ABSTRACT
We view Interaction Design as a human-centred design discipline that builds on traditional disciplines (various design disciplines, social sciences, technology, philosophy) combined with its own body of knowledge and skills. Usability evaluation is a crucial activity in the design process, but different types of applications often pose different usability problems. Computer applications that support tasks in work environments must be easy to use, while computer games can be fun exactly because of the challenges they pose. New developments in information technology (graphical user interfaces, interactive multimedia, computer networks) change the nature of interactivity: active users engage in psychologically rich interactions with complex information environments. As a discipline that aims to optimize the relationships between people and artefacts, ergonomics needs to address these new and more complex forms of interaction.
