| Design History as a Tool | | BIBA | 2 | |
| John Carroll | |||
| We describe the notion of design history and two design history systems
created to develop and study this notion. Raison d'Etre is a video information
system that presents stories and personal perspectives of design team members
recorded at various times through the course of a project. The Blacksburg
Electronic Village History Base is a multimedia information system now being
developed that presents documents and annotations describing a community
network and the community within which it exists.
The culture of technology is surprisingly ahistorical: Technologies and their applications in design are often thought of and talked about merely as solutions to problems. Their meanings are couched in a language of results: hardware and software tradeoffs, consequences for user learning and performance. Though it is well-known that technologies emerge through a continuous process of innovation, development, and adoption, it is rare to see this process explicitly acknowledged or documented. When they exist at all, histories in technology tend to be somewhat whiggish reconstructions that justify or critique past actions based on present understandings. This product-oriented view of technology is a useful simplification. It may not be necessary to understand the origins of display icons just in order to diagnose and address user problems in interpreting a particular icon design. However, there is a danger in taking this simplification too seriously. The full meaning of technologies and designed artifacts emerges from contingencies in the processes of innovation, development, and adoption. The most scrupulous description of an artifact per se will not incorporate the informal motivations of the designers who created it. It will probably not include an accounting of the many ideas and approaches that were tried and discarded in the design. Even the designers' most self-reflective efforts may still fail to re-capture the actual motivations that caused particular decisions. My efforts to fathom the historical nature of HCI in a practical manner started at the British HCI'91 conference. There I presented a paper in which I described a variety of typical characteristics which seemed to urge a historical view; for example, I pointed out that the meaning of the term "direct manipulation" changed through the 1980's, as the technologies we now call direct manipulation became available. In preparing for that conference, I carried out a series of individual interviews with the members of two project teams in IBM. Both projects had been running for more than ten years, and hence had a significant history to query; one involved a media workbench and the other a user interface architecture. The interviews elicited a plethora of stories: parables and legends identifying the significant issues, attitudes, and events. In the stories, there was a recognition of and allowance for individual knowledge and perspective. Team members sometimes sketched the gist of a particular story, and then indicated that a colleague could provide the full version. They seemed to accept that not all of their colleagues would share their attitudes or perspectives, sometimes even suggesting that another colleague's version be consulted because it conveyed an alternate perspective. The informality of stories seemed to provide a means for the designers to socially construct the coherence of their projects. As I delivered the talk, standing at the podium in Edinburgh, I suddenly saw an implication of what I was saying: I decided to build a video information system of designers telling their stories, a documentation system containing informal material about a development process as it occurred through time. I decided to study the role of history in system development by building and studying history systems. | |||
| Mind Extensions: On the Role of Computer Artifacts in Human Activity | | BIBA | 3 | |
| Victor Kapelinin | |||
| While it is widely accepted that computer artifacts are basically, cognitive tools, surprisingly little is known about the actual mechanisms underlying integration of these tools into human cognition. This problem is addressed in the paper from the point of view of Activity Theory, a conceptual framework originally developed in Russian psychology. It is suggested that cognitive tools are to be analyzed within the general context of mediated activity. The notion of "functional organs" will be introduced to provide a conceptual basis for understanding the role computer artifacts play in human activity. Development of functional organs in social context is considered the key factor in producing such phenomena as user interface transparency and consistency. The implications of the proposed approach for design of computer artifacts is discussed. | |||
| Task Models of Creativity: A Contradiction of Terms? | | BIBA | 4-5 | |
| Ernest Edmonds | |||
| "Thought is not a means of solving the problems of this world as they arise.
Thought is not a problem solver but a great process of realisation that is
forever transcending, transformed, changed, developed." Mead 1917.
So-called 'creative' tasks are not easily pre-defined or pre-selected, even by the person who is embarking upon such work, because discovering new ideas or solutions and new ways of achieving them occur during the process. Indeed, this characteristic is at the very heart of creative work. Given these circumstances, and if existing predictive models can only help with computer design for stereotypical users with routine tasks, is there any way of offering the interaction designer more support? In order to address that question, I argue that there is a need to reassess current task modelling approaches that are available for the interaction designer to use. New forms of modelling are required because current models do not represent the salient aspects of creative activities and behaviour. In this paper, I make a case for adopting criteria-based models that support the designer of computer systems for creative tasks. The criteria-based model expresses criteria that may be used to evaluate the design as opposed to task modelling, a representation form from which one might hope to deduce the design. | |||
| More Than We Think: Facing Up to the Plurality of Goals Methods Needs and Resources in HCI | | BIBAK | 6-9 | |
| Steve Draper | |||
| Most analyses of how humans use artifacts, and interactive software in
particular, have a strong tendency to assign 1:1 correspondences between goals
and methods: to see software as supporting one task, users as having one way of
executing a task, one thing to learn when learning a command, and one source
for discovering the information. In fact this is a rare case, and multiplicity
of goals, methods, information needs, and information resources is the rule
even in simple software. How this causes problems for the design and testing
of user interfaces can be illustrated by examples from a wide range of domains
and levels of design, including studies on learning by exploration, the effect
of machine delays on user strategies, the learnability of icon sets, evaluation
studies of Computer Assisted Learning, and an analysis of the concept of
affordance. Such plurality can be a source of robustness for the performance
of interfaces: it is a problem mainly for analysis and HCI research, which
struggle to account for the frequent case of high average performance levels
mixed with a few residual problems. To address this plurality, we must extend
our analyses to cover sets of alternative methods for tasks rather than single
user procedures, and perhaps draw on concepts such as Activity Theory to
address users' mental organisation of such plurality. Keywords: Affordance, Activity theory, Plurality, Tasks, Guessability, Learnability,
Experienced user performance, Learning by exploration | |||
| A Participatory Methodology for Driving OO GUI Design from User Needs: | | BIBA | 10-11 | |
| Tom Dayton; Al Mcfarland | |||
| This intermediate-to-advanced, two-full-days tutorial gives participants
hands-on experience in a graphical user interlace (GUI) design methodology for
translating user data (users' task requirements and user-centred model of the
data) into an object-oriented (00) GUI design that conforms to multiple GUI
platform styles. The participants' first activity is hands-on practice in a
participatory method for turning user needs that exist only in users' heads,
into concrete user requirements represented as task flows. The second step is
utilising those detailed task flows as the source of information for developing
task objects. Those task objects are the bridge between the task design and
the GUI design, because participants then take the third step of mapping the
task objects onto GUI objects such as windows. This three-step methodology is
unusual in its tight integration not only of those explicit steps, but also of
several aspects of usability engineering: task analysis/design; consistent, 00,
multiplatform GUI style; 00 analysis/design; participatory methods; low-tech
materials; and fast, iterative usability testing.
