"User is king" is not a new concept, but it is certainly one that has gathered considerable momentum in the recent years. The driving force are the increasing and relentless pace of competition and the consequent attempts by many companies to keep and improve their marketshare. Since the beginning of ESPRIT Programme in 1984, the Human Computer Interface has been the subject of attention, in terms of technology development and utilisation of those technologies in various applications in the fields of Information Processing Systems, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, and Office and Business Systems. This topic area had been addressed in a number of different perspectives: user modelling, task analysis, cognitive aspects of interaction and assimilation of information, natural language speech and graphics, processing of multisensor information and its presentation, and a wide range of applications in which these technologies are used. In addition to the previous ESPRIT programmes, the specific programme for Information Technology of the European Framework Programme for 1994-1999 has recognised the ever increasing importance of "ease of use" in computer applications. The work programme on Human Comfort and Security is an attempt to address these issues. Its primary objectives are the exploitation of existing knowledge and expertise in usability engineering by integrating methods and tools into coherent toolsets, the generation of improved human computer interface components, demonstrating their application in practice, and widely disseminating the results and promoting the take-up of these technologies.
