So long as computers were simple and operated only by specialists, the human interface was relatively unimportant. The frustrations caused by complex procedures and software idiosyncrasies were borne by experts motivated to accept the challenge. But all that has changed. Not only are sophisticated systems becoming accessible to all, but there is growing concern about the quality of working life. As a result, information systems designers are increasingly being called upon to develop products that are easier to install, easier to service, and-above all-easier to use.
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Lewis M. Branscomb (1981) studied this question.