| Whence and Where -- A Short History of Human-Computer Interaction | | BIBA | 3-18 | |
| B. Shackel | |||
| In this paper a broad perspective is presented of the history of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) over the last 30 years. Inevitably such must be omitted, but the referenced papers may fill many of the gaps. Various formative influences and contributing disciplines are noted. Although aspects of research and human factors knowledge are prominent, equivalent attention is given to technology, applied problems and design for usability. | |||
| The Responsible Workplace -- European Office of the Year 2000 | | BIBA | 19-25 | |
| Francis Duffy; Andrew Laing | |||
| This paper is a description of work in progress on a major multi client study the objective of which are to chart trends which will influence the office of the future, to find examples throughout Europe of how such tends are currently influencing the design of the working environment, and finally to recommend the kinds of features that architects should design to meet the challenge of new kinds of organisation, new technologies and new patterns of living, working and leisure. | |||
| User Interface Management -- The Strategic View | | BIBAK | 27-38 | |
| H.-J. Bullinger; K.-P. Fahnrich | |||
| The paper introduces software application architectures and open software
environments as a framework for user interface management systems. It defines
functional requirements for a dialog management system and gives an overview
over available UIMS and related technologies. Experiences of Dialog management
system users are reported and an outlook on the further development in this
area is given. Keywords: User interface management, Dialog management, Software application
architectures, Marketing considerations, Field studies | |||
| Multimedia: Trends and Issues | | BIBAK | 39-54 | |
| S. Joy Mountford | |||
| Multimedia and it's benefits are surfacing in a variety of application
arenas. This paper describes some successful implementations using this new
media and documents some evaluations of their potential strengths and
weaknesses. It seems as of the main stumbling block to the successful
integration of multimedia technologies is the creation and design of an
integrated media capable interface. Long term success factors lie with the
design of a usable, flexible interface which matches the technology
capabilities with the needs of the user. Keywords: Multimedia, Interface design, Human interface, Usability, Users | |||
| Design of Adaptive Interfaces and Flexible Mass Production of Knowledge-Based Systems | | BIBAK | 55-68 | |
| Gavriel Salvendy | |||
| Impact of the economy, standard of living and developments in computer
technology on advances in and usage of human aspects of computerized technology
is discussed. The development and use of adaptive interfaces is proposed in
order to increase the effectiveness of communications between the users and the
computer. A methodology is outlined to achieve this objective. Since
knowledge-based systems are an integral part of communications between users
and computers, hence a method is proposed for the development of flexible mass
production factories for modular production and assembly of knowledge-based
systems. This would result in decreased cost and lead time to produce
knowledge-based systems. Keywords: Adaptive interface, Knowledge-based systems, Flexible mass production | |||
| Higher Order Learning Mechanisms in Knowledge Domains | | BIBA | 69 | |
| F. M. Klix | |||
| The human brain has to interact instantaneously with a hypercomplex
environment. This prevents prediction of forthcoming events, but stimulates
the inferential power concerning local regularities, usable for local valid
predictions. Human knowledge is due to four sources: (1) Innate of "prewired"
structures concerning some invariants in the environment; (2) learning by doing
or systematizing similar personal experiences; (3) learning by tutoring or
instruction (with language as the most prominent vehicle), and (4) learning by
inference. Whereas (2) and (3) have been widely investigated, the basic
mechanisms of the fourth source are fairly unknown.
The frame of the speech is a model of how conceptual knowledge is organized in the human memory. The key points are levels with sets of invariant properties and well defined labels for the relations between them. Properties are the invariants in sets of objects, and conceptual relations are invariants concerning roles which objects play in events. A special point is how the relations are implemented with the conceptual knowledge. | |||
| A Survey of Postural Ergonomics | | BIB | 75-77 | |
| K. H. E. Kroemer | |||
| A Response-Surface Approach to Input Error Evaluation for Resistive and Infrared Touch Panels | | BIBAK | 78-82 | |
| Dennis B. Beringer | |||
| Accuracy of input using touch panel devices is affected by a number of
variables, particularly those relating to the target of the touch. Because of
the number of variables potentially affecting performance, a screening
experiment was conducted using a central-composite design (CCD; a special case
of response surface methodology) to examine further the effects of target
position and size upon accuracy of the touch input for both infrared and
resistive panels. Examination of first point of contact, last point of
contact, and averaged intermediate points indicated that averaging did not
substantially reduce error for the resistive panel. Although multiple
regression analyses for x and y error indicated that gender, feedback
condition, and use of gloves were significant predictors, the overall variance
accounted for was low (R² of .13 and .20). Prediction of contact duration
and reaction time was better (R² of .54 and .68) with group and gender
accounting for much of the variability. Results suggest that error for
right-handed users is least near the resting position of the hand (lower right
corner of display) and that response times were similarly affected. Variable
error was less for targets demanding higher precision. Simple variation in
instructions across blocks of trials reduced variable error. Instructions
suggesting more precise input behavior ("touch the center of the target")
produced less variable error than those that were less specific ("touch the
target"). In general, although the methodology has limitations, the CCD was
useful in economically identifying error trends. Keywords: Touch input, Instructional set, Methodology | |||
| Evaluation of Computer Graphics Techniques for the Design of Images for Human-Computer Interaction | | BIBAK | 83-87 | |
