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Human Capabilities: Attention

Explore the complexities of human attention, brain multitasking limitations, implications for user interfaces (UIs), and strategies to minimize interruptions for optimal productivity and learning. Understand the importance of focusing on the task, not the UI, and the impact of external cognition in saving attention. Gain insights into brain attention dynamics and the significance of avoiding unnecessary cognitive load. Learn practical tips to design UIs that respect users' attention and enhance their experience. Discover how attention influences user behavior and decision-making in various tasks and interfaces.

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Human Capabilities: Attention

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  1. Human Capabilities:Attention CS565

  2. Announcements • 1. Schedule rest of term. • 2. Team presentations coming up: • Slots are first-come, first served.

  3. Attention • Selecting what to focus on, at a point in time, from the range of possibilities. • Banner ads steal attention “pre-brain”. • Attention also happens in brain. • We focus on what we think is relevant to our task. • Attention highly dependent on our limited short term memory (which is small). • HOWEVER -- if didn’t make it thru senses, not a contender. 👁

  4. Brain attention • Can brain multi-task? • No. Mostly attend to one thing at once. • Then ...? • Like in operating systems: Interrupt system, context switch. • Cost of context switch. • Missed triggers. • Thus, UIs should encourage this with care. • Hands-free cells while driving? Emails while in talks/meetings/classes? • Flow? Depth of concentration?

  5. Video Activity • Example: Lets look at paying enough attention • even without trying to multi-task • even without interruptions • So... • No talking, make no sounds during this exercise. • (Switch to tAndT slides)

  6. What do people (usually) attend to? 📝 • The task, not the tool. • Ex1: The words you’re writing, not the pencil. • Ex2: The story in the book, not the physical book. • If have to attend to the tool, might forget ... • Ex1: Pencil gets too dull, attend to pencil (sharpen). •  Have system (last few words you wrote) show where you left off. • External cognition saves the day! • Ex2: Doorbell rings, put down book; where was I? •  Let user mark where you left off. (eg, bookmark). • External cognition saves the day!

  7. Implications • People won’t pay much attention to a UI. • Very surface-level attention. • Want to do tasks familiar way (remember Abby?) • UI should allow focus on task, not UI. • “Don’t make me think!” (about the UI) • Pay a bill • Transfer $ to savings • Pay dentist via fund transfer • Change PIN • Open new acct • Buy travelers checks

  8. Demanding Brain’s Attention:Interruptions • When COMPUTER decides to call attention to something. • Four important kinds: • Immediate • For when MUST pay immediate attention. • Mediated • Computer decides when to interrupt. • Scheduled • Negotiaated • Best for productivity AND learning.

  9. Attention Take-aways(Basics for UIs) • Users can’t attend to everything at once. • If info does not make it thru senses, • brain can’t attend to it. • Once in brain: • users attend to what seems most relevant. (Remember Info Foraging Theory?) • User has the right to their own attention. • There is a cost to making them attend to UI. • Do not impose it arbitrarily.

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