4. Choice of input method
It is up to the HCI designer to select the most appropriate and effective method of input. This will depend on the nature of the application itself and the intended users. For example, questions for consideration might be
- Are they expected to be technically proficient with devices (e.g. typing skills)
- Does the application need specific data (spreadsheet) or action commands ( game)
- Do they have any special requirements (e.g. very young, infirmity etc)
And so on.
With this in mind the table below highlights the pros and cons of various input methods
Keyboard input
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Very efficient for loading data and instructions. | Accurate and speedy typing is an acquired skill and many people cannot type |
| User can input very complex commands and data | Typing lots of information takes a long time and can be tiring |
| Can easily create errors though misspelling | |
| User may have physical impairments that make typing difficult or impossible |
Natural language
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Can be quicker than typing | Natural Language interfaces are still inaccurate and fairly awkward to use |
| Normal, everyday language can be used | Cannot deal with the wide range of accents and voices |
| Excellent for hands-free situations such as driving | Person has to be precise - no Uhms, repetitions and hesitations when dictating or speaking longer commands |
Touch
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Very easy to use | Complex technology that remains fairly expensive |
| Can be fun to use especially in modern tablets and smart phones | Touch surface has to be accessible |
| Very tough, can be used in harsh environments | |
| Can be used through windows such as shops | |
| Mainly for selection and so no typing skill is needed e.g. entering a postcode into a SatNav system is often done by picking on a virtual keyboard |
Pointer
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Very good for selecting specific items | Not good for entering text information such as a command line interface may require |
| Excellent when combined with a Graphical User Interface that makes use of icons | Physical impairment might make it difficult to handle a pointing device such as a mouse although there are specialist pointing devices for overcoming this. |
challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you
Click on this link: Input techniques and devices