| Woodrow Barfield; Rafael Lim | |||
| A psychophysics study was performed to investigate the relationship between
computer graphics rendering techniques and subjective ratings of realism for
computer-synthesized images. By manipulating the lighting and shading
characteristics of computer-synthesized images, 31 different variations of a
standard image were created. The experiment task was to rate the realism of
each computer-synthesized image in comparison to two standards; a wireframe
image representing the low end of realism, and a picture of the real image,
representing the high end of realism. The results indicated that smooth shaded
images were perceived as significantly more realistic than a flat shaded image,
while color-mapped images were perceived as significantly more realistic than
images rendered without a color map. However, there were no significant
differences in perceived realism as a function of one versus two point light
sources or between one versus two specular highlights. These and other
findings are used to evaluate the psychological validity of several
mathematical analysis of shading information that are used to render realistic
three-dimensional images. Keywords: Computer graphics, Image realism, Interface design | |||
| Analysis of VDT Text Reading Styles | | BIBAK | 88-92 | |
| Yoko Asano; Katsuhiko Ogawa | |||
| This paper proposes a method for identifying reading styles based on the
relationship between reading time and a Japanese text readability measure. The
readability measure for Japanese text (RGV) proposed by us in 1989 can be used
to measure the difficulty of passages based on school grade levels. The
results of a VDT text reading experiment indicate that a few reading styles can
be identified based on differences in reading time variance patterns. Keywords: Reading style, VDT text reading, Japanese text, Readability measure, Reading
time | |||
| Computer Graphics Programming Principals as Factors in the Design of Perspective Displays | | BIBAK | 93-97 | |
| Woodrow Barfield; Young Kim | |||
| An important issue in the design of perspective displays concerns the
relationship between the perspective geometry parameters used to design such
displays and the accuracy with which observers can reconstruct the spatial
information contained within the perspective projection. These are important
issues for the design of visual displays because viewing a three-dimensional
(3D) image projected onto a two-dimensional (2D) surface requires that the
observer mentally reconstruct the original 3D information based on the
perspective projection. There are several geometric parameters of perspective
which influence the accuracy with which observers can reconstruct the original
3D information (McGreevy and Ellis, 1986). These include the geometric field
of view (GFOV) and station point distance. This study investigated the effect
of these variables on the accuracy of an exocentric direction task using a
computer-generated perspective display. Keywords: Computer graphics, Perspective display, Interface design | |||
| Fundamentals for the Use of Colors in User Interfaces | | BIBAK | 98-102 | |
| H.-Chr. Kraupner-Stadler | |||
| In order to set up monitor and application independent standards for the use
of colors in user interfaces is it necessary to be able to name colors in a
standardized manner and have knowledge about which colors to use. Therefore a
test-system based on different hardware was developed and implemented to find
out user preferences for colors and their combinations. In addition to that
colorimetry data for three different monitors were evaluated. Those data and
the data from the test-system were taken not only to compare the monitors but
also to compare the test-system results to look into what exactly has to be
done to establish standards. Keywords: Colors, Video display units, Standards, User interface, Colorimetry | |||
| Using a Computer Game to Analyze Color Recognition Abilities | | BIBAK | 103-107 | |
| Shun-ichi Yonemura; Katsuhiko Ogawa | |||
| Experiments using a computer game were conducted to analyze association
operators made between colors and concepts. The experiments were designed to
evaluate the associations commonly made between the four colors, green, yellow,
orange, and red, and the three alarm levels, Normal, Caution, and Danger.
Experimental results indicate that colors representing a set of concepts should
be chosen as follows.
1. The order of the color associate with a word (concept) should match the
users' study strategy. Our limited tests indicate that the sequence Danger, Normal, Caution requires the shortest time to remember. 2. Only colors that are "unambiguous" and can be easily named should be selected to represent concepts. Keywords: Human performance, Color coding, Color recognition, Visual display, Computer
game | |||
| Screen Keyboards: An Empirical Study of the Effects of Shape and Character Layout | | BIBAK | 108-112 | |
| Laura M. Leventhal; Jon W. McKeeby; Barbee T. Mynatt | |||
| A possible input device for individuals with limited hand mobility is a
screen keyboard. On a screen keyboard a cursor sequentially scans portions of
a graphical keyboard until the user selects first a row and then a specific
character in that row. The present study investigated the effects of keyboard
shape (triangle, rectangle or square) and the layout of the characters
(frequency, alphabetic or random) on accuracy and speed in entering English
sentences. User satisfaction was also assessed. Accuracy was uniformly high
across conditions. As expected, the layout based on frequency produced the
fastest keying rates. Unexpectedly, the fastest rates were associated with the
triangle shape. The fastest configuration was triangle shape combined with a
frequency layout. Satisfaction was highest for a frequency layout combined
with either triangle or rectangle shape. The study indicates the importance of
empirical testing of users. Keywords: Screen keyboard, Handicapped computing, Input device | |||
| Is Feedback Necessary when Using a Keyboard? | | BIBAK | 113-117 | |
| U. Guggenbuehl; H. Krueger | |||
| Results show that typing movements on a keyboard follow a set motor program.
During a typing action, feedback is continuously monitored and compared to an
expected result. If the physical variables (pressure point, precise contact
point) suit this motor program, then the execution of typing movements does not
rely on peripheral feedback and a smooth continuous keying sequence results.
