Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
113 results found in human-computer interaction.
- NGOMSL (Natural GOMS Language)
- A structured notation for writing GOMS (Goals, Operators, Methods, Selection rules) models in a program-like form that is readable by humans. NGOMSL was developed by David Kieras as a more formal vari…
- Natural Language Query (NLQ, Conversational Query, Natural Language Search)
- An interaction paradigm where users pose questions or issue commands in everyday language rather than using structured search syntax, predefined filters, or navigation controls. In accessibility conte…
- Natural User Interface (NUI)
- A user interface designed to feel intuitive and invisible, allowing users to interact with technology through natural behaviors such as gestures, voice, touch, or body movement rather than learned con…
- Nonspeech Audio (Non-Speech Sounds, Auditory Cues)
- Audio feedback in user interfaces that conveys information through sounds other than synthesized or recorded speech, including earcons (abstract musical motifs), auditory icons (realistic sounds repre…
- Nonverbal communication (NVC, Body language, Nonverbal cues)
- The transmission of information through channels other than spoken or written language, including facial expressions, eye contact, head gestures, hand movements, body posture, spatial proximity, and t…
- Paradox of the Active User
- The Paradox of the Active User, identified by Carroll and Rosson (1987), refers to the observation that computer users systematically avoid investing time in learning more efficient tools or methods, …
- Parameter Mapping Sonification (Parameter Mapping, Auditory Parameter Mapping)
- A sonification technique that represents changes in data dimensions through corresponding changes in auditory dimensions such as pitch, loudness, timbre, spatial position (panning), tempo, or reverber…
- Participatory design (Co-design, PD, Cooperative design)
- A design methodology originating from Scandinavian workplace practices in the 1970s in which end users, stakeholders, and designers collaborate as equal partners throughout the design process. In acce…
- Pen Input (Stylus Input, Pen-Based Input)
- An input method using a pen or stylus to interact with a computing device, typically through direct manipulation on a touchscreen or digitizer. Pen input offers advantages for users with certain motor…
- Perception-Action Cycle (PAC)
- In human-computer interaction research, the perception-action cycle (PAC) describes the continuous loop in which a user perceives information from the environment — such as the position of an on-scree…
- Peripheral Awareness (Peripheral Perception, Ambient Awareness)
- The innate ability to unconsciously maintain and constantly update a sense of one's social and physical surroundings without actively directing attention to them. In accessibility contexts, peripheral…
- Persuasive Technology (Behaviour Change Technology, Behavior Change Technology)
- Technology designed to change users' attitudes or behaviours through persuasion and social influence rather than coercion. In health and wellness contexts, persuasive technologies use strategies such …
- Physical Agency (Bodily Agency, Sense of Agency)
- The feeling of control and ownership over physical actions and their effects in the world. In assistive technology contexts, physical agency refers to a users sense of directly controlling objects and…
- Pilot-Passenger Model (Pilot/Passenger Framework)
- A model describing household technology dynamics where "pilots" are the users who set up and configure devices, while "passengers" are those who simply use the systems configured for them. In disabili…
- Pointing Task (Target Acquisition Task, Fitts' Task)
- A fundamental human-computer interaction task in which users move a cursor (via mouse, touchpad, finger, or other input device) to click or tap on a target. Pointing tasks are governed by Fitts' Law, …
- Procedural Task Tracking (Task Progress Tracking, Step Tracking)
- The automated monitoring of a user's progress through a multi-step task, identifying which steps have been completed, which are in progress, and which remain. In accessibility contexts, procedural tas…
- Programming by Demonstration (PBD, Record and Replay, Macro Recording)
- A technique for creating automated sequences of actions by recording a user performing the task manually, rather than requiring the user to write code or scripts. The system observes the user's intera…
- Proxemics (Interpersonal distance, Personal space)
- The study of how people use and perceive physical space in social interactions, originally defined by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in 1966. Hall identified four distance zones: intimate (0–45 cm), pe…
- Reminiscence therapy (Reminiscence, Life review therapy, Memory sharing)
- A therapeutic intervention widely used with older adults and people with dementia that involves the structured recall and sharing of personal memories and life experiences, often supported by prompts …
- Scanpath (Gaze Path, Eye Movement Path)
- The sequence of fixations and saccades (rapid eye movements) that represent how a person visually explores an interface or document. In accessibility and usability research, scanpath analysis reveals …