ABSTRACT

Thus far, this book has looked at the user’s goals and information needs without directly considering the cognitive factors that drive how a user views and responds to a situation. However, as the volume of information increases, considerations of people’s cognitive processes become paramount for providing effective design for complex situations. Previous chapters considered how the information was defined and displayed, here we look at cognitive aspects of how a person interacts with a complex situation and interprets relevant information. This chapter looks at the user and considers the following:

• How designers view the user and what type of elements go into defining the levels of user knowledge.