Models and Theories in Human-Computer Interaction/Power of Cybernetics

The Power of Cybernetics According to the video from Paul Pangaro and my own understanding, Cybernetics is a natural, social or technical interactive power that can correct the system itself when there is a goal of this system [1]. To get the goal, to fulfill the purpose, and to avoid failing; things and people existing in this system have to work to correct and adjust the mistakes based on the right direction. For example, the user test is Cybernetics in the whole process of interface development. The goal is to make the specific interface to be easily used for the end users; when doing the user tests, there are interactions between developers and testers, so we can get feedback by looping ideas back and forth; then by taking advantage of the feedback, developers will give improvements to the interface to make it much more enjoyable and acceptable; and finally the interface could be refined after evolutions at first order, second order…

In a word, Cybernetics can be regarded as a ruler, controller, organizer communicator and capital among all elements of a whole system which has a specific goal. It seems like a steersman maintain the balance, stability, speed and direction of a ship by keep correcting and adjusting based on the existing goal.

References: 1. https://vimeo.com/41776276