Dissertation

In my dissertation I looked at the history of the graphical user interface (GUI), and how the attribution of human like traits and gestures to the PC has affected humans relationship to personal technologies in today's society.
I looked at how Apple changed the personal computer from a machine mostly used by people with computer literacy into a tool that ordinary non-technical users could access. The Macintosh in 1984 (one of the first computers with a GUI) was the product responsible for this change. The concept for this computer was to hide the technical parts of the machine away from the user, giving it a more familiar and human-like appearance to attract ordinary people who previously felt intimidated by this new technology. Apple's philosophy was "Since computers are so smart, wouldn't it make sense to teach computers about humans, instead of of teaching people about computers?" The design of the Macintosh GUI reflects this philosophy. The interface was given a familiar face that humans could relate to at a more personal and emotional level. This design strategy has continued to influence designs of user interfaces since.
Throughout the dissertation I discussed the negative and positive aspects of the 'computer as human' model drawing upon different theories concerning this, and touching upon anthropomorphism and animism. I also looked at the complexity of HCI alongside evolving technology and the computer industry's struggle in maintaining the trust of their users. Finally I looked at design strategies used in today's personal information devices and the affects on users relationship to personal technology.

One discovery I made was the difficulty the computer industry has had, throughout time, in dealing with the profound amount of new features and content at hand, whilst maintaining the usability needed for people to feel at ease and emotionally engage with the technology. I also discovered how a shift in the understanding of HCI has lead to products that aim to appeal to individual needs. Nowadays products and services aim to provoke feelings of personal importance, attachment and companionship, by providing individuals with user centred, customisable and playful designs. Mobile phones especially is a great example of this trend. I discovered that today's interfaces of personal technologies are designed to entertain an stimulate users senses through playful and theatrical displays to emotionally involve users. Manovich suggests that personal technologies today are designed with a 'form follows emotion' ideology rather than 'form follows function.' This means that the experience and emotional engagement in user interfaces have become as important as the functions they serve.


I enjoyed both the research and writing process of this project. I also enjoyed coming to some new discoveries and conclusions. I didn't enjoy writing the bibliography but I understand it's purpose and importance, and put a lot of effort into getting it right. The hardest thing was probably working out what research was relevant and what wasn't. I had to constantly remind myself of the key theme of the dissertation to avoid drifting away from the title of the dissertation. I tried to focus on making it enjoyable and interesting to read, making the language flow without too much disruption. I found it really satisfying when all the writing started to come together and form some answers and conclusions. Overall I am pleased with what I have achieved.