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Human-Centered Information Systems
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The Department

Our Approach

We combine research on human-computer interaction and collaboration support with the concept of socio-technical systems, in which technical and social systems continuously influence and shape one another. We apply this approach to current issues and technologies such as artificial intelligence or augmented reality. Our goal is to design human-centered technologies in the context of their applications.

Our Work

We study how people work and behave in order to support them with IT tools. We place particular emphasis on human practice—that is, the totality of influences and contexts that shape human behavior—where technology is an important but not the only component. The focus of our work is the design of current and future socio-technical systems. We examine practice both in terms of the interaction of individuals with technology (human-technology interaction) and in terms of supporting groups (cooperation systems and systems for supporting cooperative and collaborative learning).

Our Areas of Application

We work across a variety of application areas. Within these, certain key focus areas have emerged where we are currently active:
 

  • Interaction and collaboration in augmented reality and with smart glasses: Augmented reality (AR) and smart glasses (also known as “head-mounted devices”) offer a wide range of possibilities for work and learning, as they, for example, keep your hands free and enable collaborative work across different locations. We are exploring these possibilities in various projects: In smARtorials, we use data glasses to impart knowledge; in MINERVA, we virtualize skilled trades using AR; in Pflegebrille 2.0, we implement practical support for nursing staff using data glasses; and in ARBAY, we enable virtual furniture consultations. We also explore the many questions in this field in our Ubiquitous Interaction Lab, where researchers and students work together.
     
  • Human-AI Collaboration: As artificial intelligence—in the form of chatbots, decision support systems, or robots—becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, insights are needed on how to design AI in a human-centered way and how to position it as a collaborative partner for humans. To this end, we have founded the Human AI Cooperation Lab (HAIC-Lab), where we work on such topics with our students. In addition, we are investigating collaboration with chatbots in the MINERVA and DigiCare projects, as well as the human-centered design of AI algorithms for knowledge transfer in the smARtorials project. 
  • Human-Robot Cooperation: As a specific focus of our research on human-AI cooperation, we investigate at HAIC-Lab how humans and robots can form teams in work processes that collaborate intuitively and in which humans trust the robots. We are also exploring this in the HerMes project.

Our Background: Designing Socio-Technical Systems

Our work is closely linked to an understanding of socio-technical systems. In such systems, people, technology, and organization are so interconnected that they influence one another (changes in one component lead to changes in the others) and that one component cannot (continue to) exist without the others. In this context, we treat social and technical subsystems as equally important: We utilize, expand, and develop methods that enable the design of socio-technical systems while taking both technology and social systems into account.

Our Teaching

In our teaching, we aim to show students how to design tools that people use and that can facilitate collaboration among different individuals. We place particular emphasis on the practical application of the knowledge we impart in our courses. For this reason, projects that accompany lectures are an integral part of our curriculum. We provide the background, methods, and technical knowledge needed to design such tools. Our curriculum includes both introductory courses and more specialized content.