Thus a flat keyboard is not necessarily worse than a keyboard with key travel! Keywords: Keyboard, Feedback, Motor behaviour, Movement analysis | |||
| Location of Isometric Joystick for Optimal Performance in Typical Computer Task Mix | | BIBAK | 118-122 | |
| David H. Straayer | |||
| The confluence of high performance notebook computers and widespread
acceptance of graphical user interfaces is renewing interest in
keyboard-embedded pointing devices. In this paper we consider whether an
isometric joystick can fulfill this need, and, if so, where the joystick should
be placed. By examining typical task mix in computer use with today's
software, a case will be made that inclusion of the joystick within the "home
row" of the keyboard provides significant benefits. The cost of the necessary
mode switching between typing and pointing will be examined, and this cost will
be compared to the resultant benefits. A working model will be available for
demonstration. Keywords: Pointing device, Graphical user interface, Task mix, Keyboard, Mouse | |||
| An Experimental Evaluation of Mouse, Joystick, Joycard, Lightpen, Trackball and Touchscreen for Pointing -- Basic Study on Human Interface Design -- | | BIBAK | 123-127 | |
| Atsuo Murata | |||
| In this study, the evaluation of six input devices for the pointing speed,
accuracy and usability was tried in the sorting task of five 3-digit numbers.
The joystick was found to be the fastest of all devices. With respect to the
accuracy, the lightpen was the most accurate. Judging from the pointing speed,
accuracy and subjective feeling on usability, the joystick was found to be the
most effective. Keywords: Input device, Pointing speed, Accuracy, Usability, Human interface | |||
| From Inside to Outside: Worker-Orientated Planning of Economically Efficient and Future-Orientated Office Buildings | | BIBAK | 131-135 | |
| P. Kern; D. Lorenz | |||
| Nowadays, nobody seriously contests the necessity to make allowance for the
needs of workers in the planning and design of office buildings more than in
the past. Equally undisputed, the office has in the meantime been moved from
the corner of unproductivity into the area of productivity and net product.
Compared with the production area, however, the productivity progress in the
office, in the opinion of many experts, has been considerably lesser. The
productivity reserves existing in the office have either been underestimated or
not utilized consistently so far. When planning and implementing an office
building, there is the chance of realizing an all-embracing approach. In so
doing, the requirements of man, organization and technology can be translated
profitably under a multi-dimensional objective. Keywords: Office-planning, Participation of employees, Integration management, Goals
of office systems, Motivation of employees | |||
| Office Layout: New Aspects of Concentration and Communication at Work | | BIBAK | 136-140 | |
| B. Schlintner | |||
| Nowadays, nobody seriously contests the necessity of an ergonomically
designed office chair or workplace. Functionality, ergonomics and efficiency
are an integral part of the planning variables for office workplaces. However,
office workers do not only use a specific workplace in an isolated form, but an
entire room which has a wide variety of points of contact -- between men,
office technology systems and environment, with psychological processes in
conjunction with the location and arrangement of workplaces playing an
important role. Office layouts must satisfy different job-specific
requirements with regard to concentration and communication. The classical
"vis-a-vis" block arrangement at the twin workplace (T-layout) and the
"back-to-back" arrangement of seats (U-layout) have different qualities. The
presentation and assessment of these different qualities are subjects of this
contribution. Keywords: Office layout, Privacy, Teamwork, Ergonomics | |||
| The Combi Office Concept | | BIBAK | 141-147 | |
| Wolfram Fuchs | |||
| Conventional office space concepts can hardly keep up with the demands of
office automation. Organizations crumble away in cellular offices with their
endless corridors and isolation of the office workers from one another. Highly
qualified staff are no longer willing to accept the atmospheric disturbances of
open-plan or group offices imposed on them. A new kind of office is spreading
across Europe. The Combi Office reconciles the demands of concentration and
communication both for new buildings and for the remodeling of existing office
premises. Keywords: Architecture, Combi office, Office space planning, Privacy, Working
environment | |||
| Planning the Future Office -- Focus on Work Environment | | BIBAK | 148-153 | |
| Lise Busk Kofoed; Kurt Vogt | |||
| From a wish to weight work environment in connection with the construction
of a new office building, the employees' opportunities for influence on the
final building are assessed. At the same time a work environment data base is
established. The data base became a sectional element of the total process.
With a view to the employees' experiences a conceivable method is summed up. Keywords: Office work environment, Industrial building, Employees' Influence, Work
environment data base, Learning process | |||
| Office Lighting of the 90's | | BIBK | 154-156 | |
| Torsten Braun | |||
Keywords: Office, Lighting, Perception, Comfort, Acceptance | |||
| Acoustic in Modern Office Buildings | | BIB | 157-161 | |
| F. Hofmann | |||
| Climate Problems in Areas with High VDU Density: Results of Traders Desks | | BIBAK | 162-166 | |
| W. Bauer | |||
| The heat load in rooms will rise drastically with increasing mechanization
of office workplaces. In highly sophisticated traders desks, normally
dimensioned air-conditioners are not sufficient to dissipate the heat load. An
example will be demonstrated of how work-related cooling loads are dissipated
by means of special recirculated air-coolers integrated in the desk. Keywords: Climate, Trader desk, VDU, Banking, Workplace design | |||
| The Impact of the Office Environment on Workers Health | | BIBA | 167-171 | |
| Ahmet E. Cakir | |||
| The impact of the office environment (noise, air quality, lighting) on
workers health was assessed in a four part study in German offices.
Self-reported health symptoms are significantly correlated with the type of
work (VDT-, typewriter-, conventional office work) and environmental factors
such as noise, lighting or air quality. In general, VDT-users reported more
health disorders than workers performing conventional office work. Artificial
lighting has proven to be one major source of health disorders, as all
complaints increased with growing distance of the workplace from the window.
