User-Centered Design of CHIL Services: Introduction

Services, that is, organized sets of functionalities targeting users, are at the core of the CHIL enterprise. It is at this level, in fact, that the general vision – putting the computer in the loop of human interaction – is made concrete and enjoyable to the user; it is services that users see, interact with, and exploit to better achieve their objectives. In the conception of this book, services are neither simple collections of technologies, nor showcases aimed to concept-proof technological advances, nor integration add-ons.