| "Harmony Through Working Together" Introducing OZCHI94 | | BIBA | 3-8 | |
| Steve Howard; Ying Leung | |||
| The theme for OZCHI this year, and the papers presented in this proceedings, reflect the tensions and challenge consequent on working together to achieve harmony. This paper introduces OZCHI94. Firstly, the theme of the conference will be developed. Secondly, the theme will be used to analyse the papers appearing in this proceedings, both in terms of their particular focus and extent of coverage of the theme. | |||
| "Persistent Usability": A Multiphasic User Interface Architecture for Supporting the Full Usage Lifecycle | | BIBAK | 9-14 | |
| Larry L. Constantine | |||
| The architecture or overall organization of user interfaces needs to reflect
the structure of evolving patterns of usage as users progress from initial
encounter to expert performance. A triphasic model of user evolution and
corresponding interface architecture is described. As users progress from
novice, to intermediate, to expert level performance, their changing patterns
of usage require different user interface design approaches. The acquisition
interface, transition interface, and production interface are seen as distinct
but interrelated subsystems of the overall user interface architecture having
different organization and supporting mechanisms. It is argued that more
advanced users, but especially "improving intermediates," are an under served
constituency in the user community for most systems. Examples of interface
approaches for these users are described. Keywords: User interfaces, Usability, Interface architecture, Triphasic model, Design
for usability | |||
| Interface: Where Art & Science Meet | | BIBA | 15-18 | |
| S. Joy Mountford | |||
| Sarah Bloomer and Bridget McGraw compiled a set of questions for Joy Mountford, focusing on the theme of her plenary talk. What follows is an interview which took place over the Internet. | |||
| Four Principles for Groupware Design | | BIBAK | 21-26 | |
| Andy Cockburn; Steve Jones | |||
| Participatory design amalgamates the expertise of interdisciplinary
specialists with the task-specific expertise of end-users. Groupware design is
widely recognised as benefiting from participative approaches. Recognition of
this ideal, however, does not preclude the failure of groupware design due to
poor communication and inadequate understanding.
This paper provides a grounding in the problems affecting groupware's success, and introduces four design principles. These principles guide all those involved in design around the pitfalls that have been encountered, some repeatedly, by groupware. Keywords: Groupware, Design, Principles, User-acceptance | |||
| Learnability Through Working Together | | BIBAK | 27-32 | |
| R. T. Jim Eales; Jim Welsh | |||
| We present the argument that learnability is an important problem in the
design of computer systems. To investigate existing end-user skill development
practices we undertook contextual research in the administrative sector of a
major university. What emerged was a picture of a skill development process
that was ongoing, largely informal and with a significant contribution from
inter-user collaboration. We discuss some initial implications of our findings
for the development of more effective systems of user support. In particular,
we believe that technological support may contribute to overcoming some of the
inherent difficulties involved in face-to-face collaboration. Keywords: Learnability, User support, End-user computing, Contextual research,
Collaborative skill development | |||
| The Social Construction of Computer Use: Stories from the 'Real World' | | BIBAK | 33-38 | |
| Rachel Croft; Martin Lea; Richard Giordano | |||
| Human-computer interaction is commonly described in terms of formal
cognitive models. However, these models are based on particular assumptions
about the relationships between users, computers and their environment and
recent observational studies in 'real world' settings suggest that they fail to
support an adequate understanding of users' interactions with computers. This
paper explores the relevance of the social constructivist perspective adopted
in the sociology of science and technology for the study of human-computer
interaction. Taking examples from their field studies of classroom computer
use and computer system implementation in an organization, the authors
demonstrate how social constructivist concepts may facilitate an understanding
of the interactions between people and computers in the 'real world'. Keywords: Observational studies, Sociology of technology, HCI, models of the user,
CSCW | |||
| Serving Lean Cuisine+: Towards a Support Environment | | BIBAK | 41-46 | |
| Chris Phillips | |||
| Lean Cuisine+ [12] is an executable semi-formal graphical notation for
specifying the underlying behaviour of even-based direct manipulation
interfaces. It is a multi-layered notation which supports the early design
phase of the interface development life cycle. In this paper the notation is
introduced through an example, and the requirements of a software environment
to support the construction, browsing, and execution of Lean Cuisine+
specifications are established. A prototype of part of this environment is
described. A mapping from Lean Cuisine+ into a more formal dialogue
specification language in order to support interface prototyping and
implementation is briefly considered. Keywords: Direct manipulation, Interface design, Graphical dialogue notations,
Executable specifications, Macintosh interface | |||
| PIPS: A User Centred Approach to Rapid Prototyping | | BIBAK | 47-52 | |
| Paul Anderson | |||
| Early stages in the development of interfaces involve the fabrication of
models that aid analysis prior to construction. These behavioural models take
a user-centred perspective. In contrast, subsequent implementation models take
a system-centred view of the interface. This change of viewpoint impedes the
translation of an analysis model into its implementation equivalent [11].
