When we use a smartphone, scroll through social media, or buy something online, we rarely stop to think: Why does this feel easy—or frustrating? What makes one app a joy to use and another a nightmare? The answer lies in the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).

HCI is a branch of computer science that is not about machinery, but about people—how we work with technology, and how technology needs to be designed to support human needs, emotions, and behaviour.

Understanding the Role of HCI

HCI is all about building interactive systems that are usable, useful, and even delightful.

It combines findings from computing, behavioural science, ergonomics, and the social and cultural sciences.

Whether touchscreen, voice assistant, or multimodal interface, HCI’s central question is: How do people interact with this system, and how might that interaction be improved?

HCI professionals study how people interact with technology: What confuses them? What delights them? What do they search for or perform on a screen? And what they see from this is then used to build better interfaces—ones that are easier to use, more intuitive, and nearer to how our brains operate.

At its best, HCI uncovers what is not visible: frustration caused by a misplaced button, trust built through tone and response timing, or confusion from ambiguous language or over-automation.

It provides techniques and frameworks for measuring these subtle interactions, especially in real-world environments.

Beyond “Ease of Use”

Traditionally, we often measure ‘ease of use’ of a system or technology by its usability, which computes factors like how fast a system works, how few mistakes users make, or how quickly users learn it.

But such a measure is no longer enough. Today’s technology must support all kinds of users with different goals, emotions and backgrounds.

Beyond being easy to use, interfaces need to be engaging, match users’ emotions and meet their expectations, which are shaped by their past experiences and culture.

For example, consider a mobile banking app used by two different people: a tech-savvy student and a first-time smartphone user in a rural area.

The student might love a sleek minimalist interface with trendy icons and snappy animations, finding it easy and enjoyable to use.

But the same design might confuse the rural user, who may not recognise the icons or trust the app without clear, familiar language and reassuring feedback, like a confirmation message in their local dialect.

The same user interface (UI) element can feel welcoming to one user but strange to another.

Designing in Culturally Diverse Contexts

In a multiracial country like Malaysia, HCI is even more important. Our society is diverse not just in language and culture, but in how we perceive messages, express emotions, and experience satisfaction.

While many systems are developed with global assumptions, how we interact with technology isn’t the same everywhere; it is shaped by culture.

For example, the ways people show they are happy, uncertain, or in a hurry through words can vary widely depending on their community and culture.

HCI offers technical guidance and a conceptual lens, helping teams ask the right questions before jumping into prototyping or development.

That is the reason why local context, language, and cultural sensitivity must be part of the design process, not just afterthoughts.

A “one-size-fits-all” approach won’t work if we want digital services to be inclusive and meaningful.

Building Systems That Fit People

Ultimately, HCI challenges the idea that users should adapt to technology. Instead, systems must be designed to anticipate, support, and evolve with their service users.

This is particularly vital in public service platforms, health tech, education systems, and civic applications, where digital exclusion due to poor design can have real consequences.

HCI is the field that makes this possible. It reminds us that behind every line of code is a person. Good design starts not with technology but with humans.

Methods like involving users in design, studying their real-world behaviours, and testing how they think through a system are no longer academic exercises; they are practical tools for shaping better systems at scale.

Where UX and AI Come In

In the current landscape, User Experience (UX) has become a more familiar term among designers and developers.

At the same time, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken centre stage in many digital initiatives. Both are important, but neither replaces the foundational thinking of HCI.

UX shapes how technology looks and feels.

AI makes technology smart and responsive.

HCI provides the human rationale—why we build what we build, and for whom.

In a world increasingly driven by systems and data, HCI reminds us that good design is not just about what works, but about what works for people, across contexts and communities.

 

Dr Masitah Ghazali is an Associate Professor at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and currently an Advisory Fellow on Analytic Data Workflow at UTM Student Affairs. She also serves as an advisor to the Kuala Lumpur ACM SIGCHI Chapter. Her research focuses on human-computer interaction, persuasive technology, and emotion-aware systems. She is dedicated to promoting inclusive design and developing technology that benefits society.