However, the impact depends on the type of artificial lighting, with overhead lighting with narrow radiating angle (so called VDT-Lighting) being the worst and twin-component-lighting with two sources (an indirect part as general lighting and a direct part as task lighting) the best. | |||
| Frictions and Frustrations in Creative-Informatory Work with Computer Aided Design -- CAD-Systems -- | | BIBAK | 175-179 | |
| H. Luczak; W. Beitz; J. Springer; T. Langner | |||
| The effects of computer aided design work on the design process are analysed
by field experiments. The study focuses on the influence of 3 different design
tasks (standard tasks) and 11 CAD-systems (2D and 3D), taking into account the
performance and strain measurements of 43 subjects (15 design engineers, 8
technicians, 17 draughtsmen, 3 trainees). The 3 standard tasks differ in
performance measurements, especially in time spent on task, quantity of
generated elements, not in the quality of the solution. The kind of CAD-system
influences the time spent on task as well as the design performance, with
significant differences of up to 100%. The same tendency can be diagnosed in a
comparison of 2D and 3D systems. During the use of different functions of the
CAD-system, strain effects are identified by cross-correlation with
continuously measured physiological parameters, even with CAD-functions which
should reduce stresses of routine work. Deficits and complications in the
handling of CAD-systems increase with the complexity of the system and thus
cause an antinome effect on performance and strain of its operators: creativity
is reduced by frictions and frustrations in system handling even if operators
are highly trained. Keywords: Computer aided design, Stressor analysis, Performance measurement,
Field-experiment, Design process | |||
| Engineers' Workload Due to High Speed and High Function Machine: Is the Work-Density Increasing? | | BIBA | 180-184 | |
| Yuko Fujigaki | |||
| To examine the expectation that high speed/function reduce the overload of engineers, a questionnaire survey was conducted. The results of 1203 engineers showed that the equipment of high speed/function machine invites a new king of work-situation which caused the engineers' workload. An increase in work-density was considered to be brought by the high speed/function machine. | |||
| Breakdowns and Other Interruptions in VDT Work as a Source of Stress in Customer Service and Banking | | BIBA | 185-189 | |
| K. Lindstrom | |||
| Job stress and strain symptoms associated with problems in VDT application were studied among customer service (n=319) and office employees (n=219) in the banking and insurance sector. The first questionnaire survey was done in 1985 before the transition to more advanced data systems, and the second one two years later. The office employees suffered as often as the customer service employees from the breakdown and slow response times in VDT application, and their work was equally dependent on access to VDT applications. For the office workers, however, these problems were associated with job stressors, like haste at work, and strain symptoms, like excessive fatigue and nervousness. These relations decreased during the follow-up. One explanation might be that the work of office employees was more dependent on the functioning of VDT application than that of customer service employees. | |||
| Evaluation of Mental Workload in Location Task by HRV Measures -- Relation between Work Level and Mental Workload -- | | BIBAK | 190-194 | |
| Atsuo Murata | |||
| In this paper, an attempt was tried to evaluate the effects of layout
complexity in the location task on mental workload by means of HRV (Heart Rate
Variability) measures. The mental workload value obtained by the method of
paired comparison increased in proportion to the entropy of layout complexity.
Moreover, the HRV measures TP, DSDb and DSDc were found to be
effective measures of mental workload. Keywords: Layout complexity, VDT, Heart rate variability, ECG, Mental workload | |||
| Impact of Computer System Performance on Task Characteristics and Worker Stress | | BIBAK | 195-199 | |
| Pascale Carayon-Sainfort; Michael J. Smith | |||
| The effects of frequency of computer problems and computer use intensity on
task characteristics and worker stress were examined in a sample of
two-hundred-sixty-two office workers from three organizations. Results showed
that computer system performance (defined as frequency of computer problems and
computer use intensity) had indirect effects on worker stress through its
influence on task characteristics. High frequency of computer problems and
computer use intensity were related to high workload and work pressure, and low
job control which, in turn, were associated with high worker stress. Keywords: Psychosocial stress, Job design, Computer use, Computer system performance,
Office work | |||
| An Experimental Study of CRT Graphical Display in Process Control Systems | | BIBAK | 200-204 | |
| Sheue-Ling Hwang; Yung-Sen Wang | |||
| An experiment was conducted and focused on the effects of the factors, e.g.
format types (graphical vs. digital), volumes of data, and layout methods of
data (process, function, and importance) on the man-machine interface design.
