Showing papers on "User interface published in 1991"

Updating local copy of shared data in a collaborative system

Abstract: A multi-user collaborative system in which the contents as well as the current status of other user activity of a shared structured data object representing one or more related structured data objects in the form of data entries can be concurrently accessed by different users respectively at different workstations connected to a common link. The WYSIWIS user interface representation of the shared structured data object includes an ordered listing of such entries that are maintained by the structured data object and various attributes of each listed entry, inter alia, the type and class of entry; the revision number of the shared structured data object; the number of pages and revision number of each structured data object entry; the date of creation and last revision of each such entry; whether an entry can be accessed by a user and, if not, who has prevented such access; whether a local instance of an entry is present on a user's system; and a provision for miscellaneous notes or comments relative to each entry for view by other users. Means is provided for maintaining current information relative to the shared structured object and its entries on a user initiated demand updated basis invoked by a user operation, which operation requires updated information to properly implement the operation. Further, means is provided for locking up one or more data entries by an individual user and thereby prevent access of the locked entries by other users to prevent concurrent editing and other changes to the same entries by two or more users. In this connection, editing or modification cannot be performed by a user until the shared structured data object entry or entries have been locked up. Visual indication as to the locked state of entries and other information relative to the locking user and the time of lock is updated and displayed in the shared structured data object representation present at user workstations when a use invokes a user operation on the shared structured data object or its contents.

The information visualizer, an information workspace

Abstract: This paper proposes a concept for the user interface of information retrieval systems called an information workspace. The concept goes beyond the usual notion of an information retrieval system to encompass the cost structure of information from secondary storage to immediate use. As an implementation of the concept, the paper describes an experimental system, called the Information Visualizer, and its rationale. The system is based on (1) the use of 3D/Rooms for increasing the capacity of immediate storage avaitable to the user, (2) the Cognitive Co-processor scheduler-based user interface interaction architecture for coupling the user to information agents, and (3) the use of information visualization for interacting with information structure.

User interface evaluation in the real world: a comparison of four techniques

Abstract: evaluation; guidelines; usability testing; cognitive walkthrough A user interface (UI) for a software product was evaluated prior to its release by four groups, each applying a different technique: heuristic evaluation, software guidelines, cognitive walkthroughs, and usability testing. Heuristic evaluation by several ill specialists found the most serious problems with the least amount of effort, although they also reported a large number of low-priority problems. The relative advantages of all the techniques are discussed, and suggestions for improvements in the techniques are offered.

Designing Interaction: Psychology at the Human-Computer Interface

Abstract: From the Publisher: Drawn from psychology, computer science, anthropology, management science, and industrial design, these essays reveal how contemporary psychology can contribute to the design of improved human computer interfaces.

Graphical user interface with gesture recognition in a multiapplication environment

Abstract: An advanced user interface for use with a computer system operating on an integrated operating environment. The integrated operating environment allows a plurality of application programs to be running simultaneously, one of which is designated the active application program to which all input data is directed. The advanced user interface allows a user to select among user-friendly input devices to operate any application program according to his individual preferences without change to the application program code. The advanced user interface includes alternate input modules which translate the input signals transmitted from the various input devices into input messages useable by the rest of the interface. The advanced user interface also includes interface profiles which contain mappings of the input messages against corresponding commands useable by the application programs, the integrated operating environment or other modules of the advanced user interface itself. An environment link module refers to the interface profiles and matches the input message against the corresponding command for the application program active at the time the input signal was transmitted and send the corresponding command to that application program. The environment link module matches the input message against a corresponding command for an application which owns a window in which a key feature of a gesture is made.

