Week 4: Human-Computer Interacton
questions
Societal / Personal Impacts- Explain some ways people have adapted to the evolution of technology.
- What is the connection the author [Norman] was trying to make between humans and analog?
- What are some ways that we have changed what we value in employees due to new technology? How are the values different than before the technology revolution?
- People hear what is intended, not what is said. [Noah & Moses] With face-to-face communication, people ask "real questions that have real answers and real meaning." In your preference, does it matter that you just get the point of the message or that you understand accurately the message being conveyed? How has accuracy affected you in computer-to-person compared to person-to-person communication?
- How long will it take us to be a "truly well-educated citizen" in 50 years? 100 years? Justify.
- How does technology positively and negatively affect your life?
- Do you think Taylorism [scientific management] has helped mankind overall? Explain.
- If we continued using digital [technology], how would it benefit us? How could it be negative?
- What do you see happening in the next decade? Will society ultimately end up in a machine-oriented, even machine-controlled world?
- Has specialization of knowledge resulted in more knowledge in the particular areas of specialization? How?
- What potential disaster does a society who grows slower than their technology face?
- If we were to be made to be more computer like, how would it be possible to do that?
- What would be the repercussions of trying to change the way we are designed?
- Will the system of the Navy, bringing in new people who question old ways of doing things and find problems, be adapted to different areas of culture?
Digital Divide
- What are some ways of helping developing countries get better access to ICTs? Is this really what they need to become more advanced?
- Foreign, developing countries like Nigeria are capable of having only transit agreements whereas countries like Europe and the United States have peering agreements. This is causing less economically stable countries like Nigeria to pay a major outflow of capital to send "domestic traffic" over international connections, thus effectively subsidizing the largest, richest ISPs. Do you view the Internet as a type of growing commodity that could be somewhat like what oil is to America to developing countries? Explain.
- What do you think should the western countries do in order to create a more equal playing field in terms of technological development for all countries in the world?
- Do you think we should care about the technological development in other countries? Explain.
- Before reading this article, what was your conception of the process of sending an email?
- Now that Ethan Zuckerman and Andrew McLaughlin article informed us of how the internet functions, what concerns did it raise that information you are seeking or sharing is getting sent to the wrong person?
- Do you think the way the Internet works is confusing? Why or why not? If it is confusing, has the Z & M article made it easier and more understandable?
- Did we develop computers to "think" they way they do in order to make more precise sense of our own human thinking? Did this happen because we thought it would be easier to only have right and wrong ways of thinking for computers?
- What if one of these networks decides not to volunteer with the other networks? What does this do to our system? Do things slow down or not work at all?
- Do you think the internet would still be as popular if it were not made as user-friendly (for instance, if we had to memorize IP addresses like "216.239.51.100" instead of "google.com")?
- Do you think a networked email system is efficient? Despite all the steps of sending an email from one country to another, for instance, is this system the best for sending messages in terms of required infrastructure?
- Taking into account both articles, do you find machines/the internet to be effiecient? why or why not?
- When the world changes the IPv4 to the IPv6 what will this take? How could we accomplish such a massive transition?
- What main functions of organizational devices, such as Blackberrys do you find to be most beneficial for all.
- Do you think that computers will ever be capable of more forms of human thought? How could we develop this?
- If we did revert to analog for future machines, how would that impact technology as we know it today?
- Is it even possible to use analog with future machines in a world where everything is becoming digital? Wouldn't that be backtracking?
- "Yes, digital is good for our contemporary machines, but analog might be better for future machines. And analog is certainly far better for people." Do you believe that analog will be more beneficial to people in the future? Why or why not? Which do you prefer, analog or digital?
- What evolutions in technology do you think will happen in the next twenty years?
- Analog vs. Digital which do you prefer and which do you think will be preference of the future and why?
- Will AI deception become a serious problem, depending on the application of AI technology? Robots are specific to their needs now, like that robot that rolls around cleaning your floor, but will more universal robots become more sci-fi like and more and more human?
- How can AI change our society and the man/machine relationship for good? For bad?
- How do you think AI will further change our society and the man/machine relationship? What are some potential costs/benefits of AI?
- Can you think of any other ways programs already try to take into account human error?
- What do you think would be a further step in the direction of human centric application design?
- If your calculator only gave you accurate results most of the time would you still rely on it?
- The gap in the systems of humans and computers is huge. Will computers become more human like, will humans have to adapt to become more computer like, or will the gap remain and attention be given to the input operations that humans have over computers?
- What do you think our world would be like if computers were more like us? What if computers could ask us questions and engage us in conversation? Would we treat them more like humans or mindless technology?
- Has man become too dependent on technology?
- How has man adapted to the competition w/ machines for blue collar jobs? Are more people seeking higher education in response to this?
- Will the line between man and machine ever become so blurred that one is unable to distinguish? Why or why not?
- Since humans created the machine they have the upper hand. Will there every be a time when the machine will be in control? If so, how will this come about and what will be the role of man and the role of the machine? Explain.
- Should we take active steps to stop the progression of machines? Is it really effecting the lives of humans in a negative way?
- As things are now, do we have possess control over machines or are our machines controlling our lives?
- Does it really matter that we as users don't understand how the tools we use work, as long as they work?
- What are some positive and negative implications of the evolving man/machine relationship?
- What can we actively do to separate man and machine but still have effecient work accomplished?
- Would you like to see the computer science take on a more human-centered approach? If so, why?
- Do you agree with the argument in "Being Analog" frustration with technology is resulting in: "a general turning-away from technology?" What do you think the author meant by this statement?
- "The real problem with being digital is that it implies a kind of slavery to accuracy"-What is wrong with accuracy? Isn't that the goal? Is he implying that humans perform better with error is incorporated?
- How could we "redesign the system to fit the people who must use it?"
- Is there really even a problem with the man-machine relationship?
- Since we created digital technology, how are we "losing" to it?
- According to Norman, "We live in a technology-centered world where the technology is not appropriate for people. No wonder we have such difficulties...and the worst part is, we did it to ourselves." Do you agree with this, or do you believe that the machines we have created make life easier? Explain.
- Do you believe that Zuckerman and McLaughlin would disagree with Norman? Explain your reasoning.
- Will future technology make computers more human-like (creative, less
rigid, etc.)?
- Do you think the author [Norman] is making a strong case for his claim [that if the Navy were to follow formal procedures the result would very likely be an increase in accident rate]?
- Do you agree with the author that there is an ever-increasing difficulty in learning technology? Haven't developers of technology and software done a good job of using intuitive design and metaphors to make technology easier to use and understand?