Memory and Action Selection in Human-Machine Interaction

Introduction

I.1. The key principle of designing human–machine interaction is “know the users”

“Know the users” is the key principle for designing satisfactory interactions. Users interact with information devices in order to achieve the states where they want to be. During the course of interactions, users expect a satisfactory experience. From the design side, this can be accomplished by applying the principle, “know the users", and by designing interactions accordingly to provide as much satisfaction as possible to the users through their experience of using the information devices. However, it is often hard to practice this principle due to the diversity of users. Each user has his/her own experience in using interaction devices, and his/her past experience affects significantly how he/she interacts with the devices in a particular situation. No one has the same experience. It seems there is no systematic way to practice the “know the users” principle.

“Know the users” is an important study issue not only in the field of human–machine interaction but in other domains such as behavioral economics. How does a user decide to purchase a new tablet PC for daily use? He or she selects one from a number of candidates in order to realize the states where he/she wants to be. This situation is very similar to the one described above. In the field of economics, the user’s decision-making process has been studied extensively. Human decision-making is a central topic in economics. Herbert ...