicate right, the F2 key. To sound your horn you need to press the F3 key. To switch the headlights on you need to use the F4 key and the F5 key for the windshield wipers. Now imagine as you were driving along a road a ball is suddenly kicked in front of you. What would you do? Bash the arrow keys and the space bar madly while pressing the F3 key?” Image of computer keyboard on top of a car steering wheel: http://www.flickr.com/photos/freebourg/2850863623/ http://www.expansys.com/zoompic.aspx?type=item&i=158902 Preece, J. Rogers, Y. & Sharp, H. (2007) Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction. 2nd Edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. P. 92 Preece, J. Rogers, Y. & Sharp, H. (2007) Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction. 2nd Edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. P. 92 Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Human Information Processing Human information processing theory deals with how people receive, store, integrate, retrieve, and use information. A basic HIP model recognizes 3 subsystems: Perceptual system processing sensory information Motor system controls action Cognitive system provides the processing that connects the two systems HIP model provides a basis from which to make predictions about human performance Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

A Model of Human Information Processing Perception Working Memory Long - Term Memory Sensory Register Hearing Vision Olfaction Haptic Response Selection Execution Feedback Attention Resources Perceptual Encoding Central Processing Responding Thought Decision Making Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Perception Complex dynamic process Perception: Attach meaning to sensory inputs Maps incoming sensory information into a mental representation stored in long term memory Mapping proceeds by processes that often occur concurrently: Bottom-up feature analysis Top-down processing Ability to respond consistently to certain combination of features because of learned associations Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Gestalt Organization Principles Perceptual organizing principle: How we perceive structure in our environment Proximity Containment Similarity Closure Continuation Basic principles with clear implications for web design Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 No Clear Grouping Image of 16 red boxes forming a 4 x 4 square. Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Proximity Image of 16 red boxes also 4 x 4, but more spread out. Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Containment Image of 16 red boxes, 4 x 4, but split into 2 groups of 8. Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Similarity Image of 16 boxes, arranged 4 x 4, alternating rows of color (red, blue, red, blue). Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Closure Image of 14 red boxes arranged into large square with some spaces. Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Anyone’s Guess Image of 16 shapes, various colors (red and blue), various types of shapes (squares and circles). Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Airport Status Example Was the delay Boston or Westchester? Was the delay Boston or Westchester? Newark On time JFK La Guardia Newberg Philadelphia Boston Delay Westchester Long Island Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Schedule 1 Newark Philadelphia On time On time JFK Boston On time Delay La Guardia Westchester On time On time Newberg Long Island On time On time Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Simple Improvement 1 Newark Philadelphia On time On time JFK Boston On time Delay La Guardia Westchester On time On time Newberg Long Island On time On time Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Simple Improvement 2 Newark - On Time Philadelphia - On Time JFK - On Time Boston - Delay La Guardia - On Time Westchester - On Time Newberg - On Time Long Island - On Time Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Human Attention Selective Mechanism Resource needed for information processing Limited Sharable Flexible Selective Mechanism Resource needed for information processing Limited Sharable Flexible Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Selective Attention Ability to ignore extraneous information and focus on relevant inputs Performance typically declines as the number of sources of information increases Humans can only process information at a finite rate Information overload results in errors Ability to ignore extraneous information and focus on relevant inputs Performance typically declines as the number of sources of information increases Humans can only process information at a finite rate Information overload results in errors Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

The Case of Bird Watching Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Computer Provider Order Entry Systems Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 24

Representational Effect External representations such as images, graphs, tables, icons, audible sounds, written symbols are instruments of thinking Representational Effects: Different representations of a common abstract structure (same meaning) can significantly affect performance Compare 37 x 93 and XXXVII x XCIII Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011 Digital vs. Analog http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/3041923556_187f3e3351.jpg http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartpilbrow/4236152267/ Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Glucose and BP Representations Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011

Risk Representations (Ancker, 2007) Component 15/Unit 3a Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0/Spring 2011