As a cognitive psychologist by training and as a human factors engineer specializing in the design of human-computer interfaces, I have been trying for 12 years to relate cognitive psychological principles and theories to the design of human-computer interaction (HCI) for complex systems, with much frustration and little success. Because of this experience, I approached this book with anticipation, especially given the list of distinguished authors from the academic and applied worlds. My anticipation was rewarded by the papers in this book, which are generally well written and informative. Many of the papers focus primarily on HCI design methodology, however, and only secondarily on the role of psychological science and theory in the design of HCI.

The introductory chapter, by Carroll, provides a helpful discussion of the diverse opinions brought out in the other papers with respect to how contemporary psychology must be modified methodologically and conceptually to play an important role in the design of HCI. In chapter 2, Norman discusses the role of cognitive artifacts in enhancing cognition, the representational features of artifacts, and the degrees of engagement that one can experience with an artifact. Norman contends that by better understanding how cognitive artifacts enhance cognition, we might be able to do a better job of designing these artifacts. Pylyshyn (chapter 3) argues that while research provides us with an understanding of who we are, such understanding is not inherently useful in the practical world of HCI design. According to Pylyshyn, progress in practical areas is the result of people who are sensitive to the task asking the right question and then empirically answering it.

In chapter 4, Brooks argues for the importance of good descriptive systems in HCI design as a prerequisite to developing scientific theories. Brooks asserts that task description is an area in which the cognitive science aspects of HCI have the most to contribute. Landauer asserts in chapter 5 that a useful cognitive theory of HCI is impossible due to the complex nature of HCI and to the many variables that affect a user’s interactions with a system. Landauer argues that the field of HCI should focus on the use of empirical methods and task analysis along with an iterative design process to improve HCI design. In chapter 6, Carroll, Kellog, and Rosen propose that the design rationale (including design issues, arguments related to these issues, dependencies between issues, and the final design decision) and scenario-based  design  need to be integrated into the cycle of defining and understanding tasks and designing, developing, and analyzing artifacts to support the tasks.

In chapter 7, Barnard suggests that the relationship between the real world of behavior in HCI and the scientific representation of that world (cognitive theory) is mediated by an intervening representation that serves as a bridge between the two worlds. According to Barnard, this intervening representation must be examined if cognitive theory is to have a role in HCI. In chapter 8, Payne presents three mini-theories of HCI that might influence design, and illustrates their potential with simple examples using a computer drawing context.

Lewis examines arguments against cognitive theory influencing HCI design in chapter 9. He concludes that although all the arguments against psychological theory influencing HCI design can be partially countered, it is hardly likely that cognitive theory will contribute to HCI design in any major way. In chapter 10, on the other hand, diSessa argues that regardless of whether a body of knowledge already exists that may influence HCI design, this knowledge can now be generated. The author describes a design approach based on developing a set of cognitive principles, grounding those principles in a particular context, designing around those principles, and finally reviewing the design both to validate the principles and to provide feedback on design decisions.

Greif (chapter 11) discusses the role of German work psychology in the design of cognitive artifacts. Bannon and Bødker (chapter 12) propose that we need to view users in the context of their interactions with others and the environment to design an HCI that supports them in their work. Henderson (chapter 13) asserts that to better understand the role of theory in HCI design, one must develop an understanding of the activity of designing user interfaces. The majority of the chapter is devoted to this examination. Henderson concludes that design is just one part of the development process for a product. As such, Henderson argues that we need a theory of development to provide a basis for HCI design.

Chapter 14, by Karat and Bennett, which is particularly well written and the most practically oriented part of the book, focuses on a framework for bringing a user perspective to design reviews and maintaining it throughout the design process. Part of this framework involves a technique in which each wall in a room is devoted to the representation of an aspect of the design environment: requirements, design constraints, product objectives, and design abstractions. The authors also discuss the use of scenario-based walkthroughs for evaluating design decisions. They point out that while the development of theories is one of the main goals of cognitive science, the value of such theories for the design process is unclear. The authors, on the other hand, assert that we need to develop a deeper understanding of the design process in order to enhance the process. In the final chapter, Tetzlaff and Mack observe that while most workshop participants were pessimistic about the usefulness of cognitive theory in designing more usable HCI, a majority agreed that real progress in the field will come from a better understanding of HCI design methodology. The majority of the chapter is devoted to examining the methodological proposals raised by the other papers in this volume.

This book should be read by both cognitive scientists interested in HCI design and HCI design practitioners interested in design methodologies. Each of the chapters provides an excellent list of references, and special care was taken to provide a comprehensive index.

The book fulfills its basic purpose, which was to examine the role of psychology in the design of HCI. This examination has not made me more optimistic about the chances of psychological theory influencing the design of HCI. As pointed out by several of the authors, the issues and problems faced by most human factors practitioners in designing usable human-computer interaction are too complex and context-dependent to be handled by a general cognitive  theory  of human-computer interaction. The papers did, however, make me more optimistic that current developments in HCI design methodology may improve our chances of designing more usable systems.