Internalist and externalist HCI

  • Authors:
  • Harold Thimbleby;Will Thimbleby

  • Affiliations:
  • Swansea University, Wales;Swansea University, Wales

  • Venue:
  • BCS-HCI '07 Proceedings of the 21st British HCI Group Annual Conference on People and Computers: HCI...but not as we know it - Volume 2
  • Year:
  • 2007

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Abstract

The history of technology, as a discipline, supports alternate points of view termed internalist and externalist, which terms highlight an approximately similar division in points of view within HCI. Conventional HCI is externalist, rightly concerned with human-centered issues; but externalism risks ignoring important internalist issues. A successful human-computer system is better if it is successful from both perspectives. This discussion paper argues that the externalist view, while necessary and immensely useful, is not sufficient---and in the worst case, risks eclipsing innovation from internalist quarters.