What the term means:

Essentially, interaction types are the way a person interacts with a product or application. There are four main types: instructing, conversing, manipulating, and exploring.

(Preece, Rogers & Sharp, 2015, p. 2)

Reflection on the Topic

1. Deciding which of the four main types of interaction type that should be chosen can help designers formulate a conceptual model before committing to an interface in which to implement them (e.g. speech-based, gesture-based, touch-based, menu-based and so on.) While cost and other product constraints may dictate which interface style can be used for a given application, considering the interaction type that will best support a user experience can highlight the potential trade-offs dilemmas and pros and cons.
2. Words – especially those used in interactions, like button labels, should be meaningful and simple to understands. This should communicate information to users, but not too much information to overwhelm the user. Visual Representations – This concerns graphical elements like images, typography, and icons that users interact with. These usually supplement the words used to communicate to users. Physical objects or space – Through what physical objects do users interact with the product? A laptop, with a mouse or touch pad or a smartphone with the users’ fingers? And within what kind of physical space does the user do so? For instance, is the user standing in a crowded train while using the app on a smartphone or sitting on a desk in the office surfing the site?Time – While this dimension sounds a little abstract, it mostly refers to the media that changes with time. Motion and sounds play a crucial role in giving visual and audio feedback to user’s interactions. Also, of concern is the amount of time a user spends interacting with the product. Can users track progress or resume their interaction later?Behavior – This includes the mechanism of a product: How do users performs on the site? How do users operate the product? In other words, it’s how the previous dimensions define the interactions of a product. It also may include the reactions – for instance the emotional response of feedback of users and the product.
3. Speech accessibility and Apps can help people with speech disabilities which can benefit from iOS features. Facetime lets you communicate visually, whether you use sign language, gestures, or facial expressions. iMessage lets you chat with others via text. Speak selection helps with speech development by speaking the words you are reading. You may also compose your own text you have your iPhone or iPad speak for you.

My Thoughts

The principle of interaction is to work together in a system. When interactions are perceivable and noticeable, and their outcomes can be accurately predicted, people will interact with the interface. When meaningful feedback is provided after an interaction, people will understand how their actions led to outcomes.

“Make every interaction count, even the small ones. They are all relevant.” (Shep Hyken)

Reference List

1. Preece, Rogers & Sharp, (2015). Interaction and Design: Beyond human-computer interaction. West Sussex, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
2. Siang, Teo, (2019). What is Interaction Design? https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-interaction-design
3. Unknown Author (2019). Speech Accessibility and Apps. http://www.atel.ri.gov/speech%20accessibility%20apps.pdf
4. Gibbs, Ian. (4 Aug 2014). The Five Principles of Interaction Design. https://info.obsglobal.com/blog/2014/08/the-five-principles-of-interaction-design