The aim of this book is to bring together and try to inter- relate some
of the concepts and relevant knowledge from the varfous disciplines
concerned with this area of research and application, including
especially the human sciences, computer sciences and engineering. The
focus throughout is up0n the human rather than upon the computer issues
in Man-Computer Interaction (MCI). The book is based upon the papers
presented by invited speakers at an Advanced Study Institute held at
Mati, Attica, Greece 5-18 September 1976, which was sponsored by the
NATO Advanced Study Institutes Programme. These papers were not intended
to be ency- clopaedic or to yield a 'state of the art' volume. But as
revised here they do represent well the scope and breadth of MCI ('man'
is used throughout generically for men, women, humans, people). The
material in this book is as timely today as when presen- ted in
lectures; it is not out of date. Indeed in many respects it is more
timely, because the computer industry is now recognising the need to
heed the users. Computer designers are becoming receptive to the
importance of the human factors aspects. Recognition of the user's needs
has been stimulated by the work, elsewhere as well as here, of the
contributors to this book.