Interactivity is defined as the following in the oxford dictionary:

These two definitions reveal an interesting point of reflection, and we have to consider both the human and the computer when dealing with interactions. The field of Digital Humanities is the perfect place to explore both. While computer scientists would focus primarily on interacting with computers, humanists would rather focus on people. The field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is vast, and this section of the course does not aim at tackling this topic in its entirety but rather be down to earth and show how one can use interactive technology without a high level of technological skills. However, it would be a shame not to share this impressive collection of papers authored by many great names in the field of HCI: The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction (2nd edition). This collection of more than 4000 pages (do not expect to read this in one go, instead, cherry-pick the topic you would like to know more about, though the first two sections are highly recommended for everyone) will most certainly answer a lot of questions regarding the topic on Interaction Design. Humanists and Digital humanists will find some topics somewhat familiar, while others require more patience and focus.

When discussing interaction design, the term "usability" should never be too far away. It is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as follows:

• "The degree to which something is able or fit to be used."

This somewhat vague definition should be taken as is in the context of Digital Humanities: is the tool created usable by as many people as possible? This would include considerations such as access to technology (for example, not everyone has access to a Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) headset), potential disability (for example, colour blindness, visual impairment, or any physical impairment), which device the tool is used on (for example, a smartphone and a laptop have a different operating system and screen size, the GPS functionality is available on the first, but not the second, etc.), and the list goes on. Fortunately, a governmental website was created to help with this usability issue and created a set of questions to consider when creating digital artefacts. usability.gov, provide such a list and much more for those willing to explore this fascinating topic.

In this unit, readers will be challenged with new concepts and asked to reflect on them and discuss them with peers. This should give a good grasp of the topic before diving into the second part of the course: creating some interactive scenarios using digital tools such as interactive 360-degree videos, photogrammetry (i.e. converting a real object into a 3D object using a camera and software), AR, as well as the possibility to create a "green screen" effect to enrich video presentation.