Through all these activities, participants get hands-on practice in participatory analysis, design, and usability testing methods that involve all the stakeholders (users, usability engineers, developers, etc.) as collaborators. Such participatory methods get all the stakeholders to buy into the completeness of the definition of the user requirements, and into the optimality of the task flow. Participants work in groups of five or six people at small tables, using index cards and removable sticky notes to document the task and task objects. At least 80% of the tutorial is hands-on practice by the participants while the two instructors advise and demonstrate at the tables. The tutorial contains several layers of information that participants can tap into, so participants can learn advanced skills if they are sufficiently pre-educated in the intermediate-level skills, and intermediate skills if they start only with an introductory-level back-ground. The prerequisite is that participants must have some experience (even introductory-level is okay) in at least one of these areas: (1) participatory methods, (2) task analysis, (3) object-oriented design or analysis, or (4) GUI design. As long as that requirement is met participants may have nearly any background, such as usability engineer, system engineer, developer, documenter, trainer, designer, or manager. We highly recommend that potential participants read an extended description of the tutorial before signing up. That description is available from the primary contact, Tom Dayton, whose email is listed. | |||
| The Usability Engineering Lifecycle | | BIBA | 12 | |
| Gitte Lindguard | |||
| In this hands-on tutorial, participants will learn how to design, implement, and integrate a coherent usability programme into systems design and development procedures. Through a case study, we will identify users and their needs quantitatively and qualitatively, and we will design a rough user interface. The details of the analyses are then used to develop a comprehensive test and evaluation programme which guides usability activities throughout the systems development process. The test and evaluation plan contains usability goals and criteria, and it specifies how usability will be tested iteratively and monitored throughout to meet these goals. We will apply a range of tools to all aspects of this process throughout the day. At the end of the day, participants should be able to design and run their own usability programmes, no matter what development methodology they are using. | |||
| Imaginary Interfaces | | BIBA | 13 | |
| David Comberg | |||
| By imagining products free from the limitations of current interface
paradigms, developers will be better able to invent interactive media
environments where computers are integral to everyday objects and places. As
technologies become 'smart' and responsive to their users they will disappear
under the surface of products and spaces [2]. Interface design, when seen in
this light moves beyond computer technology to human environmental design -- an
art of interaction that is rich in aesthetic complexity and meaning.
To envision this world developers must explore our relationships with media, objects and spaces -- what they are and what they might be. Using the long history of literary and artistic imagination as a guide [3] -- from illustrated books of fairytales to visionary architectural models and science fiction films -- designers can find ways to create useful and enjoyable proposals for alternative realities. These imagined interfaces are a merging of the useful with the artistic, where information technologies are mirror-like reflections of dreams and visions, designed by people to foster relationships and characterized by a cultural/social focus and an aesthetic quality. | |||
| Interface Design for an Interactive Conference Proceedings | | BIBA | 14 | |
| Sandra Wills; Beth Cavallari | |||
| In this tutorial Sandra will talk about and demonstrate a variety of
interface designs, followed by some directed exploration and evaluation by
participants. The second half will be devoted to developing an interface
design for the Interactive Proceedings of the OZCHI'95 conference.
The Talk: Sandra will show interface designs from other Interactive Proceedings and also from educational, application and game software. She will talk about the metaphors used in each case and how the metaphor and consequent design features either promote or impede usage and learning. The Exploration and Evaluation: The participants will be provided with several software packages (some of these will already be installed on the computers, others will be run from CDs) and an evaluation proforma. Interactive Proceedings Design: This part will focus on the development process, by having the participants actually doing the developing. We will discuss what is required for an Interactive Proceedings interface design in general and what we need in particular. We will go on to design an appropriate interface as a group activity. | |||
| Interfaces for Interactive Learning Software | | BIBA | 15 | |
| John Hedberg; Barry Harper; Susan Metros | |||
| To assist multimedia developers, there are numerous rule-based, resource manuals for interface standards available that dictate the look and behaviour of design elements. The trouble with relying solely on rule-based instruction is that the developer runs the risk of following orders without understanding the concepts supporting them. In this tutorial, a graphic designer, a science educator and cognitive psychologist show an interactive series of packages which often defy the rules and yet provide an exciting learning environment. The tutorial will discuss a number of learning packages and indicate the impact of learning outcomes on the design of appropriate interfaces. It will illustrate that rule-based resources have their place as core reference tools, but they are no substitute for actively learning and applying the concepts that embody the vocabulary of interface, graphic design and the cognitive underpinnings of the interface. Participants will learn how to use the vocabulary of visual interface design and gain an understanding of cognitive demands of interfaces, so that they can recognise good design and ultimately create interfaces that are clean, uncluttered, visually stimulating and information rich. | |||
| Methodology for Designing Collaborative Systems | | BIBA | 16 | |
| Igor Hawryszkiewycz | |||
| The tutorial begins by describing the basic principles behind collaborative
systems, in particular, group dynamics, processes and culture. It then
describes a design process, supported by tools, for developing such systems.
The design process starts with physical and logical analysis to identify
critical processes and interpersonal relationships. It commences with rich
pictures of the collaborative context. These are then converted to a
conceptual logical model based on well-defined concepts. The design process
then continues with logical design to specify requirements in terms of
repository, communication and process needs. Finally physical design selects
groupware tools to satisfy these needs. The final design is presented as a
flexible platform of services defined in terms of data repositories and
communication services. A CASE study will be used to illustrate the design
method. Note: Tutorial not held | |||
| Cognitive Issues in HCI | | BIBA | 17 | |
| Tom Hewett | |||
| This full day tutorial introduces and illustrates basic processes and phenomena of human memory, and human problem solving. The tutorial has three objectives. The first is to help an attendee develop an educated basis for making interface design choices when guidelines fail, conflict, or are non-existent. This objective is accomplished through the use of "hands-on" demonstrations, exercises, examples and supplemental mini-lectures which focus the participant's attention upon significant phenomena which not otherwise ordinarily be noticed. The second objective is to relate some of the phenomena being illustrated to human-computer interaction. This objective is accomplished through the use of thought questions in the notes, occasional mini-lectures, and examples which help to bridge the gap between the demonstrations and their application to the design of human-computer interaction. The final objective is to provide attendees with a basis for undertaking self-directed study on these or related topics of their own choosing in cognitive psychology. | |||
| Multimedia Interface Design | | BIBA | 18 | |
| Jim Alty | |||
| Too many papers and tutorials on the subject of Multimedia interfaces begin
with an assumption that such interfaces are wonderful and will solve most of
our problems. The reality is quite different. Firstly, more is not always
better. Just as a fast computer can enable users to make mistakes quicker, so a
multimedia interface can confuse and overload a user. The underlying issues of
Multimedia Interface Design are:
* when are particular media "better" at conveying certain types of information?
* what are the goals of the user?
The first question cannot be answered without knowing the answer to the second
question. There is an urgent need for a methodology for interface design which
enables designers to choose appropriate media to meet user goals.
The tutorial defines a multimedia interfaces as a set of (possibly parallel and co-operating) languages. It reviews current empirical information on how and when different media have been successful in enabling users to meet their goals (quoting in particular from an extensive study carried out by the author in process control). It examines media which have not been extensively treated in the literature (such as audio interfaces and the use of music, and moving video interface design). Finally it suggests some design principles for designing Multimedia Interfaces. | |||
| Interaction Design | | BIBA | 19 | |
| Nathan Shedroff | |||
| Interaction Design is the art of effectively creating interesting and
compelling experiences for others. It applies to all forms of interaction, all
products, and all media. Unfortunately, not only are few of us ever taught
about explicitly creating experiences, almost all of the focus on interface
design and multimedia has been centred around the technology instead of the
interaction. The current backlash against CD-ROMs, for example, has everything
to do with how they were designed and what they allow audiences to do and
little with the technology.