Triggers and barriers to customizing software

Abstract: One of the properties of a user interface is that it both guides and constrains the patterns of interaction between the user and the software application. Application software is increasingly designed to be “customizable” by the end user, providing specific mechanisms by which users may specify individual preferences about the software and how they will interact with it over multiple sessions. Users may thus encode and preserve their preferred patterns of use. These customizations, together with choices about which applications to use, make up the unique “softswue environment” for each individual. While it is theoretically possible for each user to carefully evaluate and optimize each possible customization option, this study suggests that most people do not. In facfi since time spent customizing is time spent not working, many people do not take advantage of the customization features at all. I studied the customization behaviorof51 users of a Unix software environment, over a period of four months. This paper describes the process by which users decide to customize and examines the factors that irdluence when and how users make those decisions. These findings have implications for both the design of software and the integration of new software into an organization.

Touch screen user interface with expanding touch locations for a reprographic machine

Abstract: A touch sensitive user interface of the type having a display screen for displaying an image; control logic responsive to the touch sensitive user interface for determining the contact position of a probe, such as a finger, thereon; a display menu of operating features, represented by a plurality of images on the display screen, so that a user may make touch selections on the images corresponding to operating features desired; a system controller for identifying a contact zone of a predetermined size with respect to the display screen, the control logic actuating the feature within the system represented by a displayed image in response to user touch within a corresponding contact zone, the system controller enlarging the contact zone of a selected feature upon selection thereof, to a size accommodating a probe tip, without overlapping on adjacent areas and upon completion of option selection, returning the expanded contact areas to said predetermined size.

Touch screens now offer compelling uses

Abstract: Research on improving the user interfaces of touch screen applications is described. The advantages of touch screens are discusses, their current capabilities are examined, and possible future developments are considered. >

Cognitive and linguistic aspects of geographic space

Abstract: Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space: An Introduction.- Section 1: Geographic Space.- 1.1 Geographic Space as a Set of Concrete Geographical Entities.- 1.2 Some Notes on Geographic Information Systems: The Relationship Between their Practical Application and their Theoretical Evolution.- 1.3 A Hand-In-Glove Paradigm for Geography.- Section 2: Cultural Influences on the Conceptualization of Geographic Space.- 2.1 "Through the Door": A View of Space from an Anthropological Perspective.- 2.2 Culture as Input and Output of the Cognitive-Linguistic Processes.- 2.3 Dialogic and Argumentative Structures of Bumper Stickers.- Section 3: Wayfinding and Spatial Cognition.- 3.1 The Development of the Abilities Required to Understand Spatial Representations.- 3.2 Making Sense of Human Wayfinding: Review of Cognitive and Linguistic Knowledge for Personal Navigation with a New Research Directioa.- 3.3 Wayfinding Theory and Research: The Need for a New Approach.- 3.4 The Effect of the Pattern of the Environment on Spatial Knowledge Acquisition.- 3.5 Methods for Measuring Spatial Cognition.- 3.6 Path Finding in Free Space Using Sinusoidal Transforms: III.- Section 4: Cartographic Perspectives.- 4.1 Mapping as Language or Semiotic System: Review and Comment.- 4.2 Plan Information and its Retrieval in Map Interpretation: The View from Semiotics.- 4.3 An Approach to Map/Text Interrelationships.- 4.4 Spatial Knowledge for Image Understanding.- Section 5: Formal Treatment of Space in Mathematics.- 5.1 The Mathematical Modeling of Spatial and Non-Spatial Information in Geographic Information Systems.- 5.2 Map Algebra as a Spatial Language.- 5.3 Qualitative Spatial Reasoning.- 5.4 Relative Representation of Spatial Knowledge: The 2-D Case.- 5.5 Matching Representations of Geographic Locations.- 5.6 The Role of Modal Logics in the Description of a Geographical Information System.- Section 6: User Interfaces and Human-Computer Interaction.- 6.1 A Formalization of Metaphors and Image-Schemas in User Interfaces.- 6.2 Elicitation of Spatial Language to Support Cross-Cultural Geographic Information Systems.- 6.3 UGIX: A Layer Based Model For A GIS User Interface.- 6.4 Deficiencies of SQL as a GIS Query Language.- 6.5 The Role of the User in Generalization within Geographic Information Systems.- 6.6 Virtual Worlds, Inside and Out.- Appendix: NATO Advanced Study Institute Participants.

