ABSTRACT
The quotations from Lewin and from Newell and Card capture what motivates those who apply cognitive modeling to human-computer interaction (HCI). Cognitive modeling springs from cognitive science. It is both a research tool for theory building and an engineering tool for applying theory. To the extent that the theories are sound and powerful, cognitive modeling can aid HCI in the design and evaluation of interface alternatives. To the extent that the problems posed by HCI are difficult to model or cannot be modeled, HCI has served to pinpoint gaps or inconsistencies in cognitive theory. In common with design, science is an iterative process. The symbiotic relationship between modeling and HCI furthers the scientific enterprise of cognitive science and the engineering enterprise of human factors.