What people find interesting, the kinds of activities they choose to spend money for, and the things that excite them and are memorable, have not changed much since recorded history began. Indeed, we can expect it change little in the next 1000 years-long after any of us need to concern ourselves with. This tutorial will describe many of the key components of interaction and how to use these in the creation of experiences. Special attention will be given to the process of uncovering the opportunities for rich and satisfying interactions in any product, media type, or "platform." The tutorial will include examples of successful interactive "products" from a variety of sources and media, but focused on those in electronic and online media. Many will come from the attendees themselves as the group is challenged to apply these principles to their current work. Participation from the audience is mandatory and there will be many opportunities for discussions, arguments, and fist fights (if it comes to that). | |||
| Teaching HCI -- Current Perspectives and Innovations | | BIBA | 20 | |
| Penny Collings; David Walker | |||
| How can we create meaningful and responsive environments for teaching and
learning how to design computer systems? Our focus is at the user interface as
the primary view and representation of the system. The interface must be
designed to support human activities. It is difficult for users and clients to
explain and for developers to understand how computer systems can be designed
to support any particular human activity. Therefore, HCI educators must
provide an environment in which mutual understanding between users and
developers can occur through iterative design in a way that ensures learning
and is seen as realistic. The overall aim of the workshop is to explore
innovative ways of teaching the HCI design process. Our emphasis is on
socio-technical systems design although we are also interested in the more
detailed issues of user interface design. We have spent 20 years teaching user
interface design and the last six years considering and evaluating ways of
teaching the HCI design process. We have used a variety of methods to do this
including:
* The use of behavioural simulations in Leaching socio-technical systems
design. With the support of an Australian Government Innovative Teaching -- CAUT -- grant) we have developed, trialled and evaluated a large-scale behavioural simulation (called Heritage Information) through which participants team how user needs arise and how users and developers negotiate the design and implementation of information systems to support user tasks. This form of experiential learning has dramatic outcomes and provides a base for long term reflection on processes. * The use of case studies in which experienced professionals play user roles and guide participants through an iterative design process to solve complex problems. This model of learning has the particular strength of requiring, through iterative processes, concentration on difficult areas of systems design. * The design and use of an IT infrastructure (in our case Lotus Notes) to support group work as a way of teaching issues in the design of groupware systems and HCI. We have developed, implemented and evaluated the use of a conceptual model of group work which supports participant group work. Participants can participate in group work from any place at any time with this IT support. By engaging in this activity participants develop a complex understanding of group processes and of design issues for groupware. Our workshop will review and compare the strengths and limitations of each approach and will extend an existing set of criteria for evaluating innovative teaching/learning approaches in the HCI domain. By incorporating innovative ideas from all participants, further advances in the teaching process may be achieved. Areas for further investigation will be identified. | |||
| Executive Information Systems | | BIBA | 21 | |
| Helen Hasan | |||
| In this workshop we examine the successful utilisation of Information
Systems by senior executives in organisations which are using, or developing,
Executive Information Systems (EIS). The aim is to bring together people from
a variety of organisations interested in EIS and to compare experiences.
Present at the workshop will be people with considerable experience of EIS as
well as those interested in learning from them.
There is a reported high failure rate of EIS systems which may be due to the fact that EIS developers do not realise that high powered executives form a very special group of highly individual and powerful computer users. Designing and implementing EIS thus presents problems not encountered in conventional computer system development. Participants in the workshop will be able to share their experiences and learn of ways in which these problems can be addressed. | |||
| Gender Issues and IT | | BIBA | 22 | |
| Joan Cooper | |||
| The suggestion that women cope differently with technology than men,
requires exploration. A wide range of opinion has been forthcoming. This
workshop provides the opportunity to discuss current opinion and research and
to canvas ideas. This can be done by submitting short papers or by the
provision of discussion points prior to the workshop. Many current
publications comment on the role women have on the "Information Superhighway".
Results from a recently conducted survey on Australian Women users of the
Internet will be. Also discussed will be the employment and education of women
in the IT sector.
As the world of IT is making an impact on our daily lives does it manifest a gender division? Can we change the current way of thinking and provide a positive status to the role of women? Headlines appear creating the image that "Women may miss the bus" so the workshop will endeavour to turn around the negative publicity into that of being positive. Is their a need to provide a more available resource that women can tap into? World Wide Web sites that are particular to women and their role in providing support will be examined. The workshop will provide an opportunity to question the need for a site that will provide easier access and support to women in Australia. This site could be a source that women will use when needed and enable women that are in IT to have a common space. The future needs for women in IT and the role education and employment plays is important in giving ongoing support and encouragement that may be necessary to keep women in the IT sector. Note: The Workshop was not held | |||
| Making Usability Work for Organisations | | BIBA | 23 | |
| Janis Mckauge; Helen Kieboom | |||
| A one day workshop was held called Making Usability Work for Organisations.
Its aim was to look at perceptions that either facilitate or inhibit the cause
of usability in an organisational context and to come up with strategies on how
usability can be "packaged" so it can gain wider acceptance.
We tried to encourage input from both industry and academia to explore these issues. Ten people attended the workshop (including ourselves) providing a balance of 4 academics and 6 industry people. We had dispensed with the usual position papers and asked for questionnaires to be completed instead. | |||
| Task and Object Modelling in High Level GUI Design: An Integrated Approach | | BIBAK | 24-29 | |
| Chris Phillips; Chris Scogings | |||
| Task models and interaction object models are important abstractions in the
high level design of graphical user interfaces (GUIs). In this paper the roles
of task and object models in interface development are briefly reviewed, and a
methodology for high level GUI design is developed in which task and object
modelling are integrated. The methodology includes a task decomposition
derived from essential modelling, and the construction of a dialogue
specification using Lean Cuisine+. Lean Cuisine+ is a multi-layered
object-based graphical notation for specifying the behaviour of GUIs
independently of the details of their presentation, which supports description
of both the interaction object model and of task action sequences. An example
is used to illustrate this approach to high-level GUI design. Keywords: High level GUI design, Essential modelling, Task models, Object models,
Dialogue specification | |||
| Towards a Language for GUI Dialogues | | BIBAK | 30-35 | |
| John Maltby | |||
| This paper describes a taxonomy of the operations possible in graphical user
interfaces of the WIMP variety. The taxonomy has been designed to encompass
the common user operations which can be performed on five commercially
available WIMP interfaces, these being Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh
Finder, IBM OS/2, UNIX XWindow and Acorn RISCOS. The taxonomy is utilised to
describe common user tasks in each of these environments with a view to
determining the syntactic structure, relative entropy and subsequent redundancy
of these WIMP languages. Keywords: GUI, Windows, Usability, Comparison, Language | |||
| An Architecture for Cooperative User Interface | | BIBAK | 36-42 | |
| Hung Wing; Robert Colomb | |||
| The vision of world wide computing involving large numbers of heterogeneous,
autonomous, distributed computing resources has prompted the sharing of
applications. Due to the lack of commonality in the user interface design of
object-oriented systems, co-operative use of a user interface to interact with
these systems becomes a vital issue. This paper introduces a general
architecture of a user interface which promotes such co-operative use. In
particular, this architecture is designed as a platform to access, federate,
and allow for the co-operation of data among various object-oriented
applications including database systems. The features of this architecture are
illustrated in an example which shows how surrogate objects can be populated
between the display and the databases. Keywords: Interface to object-oriented systems, UIMS, Distributed object systems,
Collaborative computing | |||
| Information Portrayal for Decision Support in Dynamic Intentional Process Environments | | BIBAK | 43-48 | |
| William Wong; Philip Sallis; David O'Hare | |||
| This paper is part of a study to determine the information portrayal
requirements of dynamic process environments, and in particular reports on
preliminary findings of a cognitive task analysis (CTA) conducted at an
ambulance dispatch control center. The centre uses the Computer-Assisted
Dispatch System to manage its ambulance operations. The intense and dynamic
nature of the decision making environment is first described, and the decision
process modelled in an attempt to identify decision strategies used by the
dispatch officers. Some information portrayal requirements stemming from one
of the decision processes are then discussed, and these requirements are then
translated into a proposed display solution. Keywords: Information portrayal, Information display design, Decision support design,
Decision modelling, Naturalistic decision making, Critical decision method,
Ambulance service | |||
| Visualisation of Complex Data Display: An Application to Interactive School Population Modelling | | BIBAK | 49-55 | |
| Edward Gould; Irina Verenikina | |||
| An interface has been designed based on the results of an experiment into
the use of colour to cater for the unique characteristics of population
projection in small geographical areas. The required interface was for the
visual presentation of a mass of relevant data from a school population
prediction model made available to demographers to manipulate on the screen in
the form of coloured maps. In the design of the interface, consideration has
been given to standard HCI design methodologies, work done on visualisation
based on cognitive modelling and the results of a psychological experiment into
aspects of colour cognition. Keywords: Visualisation, Interface design, Colour cognition, Human-computer
interaction, Visual interactive modelling, Population modelling | |||
| Guided Hypermedia Navigation Based on Cases | | BIBAK | 56-61 | |
| Alessandro Micarelli; Filippo Sciarrone | |||
| In this paper we describe a system for adaptive navigation in a network of
interlinked textual and multimedia information using a procedure based on
cases. In the presentation we stress the innovative technique, based on a
sub-symbolic approach, we have used to retrieve cases from a case library, and
the kind of help given to the user, based on a structural analysis of the
hypermedia. Keywords: Navigational aids, Hypermedia, Artificial intelligence, Case-based reasoning | |||
| Towards a Synthesised Object-Oriented Methodology Incorporating User-Interface Design | | BIBAK | 62-67 | |
| Ivan Crawford | |||
| This paper reviews a number of object-oriented analysis and design
methodologies highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, a number
of user interface design methods are described. A synthesised methodology is
proposed, with a view to developing a set of Computer Aided Software
Engineering (CASE) Tools covering both the systems analysis and design
(functional) features and the user-interface design requirements. Finally there
is a discussion of those areas that would require such tool support. Keywords: User interface, Object orientation, Software engineering, Methodology | |||
| Programming by Demonstration: Detect Repetitive Tasks in Telecom Services | | BIBAK | 68-74 | |
| Marc Yvon; Philippe Piernot; Norbet Cot | |||
| Telecommunication services are bundled together into single applications.