Dialogue Activation Language (DAL) is a language for describing direct
manipulation interfaces from a user action viewpoint. In so doing it aids the
translation of behavioural interface models into their constructional
equivalent. PIPS is an interface development environment based on DAL. Keywords: Rapid prototyping, Interface models, UIMS | |||
| A Useable Boxer Editor | | BIBAK | 53-58 | |
| James B. Uther | |||
| Boxer is a computational environment designed for everyday use by those not
professionally trained in computing. It has enormous potential, but has failed
to make an impact beyond a small research community. One reason for this is
the lack of a truly useable interface to the hypertext editor, and therefore
the environment. This paper introduces a new editor, and results are given
that show that the new interface can be quickly learned and is then useable. Keywords: Boxer, Hypertext, User interfaces, Useability | |||
| Colour in Map Displays: Issues for Task-Specific Display Design | | BIBAK | 61-66 | |
| Walter Smith; John Dunn; Kim Kirsner; Mark Randell | |||
| Colour is generally regarded as a desirable property of computer displays
chiefly because it supports users' preattentive visual processes, e.g. texture
segregation, which rapidly organize and structure screen information. This
paper examines the use of colour in computerised map displays of the sort used
by Geographic Information Systems. Three experiments are reported which
confirm the utility of colour, but which also identify two potential problems:
interference of task-irrelevant colour and superficial processing of colour
symbol configurations. These findings support a general argument that colour
should not be used automatically, but rather its use should be fitted to the
task for which the display is designed. Keywords: Map displays, Colour, Visual search, Perceptual grouping, Task-specific
displays | |||
| Using Situation Centered Analogy for Interface Design | | BIBAK | 67-72 | |
| Michael Lewis | |||
| This paper presents an approach for describing and constructing cognitively
efficient analogies for use in human-computer interaction (HCI). Current
direct manipulation (DM) interfaces are severely limited in expression by their
"select-operate" syntax. Our situation-theoretic framework overcomes this
rigidity by capturing both objects and possible behaviors within a common
representation. A theory relating problem representation to cognitive
difficulty is presented and methods for re-representing difficult problems to
make them easier for humans to solve is developed. Results from experiments in
which subjects solved isomorphic problems using DM interfaces are presented. A
simple display for safety monitoring of a nuclear power plant is developed to
illustrate these methods. Keywords: Situation theory, Analogy | |||
| An Evaluation of Editing Paradigms | | BIBAK | 73-78 | |
| Mark A. Toleman; Jim Welsh | |||
| The choice between tree-building and text-recognition paradigms has been an
issue in language-based editor design over the past decade, with much intuitive
comment appearing in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, however, no
systematic attempt to demonstrate the advantage of either paradigm, by
application of relevant theories or by controlled experimental evaluation, has
been attempted. The problem is complicated by the interaction of several
factors -- in addition to the user's conceptual model of a structured document,
factors such as the error discipline to be applied, the model bias produced by
textual display, and the adequacy of implementation of the text-recognition
approach, have all to be taken into account. In this theoretical study we
analyse and compare various editing tasks undertaken by software engineers. The
Keystroke Level Model (KLM) is used to assess the efficiency of the paradigms. Keywords: GOMS, Keystroke-level model, Language-based editors | |||
| Standards in HCI | | BIB | 81-83 | |
| Nigel Bevan; Susan Harker; Gitte Lindgaard; Judy Hammond | |||
| POL: A Direct Manipulated Visual Language | | BIBAK | 87-92 | |
| Da-Qian Zhang; Kang Zhang | |||
| This paper presents POL, an object-oriented visual language, which supports
programmers of different levels. Experienced programmers can use the lower
level POL to construct high lever and domain oriented POLs, which are suitable
for solving domain-oriented problems. A picture supported in POLs may have
many direct manipulatable areas for depicting classes, objects, and links
between objects or classes. Programs are constructed as linked pictures using
a visual editor. A picture node may be recursively defined by lower level
pictures, or may embody a text editor that describes the low level and detailed
picture function. Such hierarchical object-oriented design environment can
greatly increase the domain programmer's productivity. Keywords: Direct manipulation, Object-oriented, Visual language, Picture class,
Picture object | |||
| Active Templates: Manipulating Pointers with Pictures | | BIBAK | 93-98 | |
| P. J. Lyons; M. D. Apperley; A. G. Bishop; G. S. Moretii | |||
| Active templates are a semi-automatic visual mechanism for generating
algorithms for manipulating pointer-based data structures. The programmer
creates a picture showing the affected part of a data structure before and
after a general-case manipulation. Code for the operation is compiled directly
from the picture, which also provides the development environment with enough
information to generate, automatically, a series of templates for other similar
pictures, each describing a different configuration which the data structure
may possess. The programmer completes the algorithm by creating matching
after-pictures for each of these cases.
