Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
113 results found in human-computer interaction.
- Scanpath Trend Analysis (STA)
- A method for analysing multiple eye-tracking scanpaths to identify a single representative trending path that captures the most common viewing patterns across a group of users. STA determines which vi…
- Semiotic Engineering (Semiotics of HCI)
- A theoretical framework developed by Clarisse Siqueira de Souza that views human-computer interaction as a form of designer-to-user communication mediated by the interface. In this model, the interfac…
- Sense of Presence (Virtual Presence, Spatial Presence)
- The subjective feeling of "being there" in a virtual environment, encompassing spatial presence (feeling physically located in the virtual space), involvement (attention directed at the virtual world)…
- Situated action (Situated cognition, Situated practice)
- A theoretical framework from sociology and HCI holding that human actions and decisions are fundamentally shaped by the specific social, material, and temporal context in which they occur, rather than…
- Socially Recursive Inference (Social Recursion)
- The cognitive process by which individuals' perceptions and behaviors are shaped by what they believe others think about them or their situation. In accessibility contexts, socially recursive inferenc…
- Spatial cognition (Spatial awareness, Cognitive mapping)
- The mental processes involved in perceiving, storing, recalling, and using information about spatial environments — including the locations of objects, distances between them, routes through spaces, a…
- Spatial sensitivity (Personal space sensitivity, Proxemic sensitivity)
- Heightened awareness of and discomfort with the physical proximity of others or objects, particularly common among autistic individuals and people with anxiety or PTSD. Spatial sensitivity involves st…
- Surround sound (Multichannel audio, 5.1 audio, 7.1 audio)
- An audio reproduction technique that uses multiple speaker channels arranged around the listener to create an enveloping sound field. Common configurations include 5.1 (five speakers plus a subwoofer)…
- Tangible User Interface (TUI, Physical Interface)
- An interface in which users interact with digital information through physical objects and surfaces in the real world. Tangible user interfaces bridge the gap between digital and physical by giving di…
- Target acquisition (Target selection, Pointing task)
- The process of moving a pointer or input device to a specific on-screen element and selecting it, such as tapping an icon, clicking a button, or choosing a menu item. Target acquisition is a fundament…
- Technology Acceptance (Technology Adoption, TAM)
- The process by which individuals evaluate, adopt, and integrate new technology into their routines, often modeled through frameworks like the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which emphasizes perceiv…
- Technology Adoption Model (TAM)
- A theoretical framework developed by Fred Davis that explains how users come to accept and use new technology. The model proposes that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are the primary fa…
- Technology Probe
- A research method that deploys a simple, functional technology prototype in real-world or realistic settings to observe user interactions and gather feedback about future design possibilities. Unlike …
- Technology acceptance (User acceptance, Technology adoption)
- The degree to which individuals are willing to embrace, use, and integrate a new technology into their practices, influenced by perceived usefulness, ease of use, social norms, trust, and prior experi…
- Text Entry (Text Input, Text Generation)
- The process of entering text into a computer or communication device, encompassing the full range of input methods from standard keyboards to alternative approaches used in assistive technology such a…
- Third Wave Accessibility (Third Wave HCI Accessibility)
- An approach to accessibility that considers the full context of people's lives rather than focusing narrowly on task completion or interface design. Third wave accessibility recognizes that technology…
- Touch Drift (Finger Drift)
- The displacement of a finger's contact point on a touchscreen between the initial finger-down position and the final finger-up position during a single touch interaction. Touch drift measures how far …
- UI Agent (User Interface Agent, Browser Agent, AI Agent)
- An AI-powered software system that can autonomously interact with graphical user interfaces on behalf of a user, performing tasks by interpreting natural language commands and translating them into in…
- User Enactment (UE, Experience Prototyping)
- A research method in which participants explore emerging or future technologies through simulated scenarios using physical enactment stages (mockup environments). User enactment combines brainstorming…
- User Modelling (User Modeling, User Profiling)
- The process of creating and maintaining a digital representation of a user's characteristics, preferences, needs, and behaviours to personalise their interaction with a system. In accessibility contex…