The importance of human-centred design and usability in a wide range of contexts is recognized. As both the complexity of systems and the volume of information they mediate continues to grow, the need to share and improve understanding of the issues is important. HCI '96 was held at Imperial College, London in August 1996. This volume contains the papers presented during the conference by both practitioners and researchers with backgrounds ranging from the social and computing sciences to management and telecommunications. The papers provide insights into contemporary issues and looks at the future: above all, how digital media are changing the relationships between people, society and computers.