At every stage, most of the picture-generation is automatic. Much of the tedious detail of conventional pointer-based data-structure manipulation, such as maintenance of current pointers, is unnecessary in a system based on active templates. Keywords: Active templates, Visual programming language, HyperPascal, Data structures | |||
| Turbo-Turtle: Educating Children in an Alternative Reality Universe | | BIBAK | 99-105 | |
| Andy Cockburn | |||
| This paper describes an educational programming language called
turbo-turtle. Turbo-turtle is an extended dialect of Logo that allows Logo
turtles to be assigned physical properties such as mass, velocity, friction,
and acceleration. The users, primarily children, experiment with Newtonian
Laws of motion in an abstracted, dynamic, and engaging environment. In
turbo-turtle's "alternative reality universe" children play with physics.
The human factors and interface issues that govern the success of turbo-turtle are examined both a the interface and through it. Keywords: Education, Interface engagement, Logo, Dynamics, Alternative reality | |||
| Correlates and Norms for the Computer Attitude Scale: Replication and Cut-Off Problem Definition in Health Care and Banking Employees | | BIBAK | 109-115 | |
| Ron Henderson; Frank Deane; Kate Barrelle; Doug Mahar | |||
| Computerised systems have become an integral part of both modern business
practice, and life in general. It has become increasingly difficult to avoid
interaction with computerised technology -- be it in the form of washing
machines, videos or information systems. This present paper reports normative
data and correlates of computer anxiety in three separate samples (N = 255)
using the Computer Anxiety Scale [1]. In an effort to estimate the impact of
computer anxiety in the workforce, three non-student samples from the health
and banking sectors were used. Relationships between age, sex, computer
experience and computer anxiety previously found in student/teacher samples
were replicated in the present study. The scope and practical implications of
computer anxiety is discussed. Keywords: Computer anxiety, Norms, Computer attitude scale | |||
| Modelling the Personality of the Decision Maker for Effective Decision Support | | BIBAK | 116-117 | |
| Priyanka Paranagama; Frada Burstein; David Arnott | |||
| Research has shown that there is an important link between the unique
individual personality of a decision maker and the decision process. The
decision support systems discipline has not made a conscious attempt at
incorporating the personality of decision makers as part of decision models.
This research project proposes a framework as a research model to investigate
the effectiveness of incorporating decision maker personality in building
decision support systems for 'higher strata' decision makers. Keywords: Decision support systems, Personality theory, User modelling | |||
| Employee Acceptance of Biometric Security Systems | | BIBAK | 118-122 | |
| Kate Barrelle; Frank Deane; Ron Henderson; Doug Maher | |||
| The present paper examined the perceived acceptability of biometric security
systems, and the relationship between acceptability and sensitivity of
information. Results from 46 respondents indicated that all biometric systems
were perceived as less acceptable than the traditional password approach.
Contrary to expectations, it was found that behaviourally based biometric
systems were perceived as less acceptable than physiologically based systems.
Interestingly, the password method displayed a negative relationship between
acceptability and sensitivity. Results are discussed in relation to the
potential for some behaviourally based biometric system to be used as a
component of Electronic Performance Monitoring (EPM) systems. Keywords: Computer security, Biometric security systems, User acceptability,
Electronic performance monitoring | |||
| The Advantages of Portable Usability Testing | | BIBAK | 125-126 | |
| Fiona Dorward | |||
| This paper describes work in progress on a new concept in usability
evaluation: a portable usability testing laboratory (PUTL). Traditionally,
usability testing is conducted in fixed usability laboratories with a range of
sophisticated video, audio and editing equipment. While these laboratories
have their merits, it is becoming clear that alternative, less costly methods
are often preferred in industry. With relatively simple technology and a
scaleable method, PUTL is being developed to address these concerns. Three
client case studies are used to illustrate its successful implementation to
date. Ideas for ongoing refinement and independent evaluation are also
discussed. Keywords: Usability testing laboratories, Portable usability testing, Field testing,
Remote usability testing, Evaluation | |||
| Heuristic User Interface Evaluation: Three Case Studies of Dialog Design | | BIBAK | 127-132 | |
| Renato Iannella | |||
| This paper discusses the use of heuristic guidelines in the design and
evaluation of user interfaces. Closely following such recommendations can
improve the user's performance and reduce training costs. Three leading
software applications are used as case studies in which the use of a simple set
of heuristic guidelines has detected potential usability problems. Such
problems can then be removed before more comprehensive usability evaluations
are performed. Keywords: User interface design and evaluation, Heuristic evaluation, User interface
guidelines, Dialog design, Usability engineering, Human-computer interaction | |||
| Screen Complexity and User Design Preference in Windows Applications | | BIBAK | 133-137 | |
| T. Comber; J. R. Maltby | |||
| This paper evaluates the validity of a formal method for assessing the
quality of screen layouts in graphical user interfaces. A technique developed
by Bonsieppe for quantifying the layout complexity of a printed page has been
applied to the opening screens in thirteen Microsoft Windows applications.
