| This thesis proposes a theory of human-computer pragmatics based on Habermas's theory of universal pragmatics. Human-computer pragmatics views the user and the designer as participants in a conversation within a social sphere. As designers avoid strategic action and conform to the validity claims of comprehensibility, truth, truthfulness and normative right, they are more likely to communicate the information necessary for successful operation of the system.; A practical application of the proposed theory is presented through an evaluation of a prototype interface for a multilingual information retrieval system. The evaluation of the prototype interface suggests that constant window scrolling may reduce comprehensibility; the use of controlled vocabularies in this system improves its claim to truth; the application of matrices improves its claims to truthfulness; and finally, improving the order that interface elements are displayed to a left-to-right, top-to-bottom reading sequence based on task improves the claim to normative right. |
