Bonnie John, Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII)
Carnegie Mellon University, USA

Bonnie John is an  Associate Professor in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science, and Director of their Masters in HCI Program. Her research involves creating and assessing techniques to improve the design of computer systems with respect to their usefulness and usability. To that end, she has investigated the effectiveness and usability of several HCI techniques (e.g., think-aloud usability studies, Cognitive Walkthrough, GOMS) and produced new techniques for bringing usability concerns to the design process (e.g., CPM-GOMS and software architecture evaluation for usability).

Much of her work focuses on cognitive modeling, where she works within a unified theory of cognition to develop models of human performance that are applicable to the design of computer systems. These models produce a priori, quantitative predictions of performance with less effort than prototyping and user testing.  They allow analysis at different levels of approximation so predictions appropriate to the design situation can be obtained with minimum effort. They are straightforward enough for computer designers to use without extensive training in psychology, and, because they are within a single theory of cognition, these models are integrated enough to cover total tasks. She also works on bringing the psychology of human-computer interaction into software engineering techniques, specifically including usability concerns in software architecture design.