Computer with separate display plane and user interface processor

Abstract: A computer system having a digitizing tablet overlaying the display screen. The tablet serves as a user's primary input device. Various features of the system make it possible for the user to run and interact with standard programs designed for keystroke and mouse input and not designed for use with a tablet. In addition to the main processor, on which the user's programs are executed, there is an interface processor. In addition to a standard display buffer, there is an ink plane buffer for interface display data that is combined with the data from the standard display buffer on a pixel-by-pixel basis according to data from a mask plane buffer. The interface processor manages input from the tablet, presents feedback to the user by means of the ink and mask planes, and provides keystroke and mouse data to the main processor as if from a standard keyboard controller. The interface processor presents the user with a collection of simulated devices, including standard devices such as a keyboard and a mouse. A nonstandard simulated device performs character recognition, permitting handwritten characters to be used for program input. During interaction with one of the user's programs, the user can activate and deactivate simulated devices (by removing them from and returning them to a device tray) and can make adjustments in their operation and location on the screen.

Object-oriented framework for menu definition

Abstract: A declarative object-oriented approach to menu construction provides a mechanism for specifying the behavior, appearance and function of menus as part of an interactive user interface. Menus are constructed from interchangeable object building blocks to obtain the characteristics wanted without the need to write new code or code and maintaining a coherent interface standard. The approach is implemented by dissecting interface menu behavior into modularized objects specifying orthogonal components of desirable menu behaviors. Once primary characteristics for orthogonal dimensions of menu behavior are identified, individual objects are constructed to provide specific alternatives for the behavior within the definitions of each dimension. Finally, specific objects from each dimension are combined to construct a menu having the desired selections of menu behaviors.

Aquanet: a hypertext tool to hold your knowledge in place

Abstract: Hypertext systems have traditionally focused on information management and presentation. In contrast, the Aquanet hypertext system described in this paper is designed to support knowledge structuring tasks. Aquanet is a browser-based tool that allows users to graphically represent information in order to explore its structure. In this paper, we discuss our motivations for developing Aquanet. We then describe the basic concepts underlying the tool and give an overview of the user interface. We close with some brief comments about our initial experiences with the tool in use and some of the directions we see the Aquanet research moving in the near future.

Graphic Design for Electronic Documents and User Interfaces

Abstract: 1. Introduction. 2. Layout. 3. Typography. 4. Symbolism. 5. Color. 6. Visualizing Knowledge: Charts, Diagrams, and Maps. 7. Screen Design for User Interfaces. 8. A Comparison of Graphical User Interfaces. 9. Appendices. 10. Acknowledgments. 11. Bibliography. 12. Index. 13. Authors. 14. Bibliography. 0201543648T04062001

Intelligent Assistant Systems

Abstract: Representation and models - knowledge representation, general aspects, logic and objects, situational versus analytical knowledge symbolic reasoning - search, production systems, problem solving uncertainty and belief revision - representation of uncertainty, belief revision human-machine interaction - sharing intelligence, user interfaces, advanced interaction media, knowledge acquisition.

MMM: a user interface architecture for shared editors on a single screen

Abstract: There is a growing interest in software applications that allow several users to simultaneously interact with computer applications either in the same room or at a distance. Much early work focused on sharing exnting single-user applications across a network. The Multi-Device Multi-User Multi-Editor (MMM) project is developing a user interface and software architecture to support a new generation of editors specifically designed to be used by groups, including groups who share a single screen. Each user has his or her own modes, style settings, msertlon points, and feedback. Screen space is conserved by reducing the size and number of on-screen tools. The editors use per-user data structures to respond to multiuser input.

Formal methods for interactive systems

Abstract: PIEs - the simplest black box model red-PIEs - result and display sharing and interference in window managers the myth of the infinitely fast machine non-determinism as a paradigm for understanding the user interface opening up the box dynamic pointers - an abstraction for indicative manipulative complementary functions and complementary views events and status - mice and multiple users applying formal models conclusions - mathematics and the art of abstraction.

