Back when the PC reigned supreme, human-computer interaction (HCI) was largely ignored by the majority of both users and developers. But with the advent of various i-devices, and portable devices using Android and Windows Mobile, the perception of the importance of HCI has changed significantly. In this landscape of increased interest, a solid textbook on HCI would surely be welcome, especially since the state of HCI on the PC itself still lags behind significantly.

This book is subtitled “an empirical research perspective.” One could easily imagine it being titled An introduction to empirical research in HCI. That is its strength, and there it shines. The book is relatively short but packed with information; features tight but lively writing; and is thoughtfully illustrated and amply sourced.

What does it cover? A quick history of the field is followed by a breezy introduction to the “human factor,” the front half of the human-computer interaction. Unsurprisingly, this is followed by an introduction to the elements of “computing interaction.” The rest of the book (chapters 4 to 7) covers scientific research in general (the scientific method, hypothesis testing, and writing and publishing), interleaved with research in HCI (designing HCI experiments, modeling interactions, and so on).

Readers looking for a classical textbook on HCI should keep searching. For those wishing to learn more about HCI through (publishable) experiments, this is a fantastic introduction. I am aware of one final-year course in HCI that used this book as its main text this past semester. It is a little too early to tell how successful that class was, but it certainly engaged the students more than a typical lecture-style course.

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