Thirty subjects were asked to rank the same thirteen screens on the basis of
"good" design. A significant negative correlation was found between the
subjects' rankings and the complexity ratings, indicating that users' do not
like "simple" screens. The reasons for this negative correlation are explored. Keywords: GUI, Windows, Screen, Design, Layout, Complexity | |||
| Query Context: Would a Graphical Interface Help? | | BIBAK | 141-146 | |
| Sylvia Willie | |||
| The paradox of electronic storage of information is that it can make
information unavailable to the general public. The known problems with Boolean
query constructs in conjunction with the complexities of computer access and
even an inappropriate mental model of the information space overwhelm the
general user. While the graphical user interface has been shown to decrease
memory load, it does not provide support for direct manipulation in information
search. This paper looks at our current research into a graphical query
interface which we believe has the potential to ameliorate the current
situation and lead to easier access to electronic information spaces for novice
and infrequent users. Keywords: Graphical user interface, Venn diagrams, Information retrieval, Query
languages, Novices | |||
| Process Support: Inflexible Imposition or Chaotic Composition? | | BIBAK | 147-152 | |
| Geraldine Fitzpatrick; Jim Welsh | |||
| Current process support systems seek to impose a process structure which
controls the work of participants in cooperative work activities. This
structure is based on the false premise that the global order emergent from the
chaotic dynamics of work processes can be used to prescribe local activity
which is in fact situated and unpredictable. We propose instead that a space
of work be defined, incorporating service, information, role and artefact
objects, to capture the bounds and characteristics of the global order. The
situated reality of work processes is supported by enabling participants to
dynamically compose objects into their own process path through the space. Keywords: Groupware, Process support, Chaotic dynamics | |||
| A Meta-Argumentation Workbench | | BIBAK | 153-157 | |
| Graeme Shanks; Richard Sargeant; Sonali Abeyatunge | |||
| A number of models have been proposed to support argumentation in design,
for example the IBIS and QOC models. These models aim to structure the
deliberations which occur during the design process and provide an explanation
of the designed artefact. Tools to support these models have typically been
designed to support one type of model only. This paper describes an
argumentation meta-model which forms the basis of a meta-argumentation
workbench. The meta-argumentation workbench supports the generation of
specific argumentation support tools and allows for the rapid prototyping and
subsequent evolution of argumentation models. A prototype implementation of
the meta-argumentation workbench is discussed and suggestions for further work
are offered. Keywords: Design methodologies and techniques, Groupwork / CSCW, Networking and
computer-mediated human communication | |||
| A Graphical Methodology for the Design and Implementation of Hypertext Based Information Systems | | BIBAK | 161-166 | |
| Stephen Duncan; Mark Apperley | |||
| The hypertext author is concerned with the conceptualisation, visualisation,
and validation of the structure encapsulated within a hypertext based
information resource. There is a need for software tools to aid in the
development of hypertext information systems because of a continuing trend for
authors of corporate and educational information resources to be unfamiliar
with traditional software engineering practices. This paper introduces a
graphical notation and methodology that aids in the creation of modern
information resources, with benefits for both the hyperdocument creator and
reader in terms of structural clarity, ease of navigation, and management of
the design and implementation task. Keywords: Hypertext, Design methodology, Visual language | |||
| Problems of the Development of a Hypertext Authoring Tool | | BIBAK | 167-172 | |
| Margit Pohl; Peter Purgathofer | |||
| There is a tendency for computer novices to become involved with hypertext
systems, especially in educational environments. Systems must be tailored to
the specific needs of these users. To be able to do that, a careful analysis
of the transition process from linear text to hypertext is necessary.