These applications allow for connections to many servers and computers, for
quick and reliable data access and for document exchange. The invoked tasks
can be combined and complex, they may take place in several applications such
as copying final data in spreadsheets or word processors using
inter-application communication protocols. Users should perform these time
consuming tasks only once and let the computer take care of repetitive tasks.
Programming by demonstration is a solution to that issue, it empowers the
telecommunication services by detecting repetitive sequences, automating them
and learning about the users' working methodology. Keywords: Programming by demonstration, Macro commands, End-user programming,
Horizontal cooperation, Journal | |||
| Gender-Related Attitudes to Computers: A Message for HCI | | BIBAK | 75-81 | |
| Helen Hasan; Josie Ruthenfluh | |||
| Human-Computer Interaction is one of the few computer related domains where
men and women are equally represented among practitioners. There is no
inherent reason why current technology should be gender-biased, but there are
many studies which report that women are consistently under-represented in
computer-related areas and that software companies continue to believe that
their market is male. In this paper we will present the results of a study
where sex difference in computer anxiety and attitudes have been observed in a
mixed group of adults but experience and the provision of suitable role models
may have overcome the low confidence of the females. We suggest that the equal
contribution made by women in the field of HCI may be the reason for its growth
and success in improving the quality of modern computer systems. Keywords: Gender, Information technology, Computers, Attitude, Anxiety | |||
| Usefulness of Paper Mockups | | BIBAK | 82-87 | |
| Soren Lausen; Susanne Salbo; Ann Thomsen | |||
| Usability testing with prototypes is probably the most important design
technique for user interfaces. Prototypes in the form of paper mockups are
faster to develop than functional prototypes, but practitioners disagree
whether they reveal the same usability problems. This paper reports on an
experiment showing that paper mockups can reveal most usability problems,
except those relating to keyboard conventions. The paper also shows that it is
difficult in practice to find a reasonable estimate of problem frequencies:
Even with nine test people, chance has a large influence on problem counts. Keywords: Paper mockups, Prototypes, Usability test, Test coverage, Problem frequency | |||
| Using the Soft Systems Methodology to Front-End Task Analysis | | BIBAK | 88-94 | |
| Steve Howard; R. Smith | |||
| Task analysis has received substantial attention from the Human Computer
Interaction community. However, most task analysis techniques are subject to
major limitations. Here we discuss a common catch-22 for task analysis -- how
can tasks worth analysing be identified before the analysis has been conducted?
We argue that an extant systemically-based problem understanding approach, the
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), can address this situation, in part at least,
by providing a front-end to task analysis. We describe and informally evaluate
the potential interconnections between SSM and the Knowledge Analysis of Tasks
(KAT) task analysis method. Keywords: Task analysis, Systems theory, SSM, KAT | |||
| An Empirical Study of Professional Software Designers' Use of Scenarios | | BIBAK | 95-100 | |
| Tove Klausen; Annette Aboulafia | |||
| In this paper we present the analysis from two qualitative research
interviews with professional software designers. The interviews focus on the
use of scenarios during design and are analysed at three levels: 1) subjects
own understanding, 2) common sense understanding and 3) interpretation. The
interviews reveal that the subjects do not consider themselves to use scenarios
during design, the analysis that they do so (they prefer to call them
use-situations). A categorisation of the use-situations in structure, function
and genesis reveals the patterns in construction and usage of use-situations.
The interpretation discusses the psychological complexity of construction and
usage of the use-situations. We argue that use-situations (or scenarios) are
crucial vehicles for thought processes and mediators between individual and
distributed cognitions. We conclude by arguing that an efficient method for
scenario driven design should support and build on the psychological structures
(social, cognitive and communicative) in the design processes. Keywords: Software development, Qualitative research interviews, Structure, Function
and genesis of scenarios, Narratives, Mutual understanding, Design rationale | |||
| Cover Yourself with Skin | | BIBAK | 101-106 | |
| John Hosking; Warwick Mugridge; Stephen Fenwick; John Grundy | |||
| A visual functional language for constructing user interface components is
described. The language, Skin, assumes a simple object-oriented interface to
the underlying application and components may flexibly adapt to changes in the
application. The language avoids the need for absolute or relative coordinate
specification for subcomponents. An interesting feature of the language is
that meaningful icons for user-defined functions are able to be automatically
constructed using prototype applications of the function. Keywords: User interface construction, Visual language, Functional language,
Object-oriented language | |||
| A Lens Metaphor for Data Visualisation | | BIBAK | 107-113 | |
| Paul Anderson | |||
| In recent years, researchers have used the different ways of operating a
lens as a convenient analogy to describe their strategies in overcoming the
inherent problem associated with the viewing of large information spaces. This
metaphor is based on the familiar concept of a magnifying or photographic lens
where the user can intuitively apply its functionalities to the
large-world-small-screen situation. However, various aspects of this metaphor
have been used in a piece-meal fashion, thus, underexploiting its potential
application domains. The main aim of this paper is to bring together these
concepts and extends the lens metaphor as a more comprehensive approach to data
visualisation. Practical examples are used to illustrate these techniques for
different types of information spaces. Keywords: Lens metaphor, Data visualisation, Distortion-oriented presentation
techniques, Visualisation techniques | |||
| Collapsible Highgraphs: A Folding Paradigm for Hypertext Visualisation | | BIBAK | 114-117 | |
| Paul Anderson | |||
| With the increasing use of the WWW, a profusion of HTML editors have
appeared. These editors tend to concentrate on the formatting of documents
with only limited facilities to support the creation of links. Graphical link
editors are needed to address this need. Such tools need to convey both
document and link information within the context of the local hypertext
environment. This paper describes a new paradigm, collapsible higraphs, that
permits as much or as little detail to be presented as is necessary for the
required task, yet still allows the user to see the overall context. Keywords: Hypertext, Authoring systems, Visual language | |||
| A User Interface for a City Navigator | | BIBAK | 118-121 | |
| Tang Kin Shing; Kevin Cox | |||
| The Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system enables us to know where we
are on the surface of the earth. It offers the possibility for many new
products and useful aids for navigation. Systems using GPS already exist for
boat, air and vehicle navigation. This paper describes an investigation
leading to a possible user interface for a hand-held device to help people find
their way around cities. The investigation reviewed the literature, tested a
similar product, devised experiments to test out user interface ideas and built
a prototype for the user interface. At present the hardware technology is not
economically viable to support a commercial product. When prices and size of
hardware are both reduced then the style of user interface described here is
likely to be appropriate for the "City Navigator". Keywords: Pedestrian navigation, User interface | |||
| The Effect of Configural and Separable Graphs on Memory-Based Integrated Task Performance | | BIBAK | 122-128 | |
| Karel Hurts | |||
| In this paper the effectiveness of configural displays and separable
displays for supporting integrated task performance is investigated under
memory-based (retrospective) conditions. Memory for configural displays has
sometimes been found to be inferior to that for separable displays. An
experiment is described which attempted to replicate this finding and, in
addition, to make explicit measurements of two factors that may explain the
overall effect of display type on integrated task performance. These factors
