Telling people how things work

Although it is the aim of ergonomists to make the operation of machines and systems as self-evident as possible, instructions usually have to be provided since the cost of completely self-explanatory apparatus may be excessive or its complexity may make it impracticable. When a person meets a novel piece of apparatus he will have expectations about how it may work. People tend to read instructions to confirm their expectations, so that anything unexpected in the operation of the apparatus must be emphasised in the instructions if it cannot be avoided in the design. It is important to determine exactly who will use the instructions and design them accordingly. The best combination of pictorial and verbal materials must be found to make the instructions as easy to understand as possible. Not everyone automatically looks for the instructions when they cannot make something work the first time they meet it. It is the responsibility of the designer to ensure operating instructions attract attention.     

Twenty years of telecommunications research in BIT

This paper reflects on 20 years of behavioural research in telecommunications published in BIT. The past 20 years have seen major changes in telecommunications technology and applications. They have also seen the deregulation of telecommunications markets and the pervasive penetration of the working environment by networked systems. Papers published in BIT have reflected these changes. Some research topics have attracted continuing interest throughout this period, and two are reviewed briefly: the effect of network delays on users and the relative effectiveness of different media and user choices between them. In addition many new technical and theoretical developments have been reported. Two major theoretical trends have been the convergence between behavioural research in telecommunications and computing, and the rise in social-science-based research. The question whether published behavioural research has been able to influence the development of the technologies studied is considered. Finally, the paper speculates on future topics for research.     

Designing for the day after tomorrow I. The interaction between communications systems design and social change

Social and behavioural changes usually follow the introduction of new communications services or systems. These changes may in turn affect the way the system is used and therefore have implications for system design. The social and behavioural changes promoted by the introduction of the electric telegraph, the telephone, tele-conferencing, electronic mail and communicating office systems are reviewed and their impacts on system design discussed. Users interactions with the telegraph and telephone are relatively simple and the social changes they brought about occurred over long timescales, so that their impact on system design is difficult to isolate. Computer conferencing and office automation systems require more complex interactions between the user and the system, and, in the case of office systems, play an intimate role in the users work. Substantial changes in behaviour occur quite rapidly, and need to be taken into account in system design.