Untrained users of hypertext authoring systems usually have great difficulties
with the hypertext concept. The aim of our research is to get a better
understanding of the problems which arise when authoring hypertext systems in
university education, and, more specifically, to develop an authoring tool that
allows students to write their own hypertext documents. Our experience shows
that the hypertext concept is difficult to understand and to apply but it can
be made easier by the introduction of an adequate authoring tool. Keywords: Hypertext, Authoring systems, Learning models, Evaluation methods and tools,
User models | |||
| Generating Interactive Exercises in Hypertext | | BIBAK | 173-177 | |
| Eve Wilson | |||
| Hypertext can best serve as a medium for Computer Assisted Learning (CAL)
packages if the packages are truly interactive with exercises and feedback so
that students can monitor their progress. This paper considers several
exercise templates and describes how a DTD in SGML can be used to map these
automatically into Guide Hypertext. Keywords: Computer assisted learning, Hypertext, SGML, Automatic generation of
hypertext | |||
| We Can't Go On Meeting Like This! Artifacts Making it Easier to Work Together in Manufacturing | | BIBAK | 181-186 | |
| Carsten Sorensen; Peter Carstensen; Henrik Borstrom | |||
| When organizations embark on manufacturing complex products, a multitude of
actors representing different areas of competence cooperate. Because of the
complexity of the work due to, for example, the nature of the product and the
large number of interdependent participants, part of their work concerns
articulation, e.g., coordination, management, allocation, negotiation. This
paper is based on a field study at Foss Electric, a Danish manufacturing
company. The field study surveyed a large-scale project involving mechanical,
electronic, software, and chemical design of a complex instrument for testing
the quality of raw milk. We argue that in this particular project a matrix
organization, scheduled project meetings, informal meetings, and paper-based
artifacts are the primary means of managing the complexity of articulation
work. The aim of this paper is to investigate the origination and use of
artifacts supporting cooperation between the participants in manufacturing
work. The analysis supports the hypothesis that when confronted with an
abundance of detailed decisions that need to be articulated, organizations
invent and adopt artifacts which can be interpreted as stipulating and
mediating articulation work in order to reduce the need for project meetings
and informal meetings. Keywords: Cooperative work, Field study, Manufacturing | |||
| A World-Wide Web User Interface for an Electronic Meeting Tool | | BIBAK | 187-192 | |
| Michael J. Rees; Tak K. Woo | |||
| As the popularity of the World-Wide Web (WWW) and its associated browser
applications continue to grow, they offer the prospect of a universal user
interface which runs on many types of user workstation. This potential was
exploited for an existing electronic meeting system, Yarn, which has been
ported to work with one of the most popular WWW browsers -- NCSA Mosaic for X
Windows. This paper describes the design process of such a port and presents
the end product and some initial experience of its early use. The limitations
of the WWW server protocol for real-time user interaction purposes are also
discussed. Keywords: Electronic meeting systems, World-Wide Web, Mosaic browser, Universal user
interface | |||
| The Impact of Human-to-Human Communication Modes in CSCW Environments | | BIBAK | 193-199 | |
| Masood Masoodian; Mark Apperley; Lesley Frederikson | |||
| A study has been carried out to identify the effects of different
human-to-human communication modes on dyadic computer supported group work. A
pilot study evaluated an available shared work-space software system,
supplemented by face-to-face, telephone-based, and text-based communication
modes between the two users. The findings from this study have then been used
to design an extensive experiment to explore the relative impact of
face-to-face, full motion video, slow motion video, and audio only
communication modes when used in conjunction with this type of CSCW system.
This paper describes the experiments, and examines the findings of this
empirical study with the aim of establishing the importance of co-presence in
CSCW, and the effectiveness of these various communication modes in achieving
it. Keywords: Computer supported cooperative work (CSCW), Group communication, Group work,
Communication mode, Video conferencing | |||
| An Animated Widget Kit for InterViews | | BIBAK | 203-208 | |
| Bruce Thomas; Paul Calder | |||
| We have applied animation techniques to enhance the look and feel of the
components created by the InterViews widget kit. We modified the kit in two
ways: we added animation effects to standard widgets, and we introduced new
kinds of widgets that show how animation can enrich the repertoire of available
components.
This paper shows how the new and modified widgets work. In particular, we describe smoothly growing and rotating menus, buttons that use geometric transformations to suggest movement, and effects based on flip-book animations. We finish with brief comments on some of the implementation issues that arose in this work. Keywords: Animation, Interfaces, InterViews, Widgets, Toolkits, Graphics | |||
| A Functional, Visual Programming Interface to Geographical Information Systems | | BIBAK | 209-214 | |
| Craig Standing; Geoffrey G. Roy | |||
| Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have been widely adopted for the
manipulation of spatial data. This paper identifies clear limitations in the
design of GIS for the user; notably the limited knowledge represented within
the systems, the time and difficulty involved in becoming a competent user and
the low-level nature of the commands.
One of the principal requirements of a more knowledgable GIS involves the representation of knowledge related to a number of features: the data in the system; the operations that can be performed; the processing of requests; and the presentation of results. Many of the ideas presented can be generally applied to other query language driven systems. The approach taken to the design and implementation of a prototype high-level interface to GIS is based on the functional style of programming. Functional languages appear to offer some important properties, for example: the strong and polymorphic typing and the ease with which new types can be defined; the ability to order the knowledge base within functions; and the facility to create functional hierarchies composed of compound or higher-order functions which allow high-level operations to be manipulated as units. The paper describes how a functional solution to the problems can be represented by a command based approach and how this can be improved upon through the use of a graphical user interface with direct manipulation of objects/icons. Keywords: Functional, Visual programming, Interface | |||
| Visual and Solid Programming Environments for Designing Dynamic Volumetric Form | | BIBAK | 215-219 | |
| John Maeda; Akira Harada | |||
| As developments in technology continue to outpace progress in the arts and
design, most design practitioners are being swept away by the many complex
details and possibilities posed by new information technologies. Furthermore,
the trend towards virtual forms of information which require little more than a
display screen and input device raises a question about the relevancy of a
decidedly physical form-centered field such as industrial design. To address
this dilemma, industrial design education institutions in Japan are scurrying
to incorporate the modern school of graphic user interface (GUI) methodologies.
