Computer-Human Interaction (CHI, also abbreviated as HCI, for human-computer interaction) is the study of the ways that people use computers. It is also the very intense practice of making computers easier for people to use.

Is that possible? Yes, it is.

It happens when people who design computers and software keep in mind that they are designing for other people.

It happens when those designers understand that people use computers to do work. They don't care whether the work gets done by a computer or by magic; they just want to get the work done. The same is true of games. People want to play games; they want the illusion that the game is real.

It happens when those designers realize that the work people do while using computers is work intended for other people to use.

It happens when those designers accept that they must first understand the work that people do, before they can even begin to design a computer or a program that will do that work.

It happens when those designers learn that it is much more effective for the computer to adapt to the needs of the person, than for the person to adapt to the needs of the computer.

It happens when those designers, and the companies they work for, understand that a failure of usability is every bit as important as any other software or hardware failure or error.

It happens when those designers accept that people who use products are the best people to evaluate whether those products are easy to use, or whether they do what they are supposed to do. It is the designer's job to understand and meet those expectations, not to dictate them.

Products that are easy to use do not come from a box. They do not come from toolkits. They do not come from standards. Products that are easy to use do not provide function; they provide possibilities.

Products that are easy to use come from people who care enough to make those products easy for other people to use.

"Easy to use" is not a cliche or a marketing slogan. It is not achieved as often as it is claimed. It is hard work; it is a way of life. It is a discipline, and that discipline is called "CHI."

Why does this matter?

If you are a programmer, the task analysis and prototyping that are an integral part of this approach to development will give you concrete goals for the design of your software. You won't have to guess what users want, because they will already have told you.

If you are a technical writer, working with a task-oriented product means that you spend less effort explaining how to integrate functions into tasks, and more time helping users integrate the software into their work and their lives.

If you are a marketer, a task-oriented product will help you sell.

If you are a development manager, using a task-oriented approach to building highly usable products will lower your support costs and improve customer satisfaction.

If you are building a web site, the fundamentals of the CHI approach--task analysis and user-centered design--will help you focus on delivering your message to your readers.

Yes, CHI matters. This is why.