User interface having simulated devices

Abstract: A computer system having a digitizing tablet overlaying the display screen. The tablet serves as a user's primary input device. Various features of the system make it possible for the user to run and interact with standard programs designed for keystroke and mouse input and not designed for use with a tablet. In addition to the main processor, on which the user's programs are executed, there is an interface processor. In addition to a standard display buffer, there is an ink plane buffer for interface display data that is combined with the data from the standard display buffer on a pixel-by-pixel basis according to data from a mask plane buffer. The interface processor manages input from the tablet, presents feedback to the user by means of the ink and mask planes, and provides keystroke and mouse data to the main processor as if from a standard keyboard controller. The interface processor presents the user with a collection of simulated devices, including standard devices such as a keyboard and a mouse. A nonstandard simulated device performs character recognition, permitting handwritten characters to be used for program input. During interaction with one of the user's programs, the user can activate and deactivate simulated devices (by removing them from and returning them to a device tray) and can make adjustments in their operation and location on the screen.

Separating application code from toolkits: eliminating the spaghetti of call-backs

Abstract: Conventional toolkits today require the programmer to attach call-back procedures to most buttons, scroll bars, menu items, and other widgets in the interface. These procedures are called by the system when the user operates the widget in order to notify the application of the user’s actions. Unfortunately, real interfaces contain hundreds or thousands of widgets, and therefore many call-back procedures, most of which perform trivial tasks, resulting in a maintenance nightmare. This paper describes a system that allows the majority of these procedures to be eliminated. The user interface designer can specify by demonstration many of the desired actions and connections among the widgets, so call-backs are only needed for the most significant application actions. In addition, the callbacks that remain are completely insulated from the widgets, so that the application code is better separated from the user interface.

An intelligent agent framework for enterprise integration

Abstract: The authors present a framework in which human and intelligent agents (IAs) can interact to facilitate the information flow and decision making in real-world enterprises. Underlying the framework is the notion of an enterprise model that is built by dividing complex enterprise operations into a collection of elementary tasks or activities. Each such task is then modeled in cognitive terms and entrusted to an IA for execution. Tasks that require human involvement are referred to the appropriate person through their personal assistant, a special type of IA that knows how to communicate both with humans, through multimedia interfaces, and with other IAs and the shared knowledge base. The computer-aided software engineering tools supported by a library of activity models permit every individual in an enterprise to model the activities with which they are personally most familiar. The preliminary experimental results suggest that this divide-and-conquer strategy, leading to cognitive models that are buildable and maintainable by end-users, is a viable approach to real-world distributed artificial intelligence. >

System and method for supporting multilingual translations of a windowed user interface

Abstract: A system and method for improved user interface screen generation for an application program which supports multilingual users. Dynamic generation of subscreens, or subpanels, which conform to a given country's language requirements is provided. These subscreens support both input and output operations between an application program and user of a data processing system. The system and method further provide improved conveyance of information between the person(s) responsible for the initial user interface screen or panel layout in the initial language, and the person(s) responsible for translating the language specific portion of this screen layout into a subsequent language. Information containing specific comments pertaining to a given field or submenu to be displayed, and its associated text, can be appended to the file containing the text to be displayed. Other information conveyed with the text file can include change log information, which specifies that only a portion of the whole file has been changed, and which portion needs to be translated as a result.

Developing software for the user interface

Abstract: From the Publisher: This book provides the information needed to design and build user interface software. Focusing on software engineering needs, rather than human factors issues, the book's overall goal is to facilitate the development of less costly and more effective user interfaces.

