Framework
A framework is a basic supporting structure for something thought about and done. For example, social and infrastructural frameworks for urban development. The social framework supports domestic and work relations for urban development. The infrastructural framework supports transport and communications relations for urban development. Both frameworks, however, provide a basic structure for thinking about and doing urban development.
A framework supports thinking and doing something. For example, social and infrastructural frameworks for urban development support thought about and creation of different types of integrated and modular urban development respectively.
A framework’s support for thoughts and actions constitutes an application of that framework. For example, social and infrastructural frameworks for urban development both propose concepts and actions and their associated relations respectively.
Finally, a framework can be assessed, concerning its appropriateness as a supporting structure for thinking about and doing something. For example, social and infrastructural frameworks for urban development can be assessed for their appropriateness in terms of completeness, coherence and fitness-for-purpose.
Framework for HCI
A framework for HCI is a basic supporting structure for thinking about and doing HCI. For example, the cognitive and interactional frameworks for supporting the design of human-computer interactions. The cognitive framework comprises mental functions, such as perception, memory, thought etc. The interactional framework comprises interactive functions, such as goal formation, planning, feedback etc. Both frameworks, however, provide a basic supporting structure for thinking about and doing HCI.
A framework for HCI supports thinking about and doing HCI. For example, cognitive and interactional frameworks for HCI support thought about and creation of process-led and performance-led designs of human-computer interactions respectively.
An HCI framework’s support for thoughts and actions, concerning human-computer interactions, constitutes an application of that framework. For example, cognitive and interactional frameworks both propose concepts and actions and their associated relations for human-computer interactions respectively.
Finally, a framework for HCI can be assessed for its appropriateness, as a supporting structure for thinking about and designing human-computer interactions. For example, cognitive and interactional frameworks for HCI can be assessed for their appropriateness, as supporting structures in terms of their completeness, coherence and fitness-for-purpose.
Framework for a Discipline
A framework for a discipline is a basic supporting structure for thinking about and developing a discipline. The general concern of a discipline is part of that framework, for example, understanding natural phenomena for the discipline of science. The particular scope of that concern is also part of the framework, for example, human behaviour for the science sub-discipline of psychology.
A framework for a discipline supports thinking about and developing a discipline. For example, the general concern of science as understanding natural phenomena comprises the practices of explaining known phenomena and predicting unknown phenomena.
A framework for a discipline’s thoughts and actions, as reflected by its practices, also comprises knowledge, required to support those practices. For example, in science, theory is the knowledge supporting the practices of explanation and prediction.
Finally, a framework for a discipline can be assessed for its appropriateness as a supporting structure for thinking about and developing a discipline. For example, frameworks for a discipline can be assessed for their appropriateness, as supporting structures in terms of their completeness, coherence and fitness-for-purpose.
Framework for a Discipline of HCI
A framework for a discipline of HCI is a basic supporting structure for thinking about and developing a discipline of HCI. Such an HCI framework would comprise: a general problem and its particular scope; its research; its knowledge; and its practices.
The general problem of HCI is design, understood as specification and implementation. Specification can take many forms, for example, storyboards, wire-frame models etc, as can implementation, for example, simulations, prototypes etc.
The particular scope of the general problem of HCI is human-computer interactions. These interactions may involve individuals or groups, be active or passive and may be conducted through a variety of different media. An example would be the initial prototype design of an interactive on-line shopping system.
HCI research acquires and validates knowledge, which supports HCI practices solving the general HCI problem with the particular scope of human-computer interactions. HCI research may take many forms, for example, experiments, method development, etc. HCI validation may involve different criteria, for example, completeness, coherence and fitness-for-purpose etc. An example of HCI research might be the application of voice recognition to parcel sorting.
HCI knowledge, acquired and validated by research, supports practices solving the general problem of the design of human-computer interactions. HCI knowledge may be of different kinds, for example, design methods, design heuristics etc. HCI knowledge may be more-or-less formal, for example, design models and design heuristics, respectively and offer more-or-less strong guarantee support, for example, design principles and design heuristics, respectively.
HCI practices, supported by HCI knowledge, acquired and validated by research, solve the general HCI problem of the design of human-computer interactions. HCI design practices include specifying and implementing human-computer interactions. In so doing, they include the diagnosis of HCI design problems and the prescription of HCI design solutions. For example, users of the interactive on-line shopping system, referenced earlier, might complain that they cannot manage their shopping budget well enough, because they are unable to keep track of the cost of the goods in their shopping cart. Were this to be diagnosed as a design problem, then a design solution might be prescribed as the association of a running total of the cost of the goods in their shopping cart. The design solution might then be specified and implemented.
The framework for a discipline of HCI is as required for HCI Research for All, as proposed here.
More Detailed Frameworks for A Discipline of HCI
The Framework for a Discipline of HCI is here expressed at the highest level of description. However, to conduct HCI design research to acquire and validate HCI knowledge, lower levels of description are required. A lower level is presented later for each type of HCI discipline research and its associated framework.
Researchers, of course, might have their own lower level descriptions or subscribe to some more generally recognised levels. Such descriptions are accommodated, if they fit with the higher-level descriptions of the HCI discipline research framework and are complete; coherent and fit-for-purpose. Such levels need to go from the general to the particular, for example from ‘human’ to ‘secretary’ and from ‘computer’ to ‘tablet’. The lowest level, of course, needs to reference the complete interactive system itself and its application for the purposes of design research and design. Researchers are encouraged to apply the more detailed frameworks, associated with each discipline framework type, as proposed here and to add further details, as required by their own research.