are time needed to memorize the graph (before the task is known) and the ease
with which the task-relevant feature of the graph can be decoded. The results
show that memory-based performance for separable graphs was better and quicker
than for configural graphs. Further data analyses showed that this overall
effect could be explained in terms of direct effects of ease of decoding and
type of graph on search performance and, contrary to our expectations, not in
terms of memorization time. Keywords: Concurrent vs. retrospective processing, Graphical perception, Configural
vs. separable dimensions | |||
| Setting the Record Straight: Computers and Creative Fashion Designers | | BIBAK | 129-134 | |
| Paivi Makirinnie-Crofts; Lynn Stokes; William Godwin; Sohrab Saadat | |||
| Studies into the Fashion Design Process and the characteristics of creative
fashion designers' thinking and responses are few: either for teaching or for
the computerisation of elements in this process. The language in the studies
is understood clearly by design literate people but maybe less so by computer
experts producing specialist systems. Explanations received of the
difficulties designers experience with computers in their creative working
process are superficial; these experiences generally go unrecorded. An unhappy
first encounter with a computer can weaken a user's motivation to master new
skills, and the pressurised work environment allows marginal room for
constructive reflection. This paper documents a case study of learning to use
a fashion CAD system, and offers some possible explanations from the designer's
standpoint, in the hope that this will inspire an active working relationship
between articulate users and system developers. Keywords: Fashion design, Computer aided design, Creativity | |||
| A Multimedia Speech Training Tool for Dyspraxic Clients | | BIBAK | 135-137 | |
| D. J. Calder; B. M. Chen; G. Mann | |||
| Articulator is a multimedia system for use by speech therapists to assist in
the rehabilitation of dyspraxic patients. These people may be stoke victims
who have to relearn the ability to communicate effectively. The process is
laborious and usually conducted in a one- to-one situation where interaction
between therapist and client depends on visual and audio cues. The aim is to
have the client participate in order to achieve the desired phoneme or
phoneme/vowel combinations. Instead of the standard paper-based prompts used
by the therapist, this new system offers screen prompts together with high
quality digitised speech. The load is therefore reduced for the speech
therapist, with many benefits for the client. Keywords: Speech therapy, Dyspraxia, Cardiovascular accident, Stroke, Digitised
recorded speech, Animation, Cerebral palsy, Language, Windows graphics | |||
| The Development of a Measure of Attitudes Toward Computers in Nursing | | BIBAK | 138-141 | |
| Peter Caputi; Rohan Jayasuriya; Jenny Fares | |||
| This paper discusses the results of a study investigating the psychometric
properties of a new measure of computer attitudes in nursing. The participants
in the study consisted of 71 first year nursing students at the University of
Wollongong and 99 nursing professionals. The factor structure of the measure
identified four factors dealing with (1) the relationship between computers and
patient care, (2) computer anxiety, (3) work efficiency and computer technology
and (4) patient confidentiality. All factors demonstrated good reliability.
Preliminary validity analyses also yielded sound validity coefficients.
Results also indicated that generally positive attitudes about computers were
associated with the degree of perceived experience of computers for the nursing
professionals group, however this general relationship was not replicated with
the student group. Keywords: Computer attitudes, Psychometrics | |||
| Voice Activated Systems for Handicapped People | | BIBAK | 142-145 | |
| Lourival, Jr. Lippmann; Percy Nohama | |||
| This paper describes speech recognition applications for people with
disabilities. A speech recognition, voice dependent, system design and
evaluation are describe. The system is based on DSP (Digital Signal Processor)
technology that run FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filters in real-time,
implementing a speaker dependent word command recognition. The device can be
put in portable equipment like a wheels chair voice activated for tetraplegic
people. The system was evaluated and tested in a TV set voice activated and in
a phone set voice activated for people with disabilities or motionless in bed. Keywords: Speech recognition, Digital signal processing, Handicapped people | |||
| Coordinating, Capturing and Presenting Work Contexts in CSCW Systems | | BIBAK | 146-151 | |
| John Grundy; Warwick Mugridge; John Hosking; Mark Apperley | |||
| Large Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) systems require both high
level work coordination mechanisms and low level asynchronous and synchronous
editing capabilities. We describe an architecture supporting flexible,
user-defined work coordination mechanisms, fully integrated with work
artefacts. Users define and work within task contexts. When artefacts change,
descriptions of the changes are automatically annotated with task
context-dependent information. This contextual information is presented (at a
suitable level of abstraction) to interested users facilitating coordination
between collaborative workers. We illustrate the use of this architecture in a
collaborative software engineering environment. Keywords: Computer-supported cooperative work, Work coordination, Work contexts,
Software engineering environments | |||
| Maintaining Awareness in Tightly Coordinated Asynchronous Groups | | BIBAK | 152-156 | |
| I. T. Hawryszkiewycz; I. Gorton; L. Fung | |||
| The most common use of the information highway is to access information and
exchange messages between individuals. It can also be used to provide support
for commercial operations where groups jointly work towards a common goal. The
support needed here goes beyond simple transfer of information, but also
requires tools to maintain coordination between team members. This support
depends on the kind of group and the process followed by the group. This paper
describes tools being developed to asynchronously support tightly coordinated
groups working on software projects. The paper describes support of such
groups through notification schemes, while at the same time maintaining general
awareness through browsing facilities. Keywords: Asynchronous collaboration, Software engineering, Groupware | |||
| Loganweb: A Web User Interface for Electronic Meeting Documents | | BIBAK | 157-162 | |
| Gitesh Raikundalia; Michael Rees | |||
| Browser tools for navigating the World-Wide Web (Web) have provided a
convenient, universal user interface (UI) with which many users have now become
familiar. This Web UI can be exploited during an electronic meeting for the
presentation and management of documents relevant to that meeting. The Web can
become, in effect, a centralised document repository for electronic meeting
support with the hypertext linking facilities being leveraged to structure the
meeting documents. This paper briefly discusses the design of several Web user
interfaces for presenting to an electronic meeting the meeting logs and summary
documents automatically generated from the logs by an application called
LoganWeb. A meeting scenario is given to exemplify the application and
operation of LoganWeb and show the benefits to the meeting participants. Keywords: Computer-supported cooperative work, User interface design, Document
management, Electronic meetings, World-Wide Web | |||
| An Empirical Investigation of Language-Based Editing Paradigms | | BIBAK | 163-168 | |
| Mark Toleman; Jim Welsh | |||
| We have been concerned for some time with the lack of rigorous experimental
evaluation of design options chosen for tools used by software engineers. In a
series of studies of various evaluation techniques we conducted an empirical
usability study of a design issue (choice of editing paradigm for
language-based editors) that has reached a "subjective stalemate" in the
research community. This usability study, although limited to some extent by
sample size and user type, has shown little advantage to either tree-building
or text-recognition and probably indicated that some hybrid of the two is more
appropriate. Keywords: Usability study, Language-based editors | |||
| Criterion Redundancy within the Multi-Method Software Evaluation Context | | BIBAK | 169-174 | |
| Ron Henderson; John Podd; Karen Henderson | |||
| The concept of criterion redundancy is examined within a multi-method user
software evaluation context. A total of 148 subjects participated in a
between-group, software (spreadsheet, word processor, database) by evaluation
method (logged data, questionnaire, interview, verbal protocol analysis) study.