From the results of the experiments, one could see that the main effects of format types, volumes, and layout methods of data and the two-way interaction effects, between format types and volumes of data and between volumes of data and layout methods of data were significant for the searching tasks. In addition, the main effects of volumes of data and format types and the interaction effect between layout method of data and volumes of data were also significant for the finding problem and the prediction tasks. Keywords: Graphical display, CRT, Process control system | |||
| Extending Computers to the Frail Elderly | | BIBAK | 205-209 | |
| M. Christensen; R. House; J. Hurwitz; R. Lawrence; S. Strum | |||
| EASE-3 is a user-interface designed to extend computer use to the frail
elderly, including those in nursing homes. User-centered design, iterative
development, iterative evaluation, object-oriented software, and use of
metaphor have produced a system that can be used by a class of elderly users. Keywords: User-interface, E-mail, Elderly, Multi-modal, Object-oriented | |||
| Method of the Ergonomicity Level Evaluation of the Multiaccess Computer System | | BIBA | 210-214 | |
| Leszek Pacholski; Malgorzata Gorska | |||
| The method being presented enables to ergonomic evaluate the computer systems in the complex way taking into account so-called softness of formal modelling. The linguistic alphabet used in practice was determined in the artificial space of representation definited of the natural numbers interval from 1 to 9. | |||
| Experimental Study of Some Visual and Sound-Effect Factors Influencing the Efficiency and Reliability of Manipulating VDU-Displayed Geometric and/or Textual Patterns in HCI-Based Engineering Activities | | BIBAK | 217-222 | |
| L. Balint; G. Csibra; I. Czigler; A. Radvanyi | |||
| The contribution makes an attempt to analyze the process of HCI-based
engineering activities (focusing first of all at layout-design oriented CAD
applications) with special emphasis on how some crucial properties of the
involved human-computer interaction tools are to be determined, namely on how
to display the layout geometry during the layout design process and how to
provide special visual and sound-effect aids to user-made selection among the
layout elements (geometric or textual type layout patterns). An experimental
programme is briefly described and some significant consequences of the
experimental results are derived. Finally, several important practical aspects
of how to utilize these consequences in the development of computer aided
engineering design systems are suggested. Keywords: CAD, HCI, Layout, Sound-effect, VDU, Visual effect | |||
| Information Aids in Fault Diagnosis Tasks | | BIBAK | 223-227 | |
| Sheue-Ling Hwang; Hung-Wen Cheng | |||
| The purpose of this study was to develop an aiding approach to help human
operators to reach accurate diagnosis rapidly. In order to verify the effects
of the two types of aiding information, Backward information (B) and Forward
information (F), a simulated experiment of diagnosing the heat exchanger system
was performed in this study. As shown in the experimental results, F and B
have improved the diagnosis performance of the subjects successfully. Keywords: Fault diagnosis, Information aids | |||
| Physiological Measurement of Cognitive Load During Interaction with Process Control Displays | | BIBAK | 228-232 | |
| David Wastell | |||
| Cognitive load is an important issue in user interface design, yet it has
been largely finessed in HCI, despite the availability of a range of methods
for measuring mental workload developed in cognate domains. This paper
illustrates the use of a popular physiological metric (heart rate variance, HV)
to index workload in a process control task. Highly suggestive intra-task
correlations between HV and behaviour are found which confirm the promise of HV
as an index cognitive load and argue for its application in user interface
design, especially where man-machine performance is critical. Keywords: Cognitive load, Psychophysiology, Process control, HCI | |||
| Pupillary Reflexes and Accommodation as Physiological Indices of Visual Fatigue Due to VDT Operation | | BIBAK | 233-237 | |
| Susumu Saito; Sasitorn Taptagaporn | |||
| The study ascertained the decrease in the pupil size and the decrease in the
amplitude and velocity of accommodation following 4-hr VDT operation while the
amplitude of pupillary reflexes was found to increase. A weak correlation
between pupil size and accommodation was also found (r=0.72). However, the
present study failed to corroborate the relationship between pupillary reflexes
and accommodation. The subjects involved were five students with age range of
22 to 23 years. Keywords: Pupil, Pupillary reflex, Accommodation, Video display terminals (VDT), Eye
strain/asthenopia | |||
| Evaluation of the Relationship between Pupil Movements and Visual Tasks | | BIBAK | 238-242 | |
| Shin Saito; Sasitorn Taptagaporn; Naofumi Hirose; Susumu Saito | |||
| The aim of this study was to investigate how to evaluate pupil movement
while undertaking VDT operations. A few fundamental experiments which were
counting and searching tasks on both paper and CRT screen under different
illumination levels, were carried out.
The amplitude histogram of the pupil diameter was influenced by the viewing objects and the difference of illumination. A certain difference of power spectrum density of the fluctuation of pupil diameter was dependent upon the amount of visual tasks. Keywords: VDT, Eye, Pupil, Lighting, CRT | |||
| An Empirical Study on Identification of Coloured Lines on the CRT | | BIBA | 243-247 | |
| U. Pawlak | |||
| Using colour crts it is oftenly difficult to distinguish colour of thin lines. We investigate possibilities to improve the distinction of lines with various width in front of white, grey and black background. 20 colours were selected out of the colour gamut of a crt. We found through our experiment, that lines should have a minimum width of 4 pixels and should be shown be shown on gray background, to get the best results. | |||
| PROMETHEUS -- A System for Programming Graphical User Interfaces | | BIBAK | 253-258 | |
| Dierk Ehmke; Marion Kreiter; Christian Sanger; Dietmar Siepmann | |||
| This paper describes PROMETHEUS, a system for programming graphical user
interfaces. PROMETHEUS is based on its predecessors PRODIA and THESEUS. It
integrates techniques for graphics, window and dialogue programming. The
systems flexibility for the integration of new output (e.g. 3-d line graphics
and video) and input features is achieved by PROMETHEUS' concepts for windows,
so called frames, which can contain text, graphics, raster or graphical masks,
control and dialogue management. Keywords: User interface, Window systems, Dialogue programming, Graphic systems | |||
| The ISA DIALOG MANAGER: Requirements for User Interface Management Systems | | BIBA | 259-264 | |
| K.-P. Fahnrich; M. Karcher | |||
| The paper discusses customers' views on professional tools for building user interfaces. It then positions user interface management systems according to other established technologies from the customers' point of view. The paper gives general concepts and a general architecture for a UIMS. In addition, it discusses the functional decomposition of such a system and gives some details on implementation strategies. The paper concludes with some highlights and benefits from using a state-of-the-art UIMS technology for the user. | |||
| The Serpent UIMS | | BIBA | 265-269 | |
| Erik J. Hardy; Daniel V. Klein | |||
| Serpent represents a new generation of User Interface Management Systems which manage the total dynamic behavior of an interface and which allow applications to remain uninvolved with the details of the user interface. Serpent is designed to manage the specification and dynamic behavior of (relatively) arbitrary toolkits. It provides a fixed application programmer interface across changes in toolkits. This allows an application to evolve from one toolkit to another, or even to use multiple toolkits simultaneously. | |||
| A Critical Look at Toolkit-Based Window Management Systems | | BIBAK | 270-274 | |
| Matthias Grochtmann | |||
| It will be shown that the use of toolkit-based window management systems
like e.g. OSF/Motif or OpenLook can lead to applications which are not well
adapted to the needs of their users. As an alternative the TUWin and WindowNet
methodology will be presented which supports a holistic design of the
application. Keywords: Window systems, User interface design, User interface management systems,
State-transition diagrams, Prototyping | |||
| Task-Oriented Dialogue Management Based on Different Knowledge Sources | | BIBAK | 275-280 | |
| Christian Stary | |||
| This paper reports on an ongoing research project concerning task-oriented
user interface management systems which are handling several knowledge bases.