However, the formidable task of mastering the large and continually increasing
body of system-specific information related to interactive media has left
little time for the designer to evaluate and experiment with possibilities
outside of conventional GUI approaches. In this paper, we describe an art
history-minded philosophy in which interactive media is considered in the
framework of a quest for ideal "dynamic forms" initiated by kinetic artists in
the late 1800's, and we present the design of a set of interfaces for designing
volumetric, as opposed to screen-based, dynamic forms. Keywords: Industrial design, Solid programming, Fuzzy logic | |||
| Theory, Practice and Technology for Developing Usable Personal Systems | | BIBAK | 223-228 | |
| Peter J. Thomas; John F. Meech | |||
| This paper reviews theory, practice and technology for 'personal information
management'. The paper defines and identifies the nature of personal
information management and reviews the ways in which current technology
supports only a limited conception of personal information management. The
paper reviews concepts and technologies for the development of usable personal
systems. Keywords: Information appliances, Personal systems, User interface design, Integrated
technologies | |||
| Requirements Analysis of Innovative Information Retrieval Software | | BIBAK | 229-234 | |
| Margaret Bearman; Branko Cemik | |||
| There are many innovative techniques in the area of information retrieval.
One recent development enables the integration of free text searching software
with a relational database. This technology is being used to implement a
management system for an undergraduate medical curriculum. There are
difficulties in designing an interface for such a system due to the fundamental
problems found in introducing ground-breaking software. How can the users'
needs be predicted when the implications of the technology itself are poorly
understood? This paper focuses on the specific problems of creating a novel
system that is both usable and functional. Keywords: Information retrieval, Interface design, User requirements, Needs analysis,
Databases | |||
| Beyond Information Retrieval: An Interface to a C3 System for Emergency Mangement | | BIBA | 235-238 | |
| Leone J. Dunn | |||
| Issues and problems on the use of multimedia and multimodality in user interface design is an ongoing and active research and development area [cf Blattner and Dannenberg92]. The development of intelligent multimedia and multimodal user computer interfaces [UCIs] to distributed heterogeneous information systems focussed on the use of hypermedia and related tools as a means of integrating the heterogeneous knowledge sources for the purposes of information retrieval and presentation, mainly in the area of distributed document management. It is generally accepted by researchers and developers that the process of information retrieval is inherently interactive and therefore an ongoing design problem is how to give intelligent interfaces more interaction functionality. This is particularly the case in the design of command, control, and communication [C3] systems for Defence. A C3 system is a distributed, interactive group decision support system that aims to augment the decision making power of human information processors. A typical C3 system user requires not only access to information provided by an MIS or EIS service, but also to plan strategies, create scenarios, and perform diagnostics with a high level of interaction. This places additional demands on the design of the user interface. This short paper introduces work in progress on the design of a C3 system for Emergency Management, including Search and Rescue Services [EMISARS], a new collaborative research and development project with Defence Emergency Management Australia [EMA]. The paper focusses on a discussion of the requirements for the system and how this influenced the approach adopted in designing the user interface. A preliminary prototype will also be presented to enhance the discussion of design issues. | |||
| Human Performance in Fault Diagnosis: Can Expert Systems Help? | | BIBAK | 241-246 | |
| Gitte Lindgaard | |||
| This paper argues that expert systems should be designed to supplement human
cognitive limitations if they are to offer valuable assistance to expert
problem solvers. Two areas of human expertise, namely fault diagnostics, are
explored to illustrate that even apparently similar domains require quite
different kinds of information to support expert problem solving activities
adequately. Some of the most frequently occurring judgmental biases are
highlighted to illustrate the difficulties associated with extracting expertise
from experts. Keywords: Human problem solving, Expert systems, Diagnostic accuracy, Human
performance | |||
| Navigational Preferences of Users in a Museum Hypermedia Exhibit | | BIBAK | 247-252 | |
| Darren Ngiau; Margaret Christensen | |||
| Navigation of museum visitors within a large hypermedia exhibit on the floor
of a major urban science museum was studied. Both automated data collection
and protocol analysis provided information consistent with an explanation of
users' navigational behavior based on their understanding of the content of the
system. Little support was found for alternative explanations. Keywords: Hypermedia, Data collection, System log, Protocol analysis, Navigation,
Museum | |||
| Typist Identity Verification: A Comparison of the Utility of the Overall Reference Profile and the Digraph-Specific Estimates of Digraph Latency Variability | | BIBAK | 253-257 | |
| Renee Napier; Doug Mahar; Ron Henderson; William Laverty; Mike Hiron; Jon Gough; Mike Wagner | |||
| Data security is important for both social and organisational reasons.
Umphress and Williams [1] have shown that individual differences in typing
behaviour may provide a means of accurately verifying the identity of the user.