Results indicated that when moving from a single to a multi-method evaluation
strategy both criterion relevancy and redundancy are increased. Importantly,
the increase in redundant data was not necessarily an attributable of the
number of evaluation methods used within the model, but rather the evaluation
methods within the strategy. Conceptually, an interaction was present. Keywords: Usability evaluation, Criterion redundancy | |||
| Evaluating Usability of Screen Design with Layout Complexity | | BIBAK | 175-178 | |
| Tim Comver; John Maltby | |||
| This paper presents work-in-progress in assessing the usefulness of the
layout complexity metric in evaluating the usability of different screen
designs. An application "Launcher" was developed in Visual Basic that
calculated complexity and collected usability data. Seven subjects provided
some evidence that complexity could be of benefit to the screen designer.
However, though Launcher proved useful in collecting data, some problems needed
to be overcome, namely more concise data collection and a better method for
building screens, before more data can be collected. Keywords: Evaluation, Usability, Screen, Design, Layout, Complexity | |||
| Human Factors Issues in Tough Screen Design for Public Access Applications | | BIBAK | 179-182 | |
| Penelope Roberts | |||
| There are a number of human factors issues involved in the design of a touch
screen interface for Electronic White Pages. Design can be constrained by the
fact that the user group is the general public. User interfaces for public
access systems necessitate a somewhat different approach to design due to the
diversity of the user group and the inability to train users.
This paper discusses issues that need to be considered in order to design an application that allows users to perform their tasks efficiently and effectively whilst maintaining an attractive and innovative interface. This includes consideration of user needs, screen layout, feedback, text input mechanisms, and labelling of fields and buttons. It also discusses some of the trade-offs and compromises that may need to occur between human factors experts and graphic designers in order to make the application an easy to use, yet attractive and novel one. The implications for other Telstra multi-media applications that are aimed at the general public are also addressed. Keywords: Touch screen, Alphabet wheel, Multi-media, Graphical user interface | |||
| Creating 3d Stereo Movies -- Seeing with Stereo-Vision | | BIBAK | 183-190 | |
| Ronald Balsys | |||
| Methods for achieving stereopsis rely on presenting the left and right eyes
with respective left and right eye views of the image. Virtual reality systems
use stereopsis as the basis of the 3D display and these systems require the use
of relatively expensive hardware. This paper describes a simple technique,
similar to that used to view the popular "magic eye" autostereograms, that can
be used to view 3D stereo animations (movie pictures) on standard video
displays.
Inherent in this technique is the concept of decoupling the eye's convergence system from the eye focussing system to allow for a 3D image to form in the eye/brain system. This technique requires the user to relearn how they use their eyes, as the user has to maintain an eye focus on infinity whilst using the mind to scan the stereo images and form the 3D view in the minds image space. In this work such views are suggested for use as 3D preview systems of 3D virtual worlds similar to file preview in painting packages. Keywords: Stereopsis, Quicktime, MPEG, Ray tracing, 3D previewing systems, Virtual
worlds | |||
| Animated Interaction for a Graphical Editor | | BIBAK | 191-196 | |
| Bruce Thomas; Paul Calder | |||
| If judiciously applied, the techniques of cartoon animation can enhance the
illusion of direct manipulation that many human computer interfaces strive to
present. In particular, animation can convey a feeling of substance in the
objects that a user manipulates, strengthening the sense that real work is
being done. This paper describes some techniques we have used to animate
interaction with a graphical editor. Our approach is based on suggesting a
range of animation effects by distorting the shape of the manipulated object.
The editor demonstrates the effectiveness of the animation for simple
operations, and it shows that the technique is practical even on standard
workstation hardware. Keywords: Animation, Direct manipulation, Graphical interfaces, Warp transformation | |||
| Active View: A Frame Work for User Interface Development | | BIBAK | 197-203 | |
| Hung Wing; Robert Colomb | |||
| This paper introduces a flexible and active view mechanism to support user
interface development. In particular, it incorporates the notions of an
object-oriented view, constraint maintenance, and an active rule as a unified
approach to facilitate collaborations among interface objects. We believe that
this approach provides many useful features for developing user interfaces.
Besides providing flexible ways to view collaboration, the framework supports
view propagation, automatic suppression, forward exclusion, prototyping and
isolating schema changes of the interfaces. This paper discusses these
features and their uses. Keywords: User interface development, Constraint-based UIMS, Co-operative UIMS,
Object-oriented UIMS | |||
| A New Face for Ergo: Adding a User Interface to a Programmable Theorem Prover | | BIBAK | 204-209 | |
| Ray Nickson | |||
| We describe some of the technology we used to build a user interface for a
programmable theorem prover. By separating the user interface from the
application itself, it is possible to experiment with new interface features
very easily, without compromising the soundness of the proof tool. Keywords: Proof tools, User interfaces, Prototyping, Emacs | |||
| Knowledge Based Design of User Interfaces | | BIBAK | 210-222 | |
| Elizabeth Chang; T. S. Dillon; Timothy Maher; Warren Bloomer | |||
| The process of design of a user interface (UI) involves two clear parts
namely: (a) the logical design (b) the perceptual design. The paper describes
an approach that utilises the notion of perspectives of an Object Oriented
Conceptual Model to carry out the logical design. It then uses a Knowledge
Based System (KBS) containing user interface design guidelines to produce the
initial prototype of the perceptual design. The input to this KBS is the
logical design of the UI. The methodology proposed in this paper uses this
initial basic set of screens in an iterative prototyping approach with user
evaluation of each prototype to produce the final screen. Keywords: User interface, Knowledge based CASE, Semiautomatic design, Object-oriented | |||
| The Psysiological Effects of Electronic Employee Performance and Security Monitoring Systems | | BIBAK | 223-228 | |
| Ron Henderson; Doug Mahar; Anthony Saliba; Kate Barrelle; Frank Deane; Renee Napier; Michael Hiron | |||
| The present study examined the effects of both security and performance
based electronic monitoring systems on physiological and performance indices of
users' behaviour. The 32 subjects performed a computer-based data entry task
under various conditions. In the "control security challenge" condition
subjects were informed that a keystroke security monitoring system had been
instituted, but no security challenges occurred. In the "explicit security
challenge" condition, however, a number of explicit security challenges
occurred. In the final "electronic performance monitoring" (EPM) condition,
subjects were informed their data entry speed was monitored and they were
placed on a response-cost schedule for poor performance. Blood pressure and
continuous inter-heart beat latency were recorded for the security challenge
and EPM conditions. Results indicated that monitoring systems have the
potential to evoke altered arousal states in the form of increased heart rate
and blood pressure. The implications of these results for the design and
implementation of electronic behavioural based security and performance
monitoring systems are discussed. Keywords: Electronic performance monitoring, Keyboard verification, Physiological
reactions | |||
| Evaluation of User Experience Levels by Non-Intrusive Monitoring | | BIBAK | 229-235 | |
| Peter Hyland | |||
| This paper describes the importance of effective user models on interface
design and presents a framework for identifying the user's level of computer
experience. The framework consists of four components, namely, the users level
of experience with hardware, operating systems, applications and common
computing procedures. It is suggested that measurements of these four
components can be made non-intrusively, that is, without the user having to
respond to queries or even being aware that any measurement is taking place.