Hybrid user interfaces: breeding virtually bigger interfaces for physically smaller computers

Abstract: While virtual worlds offer a compelling alternative to conventional interfaces, the technologies these systems currently use do not provide sufficient resolution and accuracy to support detailed work such as text editing. We describe a pragmatic approach to interface design that provides users with a large virtual world in which such high-resolution work can be performed. Our approach is based on combining heterogeneous display and interaction device technologies to produce a hybrid user interface. Display and interaction technologies that have relatively low resolution, but which cover a wide (visual and interactive) field are used to form an information surround. Display and interaction technologies that have relatively high resolution over a limited visual and interaction range are used to present concentrated information in one or more selected portions of the surround. These highresolution fields are embedded within the low-resolution surround by choosing and coordinating complementary devices that permit the user to see and interact with both simultaneously. This allows each embedded high-resolution interface to serve as a “sweet spot” within which intonation may be preferentially processed, We have developed a preliminary implementation, described in this paper, that uses a Reflection Technology Private Eye display and a Polhemus sensor to provide the secondary lowresohttion surround, and a flat-panel display and mouse to provide the primary high-resolution interface. CR

KNOWBOT; An adaptive data base interface

Abstract: This paper reports on an adaptive interface KNOWBOT designed to solve some of the problems that face the users of large centralized data bases The interface applies the neural network approach to information retrieval from a data base The data base is a subset of the Nuclear Plant Reliability Data System The interface KNOWBOT preempts an existing data base interface and works in conjunction with it By design, KNOWBOT starts as a tabula rasa but acquires knowledge through its interactions with the user and the data base The interface uses its gained knowledge to personalize the data base retrieval process and to induce new queries The interface also forgets the information that is no longer needed by the user These self-organizing features of the interface reduce the scope of the data base to the subsets that are highly relevant to the user needs A proof-of-principal version of this interface has been implemented in Common LISP on a Texas Instruments Explorer I workstation Experiments with KNOWBOT have been successful in demonstrating the robustness of the model especially with induction and self-organization This paper describes the design of KNOWBOT and presents some of the experimental results

A cost-effective evaluation method for use by designers

Abstract: A strong case has been made for iterative design, that is, progressing through several versions of a user interface design using feedback from users to improve each prototype. One obstacle to wider adoption of this approach is the perceived difficulty of obtaining useful data from users. This paper argues that quantitative experimental methods may not be practical at early stages of design, but a behavioural record used in conjunction with think-aloud protocols can provide a designer with the information needed to evaluate an early prototype in a cost-effective manner. Further, it is proposed that a method for obtaining this data can be specified which is straightforward enough to be used by people with little or no training in human factors. Two studies are reported in which trainee designers evaluated a user interface by observing a user working through some set tasks. These users were instructed to think aloud as they worked in a procedure described as “cooperative evaluation”. The instruction received by the designers took the form of a brief how-to-do-it manual. Study 1 examines the effectiveness of the trainee designers as evaluators of an existing bibliographic database. The problems detected by each team were compared with the complete set of problems detected by all the teams and the problems detected by the authors in a previous and more extensive evaluation. Study 2 examined the question of whether being the designer of a system makes one better or worse at evaluating it and whether designers can predict the problems users will experience in advance of user testing.

rIBIS: a real-time group hypertext system

Abstract: This paper describes rIBIS, a real-time group hypertext system, which allows a distributed set of users to simultaneously browse and edit multiple views of a hypertext network At any time, rIBIS users can switch back and forth between tightly coupled and loosely coupled interaction modes The paper describes the high-level architecture and user interface of the rIBIS system Early use of the rIBIS system by a software system design team suggests that users' acceptance increases as they continue to use the tool We conclude that rIBIS effectiveness is affected by both people and implementation issues

Designing a personal guidance system to aid navigation without sight: progress on the GIS component

Abstract: This paper reports on progress towards the development of a personal guidance system for a blind navigator. The system is being developed in light of the unique problems facing the blind traveller, which are discussed first. The system consists of four modules: a locator unit, a detailed spatial database, an algorithm for path selection and a user interface. Suggestions are offered for alternative ways of handling the locator problem using a global positioning system or a database query system. The nature of the geographic information system (GIS) to be used as a host for the database is discussed, followed by brief statement of the criteria for choosing an algorithm for path selection and suggestions on types of user interfaces best suited to the system. A report on a pilot-study GIS is presented. Special problems of database and system design are highlighted.