The present research attempted to enhance their technique by using a
digraph-specific measure of inter-key latency variability. Sixty seven
subjects undertook a transcriptional typing task, typing both computer relevant
words, and sentences. False acceptance and false rejection rates were
calculated using the traditional overall estimate of inter-key latency
variability and a new digraph-specific measures of inter-key latency
variability. Results revealed that the digraph specific measure of inter-key
latency variability, not only produced a better optimum false acceptance plus
false rejection rate, than the overall method, but did so over a wide range of
parameter settings. Keywords: Computer security, User verification, Digraphs | |||
| Graphical Features for Aiding Decision-Making in Production Scheduling | | BIBAK | 261-266 | |
| Peter G. Higgins | |||
| This paper discusses the form of graphical objects for a "hybrid"
human-computer scheduling system. The visual features of these objects
represent the job attributes that a human scheduler may use in deciding how to
allocate jobs to machines and to arrange the order of processing. Keywords: Graphical user interface (GUI), Decision support system (DSS), Production
scheduling | |||
| New Display Designs for Dispatchers Controlling Maglev Train Traffic | | BIBAK | 267-270 | |
| Jens-Olaf Muller; Eckehard Schnieder | |||
| Novel computer based display designs for visualisation of high speed trains
operation based on a fictive maglev-network are proposed. In order to find
optimal solutions, only human factors such as mental capacity, visual system
and information processing capability are considered. The proposed designs
allow a dispatcher to quickly assess a real situation and to find a good
disposition. Keywords: Human-computer-interface, Maglev-train, Process control | |||
| Screen Design for Task Efficiency and System Understanding | | BIBAK | 271-276 | |
| Soren Lauesen; Morten Borup Harning; Carsten Gronning | |||
| Two important goals of dialogue design are that the system should support
tasks efficiently and be easy to learn. In order that the system be easy to
learn, the user must form a proper mental model of how it works. A key point
is that the user should learn what data the system stores. Without a proper
understanding of the data, the user cannot perform more complex functions with
the system. The paper shows that learning about data is in conflict with
efficient task support: We cannot fully achieve both. The paper also shows a
systematic design method that can balance the two goals. Keywords: Screen design, Dialogue design, Task support, Task performance, Mental
models, Datamodels, Dialogue levels | |||
| To Art and Science | | BIB | 279-280 | |
| Bridget McGraw; Christopher Coe; Michael Gigante; Jon McCormack; Troy Innocent; Josephine Starrs | |||
| The Roles of Hypothesis in Human Computer Interaction | | BIBAK | 283-284 | |
| B. Garner; F. Chen | |||
| In this paper, we investigate what roles an hypothesis may play in human
computer interaction (HCI) and suggest an approach to improve the effectiveness
and efficiency of knowledge-based systems. Keywords: Intelligent interface, Hypothesis generation | |||
| The Windsor Test: An Alternative to the Authenticity Test for Virtual Reality Systems | | BIBAK | 285-286 | |
| Terry Webb | |||
| Virtual Reality systems promise much in the field of training. Two
complimentary concepts, fidelity and engagement are discussed in relation to
the Authenticity test. Authenticity and fidelity are similar concepts but the
Authenticity test is suggested to be deficient in that it does not incorporate
the idea of engagement. An alternative, the Windsor test, is suggested and
several questions raised by this test are posed. Keywords: Virtual reality, Virtual environments, Authenticity test, Turing test,
Windsor test | |||
| The Role of Metaphor at the Human Computer Interface | | BIBAK | 287-291 | |
| Michael Smyth; Roger Knott | |||
| Interface metaphors are introduced as a technique to facilitate the learning
of systems. To better understand this process, metaphors are discussed in
terms of their role in the formation of mental models. This suggests that the
principle advantage of metaphor lies in it's ability to facilitate the
transformation of existing knowledge in order to comprehend novel situations.