Appropriate measurements are suggested for each of these four factors. An
initial study, in which some of the proposed measurements were made and
evaluated against other indicators of user experience is described and a brief
analysis of the effectiveness of these measurements is presented. Details are
given of a planned study to further evaluate the usefulness of this approach. Keywords: User modelling, User skill measurement, Application familiarity, Operating
system familiarity, Interface design | |||
| Incorporating Humans and Machines into New Assessment Practices: Software in Psychology | | BIBAK | 236-241 | |
| Joanna Dodd | |||
| This paper describes a case study of software development which started with
an original conception of the contribution of technology as automating the
assessment process. However, following the failure of automation, different
questions about the nature of assessment were be asked. These allowed
assessment roles to be shared between humans and the machines which exploits
the strengths of each. The argument in this paper is that in the work of
undertaking psychometric assessments, we need to consider assessment as
undertaken by 'cyborg' assessment systems which incorporate human and machine
components, rather than by automated expert systems constructed out of
disembodied human attributes. To construct this argument, this paper reports
on the development of a computer based test of cognitive processing to address
critical questions about the relationship between humans and machines in the
assessment process. Keywords: User systems, Software development, Cyborgs, Expertise, Psychological
assessment | |||
| Creativity in Knowledge Work: A Process Model and Requirements for Support | | BIBAK | 242-248 | |
| Linda Candy; Ernest Edmonds | |||
| This paper is concerned with the requirements of computer support for
creativity. Our objective was to understand the creative process in knowledge
intensive work and to draw from that the constraints and possibilities for
helpful human-computer interaction. A study of a scientist using a knowledge
support system is described. We present the process model of support for
creative knowledge work and show how it can be used to specify HCI requirements
for computer support. Keywords: Creativity, Science, Process model, Computer support, Knowledge work | |||
| A Situation Based Dialog Model for Complex Direct Manipulation Interfaces | | BIB | 249-255 | |
| Friedrich Strauss | |||
| Adaptive Discovery and Least Commitment: An Extension of Cognitive Fit | | BIBAK | 256-261 | |
| Donald Day | |||
| This paper proposes refinement of a model of cognitive fit that can be
applied to describe how developers of computerised design tools communicate
process preferences to tool users via the human-computer interface. Suggested
changes to the model are prompted by findings of an empirical study of user
responses to process constraint. This paper describes and justifies extension
of the model, which was cast originally as a means to match computer technology
to user need. Following an examination of the model and of proposed changes,
the paper discusses research to validate or disprove suggested refinements. Keywords: Adaptive interfaces, Mental model, Cognitive fit, Design, User profiles | |||
| Cognitive Style and Computer Support to Creative Design | | BIBAK | 262-263 | |
| Linda Candy; Ernest Edmonds | |||
| Research into innovative design provides a source for considering
opportunities for computer support to creative work. We have identified
aspects of cognitive style in creative design from an empirical study. Future
research directions for the provision of support to creative knowledge work are
proposed. Keywords: Design, Cognitive style, Creativity, Computer support | |||
| WWW Page Metaphor Considered Harmful | | BIBAK | 264-267 | |
| Rodney Clarke | |||
| The 'page' metaphor generally employed when developing WWW systems is viewed
as misleading and harmful to both developers and users. Problems associated
with this metaphor are discussed and some design principles are formulated
which run contrary to the prevailing wisdom for the development of web pages.
These design principles have been applied in the development of a prototype of
the Systems in Context (SysCo) Research Weblet. Keywords: WWW, Genre, Systemic-functional linguistics, "Skim, scroll and peck", "Look,
feel and language" | |||
| Incentives for Formally Specifying User Interfaces | | BIBA | 268-269 | |
| Paul Chesson; Lorraine Johnston | |||
| Formally specifying user interfaces offers incentives not provided by prototyping. Customer requirements are clearly communicated by distinguishing them from design decisions, completely specifying their behaviour, and abstracting relevant views. Formal analysis can be used to detect problems in the dialogue structure and usability of the interface. | |||
| Rapid Evolutionary Prototyping Using Tcl/Tk | | BIBAK | 270-275 | |
| Andrew Hussey; David Carrington | |||
| Rapid prototyping of user interfaces is useful for obtaining user feedback
to validate requirements and to correct design deficiencies. Evolutionary
prototyping allows a prototype to be re-used for constructing an end-product,
saving development time. In this paper we discuss using Tcl/Tk as a mechanism
for rapid evolutionary prototyping. Two case studies of rapid evolutionary
prototyping using Tcl/Tk are described. Keywords: Prototyping, Evolutionary, Tcl/Tk, User-interface | |||
| Why is Usability Engineering Failing Multimedia and What Should We Do about It? | | BIBAK | 276-277 | |
| Steve Howard; Ying Leung; N. Kaiyan | |||
| What are the current trends in interactive technology? Structured methods,
CASE tools and object orientation have all come and gone (at least from the
pages of the technical press). Current technological trends relate to the
'information super-highway' and multimedia and today's fashionable application
areas are probably entertainment, education and information services. In the
paper, we focus on multimedia and explore the readiness of usability
engineering to contribute to this new wave of technology. Keywords: Multi-media, Determinism | |||
| WARP: A Distortion Oriented Implementation Based on the STAR Architecture Display | | BIBAK | 278-282 | |
| Paul Anderson; Ray Smith | |||
| Distortion oriented displays (DOD) are an interface approach for supporting
navigation through large visual datasets without losing context. They are
particularly well suited to applications such as Geographical Information
Systems (GIS). STAR (Self Tuning ARchitecture) is a general architecture for
the support of DOD for very large datasets. STAR divides a DOD interface into
a set of tuneable, independently threaded modules responsible for key tasks in
the system. The dynamic response of the interface is continually monitored and
the modules tuned or detuned to achieve the best display possible within the
response constraints of the system. WARP is a multiple transformation DOD
implementation of a GIS browser based on the STAR architecture. Keywords: Distortion-oriented presentation techniques, User-interface design,
Information visualisation, Geographical information systems, Adaptive
interface, User interface architectures | |||
| Executives and Computers | | BIBAK | 283-284 | |
| Colin Jones; Edward Gould | |||
| Following an introduction to EIS and interface design for these systems the
topic of executive cognition is examined. The technique of psychological
profiling is considered as a possible method for eliciting details of executive
psychology as a starting point for the design of an interface for EIS systems. Keywords: Executive information systems, Profiling, Executive support systems,
Cognition, Decision making, Interface design | |||
| Implementing a GUI at BHP to Improve the Interface to a SAP Mainframe System | | BIBA | 285-287 | |
| Fred Sutton | |||
| The introduction of Total Quality Management in the 1980's had brought a
cultural change to the Management and Control at the BHP Slab Plate & Products
Division. With the changing needs of business, new demands were being made on
the information systems required to manage the business.
In June 1992 following a review of existing systems, the Phoenix 21 project was established to manage the implementation of the SAP system to replace the existing systems at BHP Slab & Plate Products Division. | |||
| An EIS Implementation: A Developer's View | | BIBA | 288-289 | |
| Belinda Gibbons; Glen Peary | |||
| The success of an EIS system relies heavily on the support it receives from management. The Executive Information System in place at Illawarra Electricity is successful due in no small part to the fact that it was not imposed on management, but initiated by them. | |||
| Cultural Dimensions of a Hand Posture when Using a Whole Hand Input (WHI) in a Virtual Environment | | BIBAK | 290-292 | |
| Mike Edwards | |||
| The paper addresses the melding of computer interface technology and human
anthropology, with regard to a cultural dimension that may have mental
connotations to either influence or disrupt an activity in a virtual
environment (VE). A cultural dimension was apparent when executing a lexicon,
drawn from a European complexion of hand gesture, but adapted to address hand
posture using a Whole Hand Input (WHI). Conventional input devices such as a
keyboard or mouse do not exhibit such a quality. A cultural dimension in a
hand posture maybe identified, provisionally from a list of eighteen
generalized facets. Keywords: Cultural dimension, Whole hand input | |||
| Power and Conflict in Organisation -- Implications for Information Systems Development | | BIBAK | 293-294 | |
| Leoni Warne | |||
| This paper discusses some findings from a Case Study of a failed Information
Systems development in a large public sector organisation. The study confirmed
the proposition that organisational power plays and conflict contributed to the
failure of the project, and suggests that computing professionals need to
involve themselves more in organisational issues in order to minimise the risk
these factors pose to project success. Keywords: Information systems development, Power, Conflict, Organisational issues | |||
| Strategies and Standards for CHI in Global Business Systems | | BIBAK | 295-296 | |
| Stephen Little; Ronald Kaye | |||
| Global integration and greater economic interaction implies a need for
interoperability and compatibility which can be achieved through appropriate
standards for technology and procedures. Such standards are the product of
market processes which are historically and culturally specific but which now
impact on a much broader range of actors. Understanding the dynamics of these
processes is necessary for effective interoperability between user
organisations and between technical developers if they are to achieve
effectively their global aims. In particular the relationship between official
and emergent standards must be recognised. To gain the potential benefits of
emerging technologies, CHI workers and researchers must broaden their technical
competences to encompass cultural interoperability at individual,
organisational and social levels of activity. Keywords: Strategy, Standards, Business processes, Organizational culture,
Globalization | |||
| Usability Evaluation of Multimedia | | BIBAK | 297-300 | |
| Malcolm Keys | |||
| Like all products, it is essential to evaluate the usability of multimedia
products. How else can it be guaranteed that the product will be successful:
that learning will take place, that entertainment will be achieved and
consumers will be satisfied.