These knowledge bases operate on problem domain data as well as on interaction
media and modes. For task-oriented user support the addressed knowledge
categories have to be correlated according to end user tasks. We introduce a
novel architecture for task-oriented dialogue management which is base on
object-oriented programming and the blackboard concept. Keywords: Dialogue management, End-user task modeling, Knowledge-based user interface
development, Object-oriented design, Blackboard systems | |||
| New Algorithms for Interactive Object Oriented Graphics | | BIBAK | 281-286 | |
| B. Arndt; K. H. Hanne | |||
| The framework of a hierarchical architecture and its inheritance rules
described here is formed to fulfill the special inheritance demands of an
interactive object oriented graphical system. It specifies another style of
inheritance as used in Smalltalk or C++. Keywords: Graphical presentation, Graphical representation, Interactions, Prototyping,
Instances, Dynamic inheritance | |||
| A Logic Based Programming Environment for Interactive Applications | | BIBAK | 287-291 | |
| H. Jasper | |||
| Visualization and manipulation of knowledge is of great importance for any
knowledge based system. Window based user interface management systems (UIMS)
allow for building flexible and easy to use interactive graphical user
interfaces. There is a need to integrate such UIMS into knowledge base
programming environments. This paper addresses the integration of UIMS into
the logic programming environment PROTOS-L. Our approach provides a small set
of built-in predicates which defines an object oriented interface to UIMS
within the logic programming language. The interface is realized by the
PROTOS-L window manager. It uses a multiple process concept with asynchronous
communication in order to cope with long lasting inference processes. The
prototype of the PROTOS-L window manager is based on the standard user
interface toolkit OSF/Motif. Keywords: Logic programming, Object oriented programming, User interface management
systems, PROTOS-L, OSF/Motif | |||
| User Interface Management Systems UIMS for Interactive Applications -- Experiences Using ISA Dialog Manager -- | | BIB | 292-297 | |
| Gottfried B. Bertram | |||
| Approach to a Dialogue Manager for Medical Information Systems | | BIBAK | 298-302 | |
| B. Thull; M. Langen; Th. Schecke; G. Rau | |||
| The design of a user interface for a medical information system requires in
particular a careful design of the interaction sequences. An approach to a
dialogue manager is described which supports the definition of complex
interaction, offers mechanisms for a user guidance based on colour coding and
enables the analysis of interaction sequences with a dialogue graph. At the
example of an infusion pump control panel the dialogue manager will be
illustrated. Our experiences showed that the easy definition of complex
interaction and the automated user guidance proved to be useful in practise;
the graph-theoretical analysis of interaction sequences has to be developed
further. Keywords: Graphical user interface, User interface management system, Dialogue
manager, Medical information system | |||
| Revolutionary vs. Evolutionary Rapid Prototyping: Balancing Software Productivity and HCI Design Concerns | | BIBAK | 303-307 | |
| S. P. Overmyer | |||
| This paper compares the evolutionary to the revolutionary (throw-away)
approach to rapid prototyping. Several published case histories are reviewed
and an assessment is made of which approach appears to have the most impact on
both HCI design and software productivity. A hybrid approach is suggested
which balances the two competing concerns. Keywords: Rapid prototyping, Software productivity, HCI design | |||
| Graphical User Interfaces: Metaphors We Compute By | | BIBA | 308-313 | |
| Jean-Marie Chauvet | |||
| The past few years have been an increase in the variety of software tools to support the development of interactive computer systems. One common theme that has emerged is the production of graphical interactive user interfaces. This paper suggests a taxonomical approach towards a better understanding of the former growing set of software tools. The first section describes the current state-of-the-art metaphors underlying most of the emerging user interface software, and dwells on various dimensions along which tools can be compared. The second section is a rather more subjective description of the current R & D trends within the field and illustrates extensions of the latter metaphors that will inhabit our future user interfaces. | |||
| New Potentiality of Hypertext Systems in Information Retrieval Operations | | BIBAK | 317-321 | |
| Maristella Agosti | |||
| The scope of this paper is twofold: to present the basic issues necessary to
be considered while working in hypertext and hypermedia for information
retrieval and to briefly present efforts currently under way in the lights of
those basic issues. Keywords: Information retrieval, Hypertext and information retrieval, Conceptual
modelling of auxiliary data, Usability of hypertext systems, User interface | |||
| Mental Spaces of Hypertext Links: An Empirical Investigation | | BIBAK | 322-326 | |
| Helmut Pfeiffer; Edmund Eberleh | |||
| Hypertext systems provide flexible information management by means of
various links between chunks of information. However, the user had to know the
