Empirical research methods for human-computer interaction
I. Scott MacKenzie, Janet C. Read, Matthew Horton
TL;DR
Addresses how to design and analyze user studies in HCI and how to convert experiments into CHI papers. The method is a two-session, hands-on course that includes a real in-class experiment (two keyboard layouts with counterbalancing) and subsequent statistical analysis and paper-writing guidance. Key contributions include a concrete, scalable curriculum that trains researchers to plan, execute, analyze, and report empirical studies, with authentic data and a live example from CHI contexts. The approach supports better experimental practice in HCI and more effective CHI submissions, benefiting both academia and industry practitioners.
Abstract
Most attendees at CHI conferences will agree that an experiment (user study) is the hallmark of good research in human-computer interaction. But what constitutes an experiment? And how does one go from an experiment to a CHI paper? This course will teach how to pose testable research questions, how to make and measure observations, and how to design and conduct an experiment. Specifically, attendees will participate in a real experiment to gain experience as both an investigator and as a participant. The second session covers the statistical tools typically used to analyze data. Most notably, attendees will learn how to organize experiment results and write a CHI paper.