[ID Discuss] Interaction design == web design

[id at ourbrisbane.com]

Quoting Dave Heller <dave at interactiondesigners.com>:
> I would also add that there is also an historical difference.
> 
> HF/HCI are engineering based
> IxD is design based
> 
> basically this means that ixd considers the visceral & the aesthetic 
> while hci is focused on the mechanical & the cognitive.
> 
> As molly said these are connected. I would add that each needs to inform 
> the other.

I agree.  I think I see where you are coming from here, and yes, HCI is almost
entirely cognitive (memory, recogition, processing, etc) and mechanical (size of
target, tracking, keystroke level GOMS, etc), but everyone keeps equating Human
Factors to HCI.  These are two completely different fields.  HCI is a very
narrow specialisation.  It concerns only interaction with computers and treats
humans in isolation, often over-simplifying by equating them to a computer
themselves (where the brain = CPU and memory, eyes and ears = input, and hands
and mouth = output), with no regard for all the other factors/variables that
influence/affect a person as they interact with a system.  

There certainly is an element of engineering to HF, but I would argue that there
is a much stronger background in psychology.  HF came about as a necessity
during WW2 as pilot's cognitive abilities were being overtaken by the complexity
of the machinery they operated, leading to many needless incidents and
accidents.  Psychologists were called upon to investigate and help re-design
these systems.  

Modern HF looks at the design of any system from a holistic perspective -
analysing and accounting for factors such as: physical (bio-mechanics and
anthropometrics); environmental (lighting, noise, vibration); social (team
dynamics, cooperative workflows, organisational (managerial/peer) influences);
affective (visceral reactions, emotive impact); and cognitive (memory,
processing capacity, behavioural patterns).

So, again I ask how exactly is IxD different to HF?  I understand that you are
saying the approach is different - it comes from a design angle - but what
exactly does that mean?  What kinds of things would be investigated, using what
kind of techniques?  How would they be different to HF and are the end goals the
same or different?

Thanks for your patience.

Best regards,

Ash Donaldson
"It depends."
User Experience Designer