functionality of those links in order to anticipate what will happen after
traversing a link. The present study gives a classification of hypertext links
and investigates the mental representation of those links after learning and
working with an experimental hypertext system. The results indicate an
organization of the mental link space by the dimensions Direction, Hierarchy
and Structure, but indicate a further dimension as well. Conclusions
concerning the user interface design of links are discussed. Keywords: Hypertext systems, Classes of hypertext links, Mental representation of
hypertext links, HyperCard, User interface of hypertext systems | |||
| Attempts to Draw Nice Graphs by an Interactive Hypertext Browser | | BIBA | 327-331 | |
| M. Hofmann; H. Langendorfer; K. Laue; E. Lubben | |||
| This paper deals with the interactive user interface of the CONCORDE hypertext system. A first prototype of CONCORDE was shown at the German workshop on hypertext in April 1990. Main objective of the realization of the system is the support of active hypertext applications. In opposite to browsing applications, active hypertext applications change the data inside the system. In the next sections of this paper, a brief survey of CONCORDE and its user interface is given (section 2). We had to implement some graph-layout algorithm since CONCORDE uses a machine-driven graph-layout. The selection of a fitting algorithm surprisingly proved to be difficult, since often the computation of "nice graphs" consumes more time than bearable in an interactive system. We compare some algorithms we tried to apply in our system (section 3). Finally, we describe the solution implemented (section 4). | |||
| Hypertext Interface to Technical Terminology | | BIBAK | 332-336 | |
| Antonius van Hoof; Renate Mayer | |||
| The translation of technical terminology causes nonexperts like translators
or technical writers many problems. They are expected to write or translate
texts even though they may not exactly know all the technical details about the
object or method they are to describe. Machine translation does not and
probably never will provide a solution to these problems. There is thus a need
for CAT (Computer Aided Translation) systems in the form of termbanks which
support translators in their daily work by providing them with technical
terminology. In general, existing termbanks lack user-friendly interfaces.
This paper describes a terminological database featuring a navigation tool
which will improve the termbank by making it similar to a hypertext system on
the interface level. Keywords: CAT, Translation, Hypertext, Termbank | |||
| Media Composition and Synchronization Aspects in an Interactive Multimedia Authoring Environment | | BIBAK | 337-343 | |
| Gianluca Pancaccini; Francesco Stajano | |||
| The multimedia model adopted by current commercial authoring systems is a
score that mimics a multitrack magnetic tape; it is not well suited to support
time scaling and provides a very low level description for a multimedia author.
To address these problems this paper introduces SMES, a hierarchically structured multimedia model containing explicit synchronization constraints. (The name stands for "Structured Model with Explicit Synchronization".) Keywords: Multimedia, Synchronization, Authoring environment, Time scaling, SMES | |||
| The Motion Picture in Interactive Information Systems: A Necessary or Facilitating Component? | | BIBAK | 344-349 | |
| J. Faber; T. Meiers; D. Ruschin; A. Seyferth | |||
| At present there is a continuously growing interest in using motion pictures
in interactive video systems, hypermedia, or computer animation, and also as an
additional component of future interactive videotex. Though it is evident that
due to motion picture presentations knowledge relevant in various application
domains can be acquired successfully, it is still an unsettled question under
which conditions media combinations including motion pictures have substantial
advantages in comparison to media combinations without motion pictures.
Therefore in an ongoing project of the Heinrich-Hertz-Institute a series of by
now nine learning experiments has been concerned with the question whether
motion picture presentations are superior if spatial or temporal properties of
motions are to be learned. Here with regard to criteria of efficiency (success
and time required for successful learning) a substantial superiority of motion
picture presentations was found only with regard to a rather complex motion
pattern. However, concerning criteria relevant for user satisfaction (namely
ease versus strain and enjoyability versus boredom of learning) present results
support the expectation that in fact advantages result from the use of motion
pictures in a comparatively broad domain of learning goals. Keywords: Multimedia information systems, Advantages of motion picture presentations,
Criteria of superiority of motion picture presentations, Learning with motion
pictures | |||
| A Hypermedia Information System to Manage the Activities in a Research Institute | | BIBAK | 350-356 | |
| M. Allegra; O. Di Giuseppe; S. Mangiaracina | |||
| Up to today dynamic hypermedia have been used in cooperative writing,
collaboration work, on line publishing and authoring courseware. In this paper
we present an example of information system for managing and supporting
activities in a research institute.