It is hypothesised that this characteristic will have implications for the
selection of interface metaphors. Summary results are provided of an
investigation in which a comparison was made between three metaphors. The
results support the selection of interface metaphors which encourage
exploratory learning. Keywords: Mental models, Metaphors and interface design | |||
| 'We Can Do It Better': Communication and Control of Work Practices | | BIBAK | 295-300 | |
| Toni Robertson | |||
| This paper describes how a small Australian producer of computer based
training and education software uses computer systems and communication
technology to support flexible work practices within a distributed work
environment. The company uses a range of techniques involving both technology
and interpersonal communication skills to maintain and review communication
links and to repair communication breakdown. The experience, insights and new
work skills gained by the members of the company provide a valuable resource
for researchers concerned with developing CSCW systems to support collaboration
over distance. Keywords: CSCW, Remote collaboration, Distributed organisation, Flexible work
practices, Communication | |||
| Integration of Concerns in User Interface Development for Mobile Multi-User Applications | | BIBAK | 301-307 | |
| Hans-W. Gellersen | |||
| We discuss three key concerns in development of mobile multi-user
applications: synergy, ubiquity and modality. The synergy concern is related to
cooperation support, the ubiquity concern to application access anywhere and
anytime, and the modality concern to effective human-computer interaction. It
is pointed out, that for effective development of mobile multi-user
applications these concerns should be treated in an integrated way. Items, a
graphical design model, is introduced as first step in this direction. We
present an overview of Items and discuss an embedded user interface development
approach in more detail. Keywords: User interface design issues, User interface development tools, Graphical
design methods, CSCW, Multimedia, Mobile computing | |||
| Parsing Visual Languages | | BIB | 311-312 | |
| Sitt Sen Chok | |||
| Groupware Support for Student Project Teams | | BIBAK | 313-314 | |
| Penny Collings; Ragani Mudaliar; David Walker | |||
| The possible use of groupware products to support student group projects
involving a mix of on- and off-campus activities is being investigated through
survey of students, staff and professional users of groupware, and through a
number of pilot studies involving the use of groupware by students. The poster
describes some of these activities. Keywords: Computer-supported cooperative work, Student group projects, Groupware,
Lotus Notes | |||
| An Ethnoscience Approach for Interface Design? | | BIBAK | 315-316 | |
| Shirley Gregor | |||
| An argument is made for the use of an ethnoscience approach in
human-computer interaction design, particularly in cases where an interface
incorporates knowledge which was previously informal or implicitly held. The
ethnoscience approach aims to use a minimum of external assumptions in
uncovering the knowledge structures of a domain. Keywords: Interface design, Ethnoscience, Knowledge acquisition | |||
| Survey of Cross-Cultural Differences in Participatory Design | | BIB | 317-318 | |
| Jean D. Hallewell Haslwanter; Judy Hammond | |||
| Participatory Design Methods: A Classification | | BIBA | 319-320 | |
| Jean D. Hallewell Haslwanter; Michael J. Muller; Tom Dayton | |||
| Participatory design is a type of system development that involves the users in such a way that they have some direct influence on the outcome. Participatory design methods differ greatly from traditional methods, as they involve not only the developers learning about the users, their tasks, and their environments but also the users learning about the developers and their work. Methods used in participatory design must be appropriate to the needs of the specific circumstances. As more and more methods get used, it is often difficult for developers to choose an appropriate method. This poster helps to give an overview of participatory design practices, which may help developers choosing a method appropriate to their needs. | |||
| A Higher Level Tool than Widget Toolkits for Specific Applications | | BIB | 321-322 | |
| Wei Lai; Maurice Danaher | |||
| A Magnifying Glass, a Copy, or a Move | | BIBAK | 323-324 | |
| Soren Lauesen; Morten Borup Harning | |||
| Editing data in a system is often done through a window. The window can
reflect three different metaphors: (1) The window is a magnifying-glass showing
the master data. (2) The window holds a copy of the master data. (3) The
master data is removed from the system and shown on the screen. Real systems
do not suggest the metaphor they use or they do not follow the metaphor
consistently. This causes serious usability problems. This paper presents the
three metaphors for modification of data, shows how usability problems arise
and how a consistent design can be made. Keywords: Metaphors, Mental models, Consistency, Data update | |||
| Agents in Review: Examples, Dimensions and Issues | | BIBAK | 325-326 | |
| Terre L. Layton; Katherine Isbister | |||
| Research on and discussion of computer agents has mushroomed in the past few
years. Improvements in artificial intelligence techniques, users wanting more
productivity from their computers, and the growing need for better interface
metaphors have led to converging and often conflated areas of research on
agents. This paper: 1) reviews the current literature on agents, 2) defines
agent types along a continuum (this should provide common ground for
researchers to reference), and lastly 3) provides some issues and advice for
developers/designers of user interfaces that want to employ agency in their
applications/environments to consider. Keywords: Agents, Personal assistant, Autonomous agents, Intelligent agents, User
interface design, Computer agents, HCI, Human-computer interaction, Office
automation, Software robot | |||
| Personal Information Management: Developing Usable Personal Systems | | BIBAK | 327-328 | |
| Peter J. Thomas; John F. Meech | |||
| This poster summarises and describes research underway into the nature of
'Personal Information Management' and the application of HCI findings
techniques and approaches to the development of technology in this domain. Keywords: Information appliances, Personal systems, User interface design, Integrated
technologies | |||
| D-Radio -- The All Digital Radio Studio | | BIBAK | 329-330 | |
| Robert de Waal | |||
| In July 1993, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) embarked on the
development of an all digital on-air console for radio studios. The design
process for the user interface has been characterised by extensive consultation
with target users. The resulting product is notable not only for the degree of
integration of broadcasting technologies, but also for the hybrid user
interface -- an ergonomically designed "virtual console" which blends control
by colour graphic touch screens with physical buttons, knobs and faders. This
paper describes both the design process and the final product. The first
installation of D-RADIO is for the new ABC Southbank Radio building in
Melbourne, Australia. Keywords: Radio studio, Radio console, Touch screen | |||