This paper takes well accepted usability methods from the traditional domain of software development and shows how and why they should be successfully implemented in the multimedia development process. Computer Based Training, Information Kiosks, Computer Games and Infotainment are types of multimedia to which usability evaluation is ideally suited. If a product is usable, the user can do all that they set out to do and enjoy the process. We present a set of unique design principles targeted to the different requirements of both the education and entertainment market sectors. Several alternative usability evaluation methods will be discussed along with the benefits of subjective and objective measurements. Keywords: Multimedia, Usability, Usability testing, Usability evaluation, Education,
Multimedia development, Entertainment, Computer games | |||
| The Usability Analyst Model: Using Minimum Resources to Gain Maximum Effect | | BIBAK | 301-304 | |
| Fiona Meighan | |||
| As the profile of usability has increased, the demand for Human Factors
Researchers has far outweighed the possible supply within Telstra. To address
this problem, Telstra has recently implemented a Usability Analyst Project on a
small scale, where selected members of Project Development Teams take on a
large proportion of usability issues themselves. This paper describes how this
project was adapted from a model implemented in Hewlett-Packard (2), the
resulting materials, progress made, and future directions. In addition,
potential problems and solutions are discussed. Keywords: Usability analyst, Usability coordinator, Usability consultant | |||
| A User and Organisational Factors Audit of an Info System Implementation | | BIBAK | 305-307 | |
| Jukka Rantanen | |||
| This paper presents a practical audit method for an IT implementation
process and its outcome, which addresses the key user and organisational
factors and their improvement opportunities. These are frequently the main
reason for implementation failures of complex organisational information
systems. The process audit makes an assessment of the implementation and
change management strategy as well as implementation success factors. The
outcome audit makes an evaluation of the resulting outcome of an
implementation: perceived usefulness, perceived usability, operational
effectiveness, and impacts of a system on jobs and business processes. The
audit method was developed for assessing the progress of the implementation of
SAP Plant Maintenance system at BHP steelworks during 1994-1995. Keywords: Information system implementation, Audit of success factors, Change
management, Evaluation of usability and usefulness, Maintenance management
systems, SAP | |||
| Communicating the Value of Usability Engineering in the with Cost-Benefit Analysis Techniques | | BIBAK | 308-309 | |
| Helen Kieboom; Steve Howard | |||
| Usability engineering has the potential to make significant contributions to
projects and organisation's financial success, given the substantial amount of
project life cycle effort and resource devoted to a project's user interface.
Despite this, many companies perceive it as costly and of little benefit. It
is therefore necessary to be able to demonstrate that usability engineering can
add value to any given project, as well as being able to assist in the planning
of a sensible, cost-effective usability engineering programme for that project.
The concept of a tool is proposed that will assist usability specialists more
effectively communicate the value of usability engineering. The foundation of
the proposed tool is based on cost-benefit analysis techniques and data that
enable the benefits to be estimated for a planned usability engineering
programme. Keywords: Cost-benefit analysis, Software development life cycle, Usability
engineering, Communication, Process model of HCI | |||
| Task Models and Automaton of the Evaluation of User Interface Usability | | BIBAK | 310-311 | |
| Sandrie Balbo | |||
| The methods and techniques used for evaluating the usability of user
interfaces (UI) are generally split into two categories: formal versus
experimental methods (Coutaz, Nielsen, Senach, Whitefield, etc.). This paper
follows a different approach which highlights the automation aspect of
evaluation techniques. This discussion is illustrated with a number of these
methods and techniques with an emphasis on the role played by task models. Keywords: Human-computer interaction, Usability evaluation, Task models | |||
| Evaluating Information Technology at a Public Library | | BIBAK | 312-314 | |
| Tove Klausen; Ann Bygholm | |||
| In this paper we present a strategy for evaluating a project which aims at
studying the future role of the public library, both as mediator of information
and as mediator of access to information in media and information society. The
overall aim was divided into four sub-goals which could be evaluated by a
triangulation of qualitative and quantitative research methods. A key point in
the strategy was "action research" i.e. how to make results from the evaluation
usable for the further development of the project in question. Keywords: Action research, Development of user types, Access to Internet, Usability
tests | |||
| Object-Oriented Design in Practice | | BIBAK | 315-320 | |
| Soren Lausen | |||
| Object-oriented design is expected to give many benefits, but observations
of industrial practice show that many benefits are not obtained in practice:
User involvement cannot be based on object diagrams, and a user interface
derived directly from object models will not support users efficiently. In
business applications, the functional aspects of analysis are difficult to
trace to final implementation, and the implemented systems are not truly
object-oriented because objects have trivial functionality (read and update) or
they are "procedure libraries" without data. There are good reasons to believe
that these problems are not due to inexperienced developers. Rather they may
be inherent to the technology. Keywords: Object-oriented design, Dialogue design, Task support, Usability | |||
| Software's Implied Users | | BIBAK | 321-322 | |
| Christopher Chesher | |||
| Behind every interface lurks the implied user: the person the developers
imagine will use their software. An adaption of the "implied reader" from
literary theory, the concept of the implied user focuses on how any piece of
software tends to address itself to a particular vision of its users. The
market dominance of business software has meant a Western businessman is most
often the implied user. Keywords: Implied users, Literary theory, Culture, Cultural studies | |||
| Exploring HCI as Science, Design and Art: Three Personal Views | | BIBAK | 323-327 | |
| Steve Howard; Sarah Bloomer; Bridget Mcgraw | |||
| A recent book (Monk and Gilbert, 1995) discusses the multi-disciplinary
nature of HCI without referencing the contributions of art or design. For too
long HCI has been viewed as a discipline at the nexus of computer science and
psychology. Monk and Gilbert extend their focus to include software
engineering, cognitive science, task analysis, ethnography, activity and
conversation theory and organisational analysis -- all disciplines that have a
traditional 'academic' place, research process and intellectual history. What
of art and design, and are computer science and psychology really as central to
HCI as at first appears? This paper only partly addresses these questions by
focusing on the contribution to HCI of three different types of knowledge:
science (specifically 'hard science' as applied experimental psychology);
design (specifically graphic and industrial design) and art (specifically the
visual arts). The paper is intentionally philosophical, contentious and
rhetorical; we are attempting to highlight differences between, and problems
with, the three types of knowledge with a view to exploring their possible
contributions to HCI. What emerges is a cry, hopeful but cautionary, for the
value of all three to be recognised and for HCI to be pragmatic in what it
takes from science, art and design and makes its own. Keywords: Psychology, Design, Art, Perspectives on HCI | |||
| The Interactive Experience | | BIB | 328-338 | |
| Bridget Mcgraw; Fiona Ingram; Sally Pryor | |||