The kind of information used in an institute is of different types; furthermore some data have to be frequently updated. The system helps the workers to fill, to update and to have access to information. We believe hypermedia is suitable in effectively managing these data and in this paper we'll examine how it can be used to create information systems based on an artificial reality reflecting this kind of organization. We'll then describe the structure of HyperITDF system and its use in the institute. Keywords: Hypermedia, Office automation, Documentation, Artificial reality | |||
| Application Design Using the Comandos Distributed Object Oriented System | | BIBAK | 359-363 | |
| D. Decouchant; V. Normand; G. Vandome | |||
| The Comandos system is an object-oriented platform for the development of
integrated distributed applications. After a short presentation of the
Comandos Platform, the main characteristics of the Comandos model are
presented. Then the design of a cooperative distributed application developed
using the Comandos platform is discussed. Keywords: Distribution, Object, Persistency, Type class, Concurrency, Synchronization | |||
| How Intelligent, Integrated System Access Enhances Use Task Performance, Productivity, and Satisfaction | | BIBA | 364-368 | |
| Paul Reed | |||
| User who must interact with many computer systems that have incompatible
commands, displays, and dialog structures often encounter usability problems,
especially when these systems must be accessed to perform their primary job
function. Telephone company personnel who provide service to customers must
deal with severe multi-system usability problems as a result of 1) a large and
increasing number of computerized Operations Support Systems, and 2) increases
in the number of systems that must be used to perform a single task.
The User Access Management (UAM) software architecture provides a layer of software between the user and the multiple systems that must be used in their job function. Information from multiple systems can be acquired and intelligently integrated in a task-oriented display format through a single user action (e.g. menu selection). The StarRep and Craft Access applications provide integrated access to multiple Operations Support Systems to field technicians and customer contact personnel. The success of these applications proves that the UAM approach is an effective technique for improving user effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction when performing tasks using multiple systems. This approach may be employed in other multi-system domains including office automation, consumer information services (e.g. videotext), and factory automation. | |||
| Issues in the Management of Heterogeneous Networks | | BIBAK | 369-373 | |
| Gautam Kar; Peter Peinl | |||
| The management of large heterogeneous networks is a very complex issue. In
this short paper we have tried to give a feel for this complexity using a fault
determination example derived from a real networking environment. We have
presented an OSI based approach that can be used to address such class of
problems. Keywords: OSI, CMIS/CMIP, Manager, Agent, Fault management | |||
| A Toolset for Administration and Management of Distributed Information Systems | | BIBAK | 374-378 | |
| Friedemann Reim; Helmut Meitner | |||
| Design and operation of a distributed information system have to consider a
dynamic environment of requirements and opportunities. ESPRIT project COMANDOS
takes an adaptive approach for the administration and management of distributed
information systems that allows the original design of the infrastructure to be
modified as experience is gained and as user requirements towards the operating
environment change. The approach is based on an object oriented model of the
information system. Three distinct tools and their integration into the
running system are described in detail: DISDES -- a tool for organizational
design, UsrAdm -- a tool for system administration and RiskMa -- a security
management tool. Keywords: System management, Distributed information systems, Organizational
engineering, Security management | |||
| A Multipoint Teleconferencing Service for the ISDN | | BIBAK | 379-383 | |
| S. M. Furner; N. Watkinson; W. Clark; H. Frowein | |||
| Public network technology is rapidly developing. Increased bandwidth
coupled with the processing power of the desktop micro-computer will bring
multimedia communications services onto the office desktop. This mixture of
communications and computing technology will need to take account of the way in
which it will be used. These systems must be simple to learn, easy to use and
appealing for their intended customers. This paper reports the work carried
out in the ESPRIT MIAS project to address usability engineering issues for
multipoint teleconferencing over the Integrated Services Digital Network
(ISDN). Keywords: Teleconferencing, CSCW, Multimedia, ISDN, Multiservice | |||
| Multimedia Aspects in a Documentation System for Endoscopy Diagnosis of Throat Cancer | | BIBAK | 384-388 | |
| U. Arnold; J. Meyer; G. Peter | |||
| This paper describes the development of a prototype for the documentation of
the diagnosis of throat cancer. If further discusses the integration of this
documentation system into a distributed environment. Finally it is outlined
how to expand the system to a multimedia workstation supporting the complete
documentation of a patient. Keywords: Multimedia, Distributed systems, Diagnosis documentation system, NFS,
3-D-model | |||
| Office Procedure Support Systems on the Basis of Open Distributed Systems | | BIBAK | 389-394 | |
| Michael Rathgeb; Alexander Roos | |||
| Office procedure support addresses the integration of static information
objects such as documents with the definition and support for dynamic office
work sequences involving several work places within an office domain. The
concept of procedure support offers new qualities in contrast to bare computer
support for information manipulation tasks (mechanization of office tasks). It
comprises features for the synchronization and coordination of work sequences
in the sense of the management of office work constraints.
This paper defines the central aspects and concepts of office procedure support. It also shows how far open distributed information systems set the basis for such support. The second part of the article illustrates how office procedure support fits into the concept of Computer Integrated Business (CIB). Four central stages are discussed, illustrating how procedure support fits into the path to enterprise wide computer based integration. Keywords: Office procedure support, Cooperative work, Office automation, Distributed
information systems | |||
| A Successful Strategy for the Process of Implementing a Decentralized Information System | | BIBAK | 395-399 | |
| Ari Heiskanen | |||
| The paper describes the implementation strategy applied when the student
information system of the University of Helsinki was decentralized. The
strategy was based on the perceived organizational context, taking into account
the special kind of the organizations of higher education. The strategy
appeared to be quite successful in an area that had otherwise been problematic. Keywords: Information systems, Implementation, Strategy, Higher education,
Decentralization | |||