Showing papers on "User modeling published in 1995"

Understanding user evaluations of information systems

Abstract: Organizations spend millions of dollars on information systems to improve organizational or individual performance, but objective measures of system success are extremely difficult to achieve. For this reason, many MIS researchers (and potentially MIS practitioners) rely on user evaluations of systems as a surrogate for MIS success. However, these measures have been strongly criticized as lacking strong theoretical underpinnings. Furthermore, empirical evidence of their efficacy is surprisingly weak. Part of the explanation for the theoretical and empirical problems with user evaluations is that they are really a measurement technique rather than a single theoretical construct. User evaluations are elicited beliefs or attitudes about something, and they have been used to measure a variety of different “somethings.” What is needed for user evaluations to be an effective measure of IS success is the identification of some specific user evaluation construct, defined within a theoretical perspective that can ...

Characterizing browsing strategies in the World-Wide Web

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a study conducted at Georgia Institute of Technology that captured client-side user events of NCSA's XMosaic. Actual user behavior, as determined from client-side log file analysis, supplemented our understanding of user navigation strategies as well as provided real interface usage data. Log file analysis also yielded design and usability suggestions for WWW pages, sites and browsers. The methodology of the study and findings are discussed along with future research directions.

Object-oriented computer user interface

Abstract: A computer user interface includes a mechanism for graphically representing and displaying user-definable objects of multiple types. The object types that can be represented include data records, not limited to a particular kind of data, and agents. An agent processes information automatically on behalf of the user. Another mechanism allows a user to define objects, for example by using a template. These two mechanisms act together to allow each object to be displayed to the user and acted upon by the user in a uniform way regardless of type. For example, templates for defining objects allow a specification to be input by a user defining processing that can be performed by an agent.

Software platform having a real world interface with animated characters

Abstract: A software development platform generate a user interface that adopts a real world metaphor. In particular, the user interface appears to a user as containing rooms of a home. The user can specify what rooms are to be included in the home and can specify the style of the appearance of the rooms of the home. The user interface serves as a vehicle for the user to invoke applications and perform tasks. The user interface also generates a personal character for each user. The personal character is an animated guide that helps to assist the user in using the computer. Specialized characters may also be provided to perform specialized tasks.

The um toolkit for cooperative user modelling

Abstract: This paper gives an overview of the um toolkit: the philosophy underlying its design, examples of its use and discussion of the way it deals with some major issues in creating user modelling shells. The um toolkit has been developed to provide support for a variety of cooperative agents. An important element of its cooperativeness is due to its capacity to give users an understanding of their own user models. This paper describes two substantial but very different uses of the toolkit. The first involves a collection of coaching systems that help users learn more about their text editor. Experimental results suggest that the user model is associated with users learning more. The second is a movie advisor that uses a range of tools to construct and refine the user model and to filter a database of movies. Both these systems are built from combining tools in um. The paper describes several of the tools for constructing and refining user models. In addition it describes the user-model viewing tools and the way that these help users ensure their user models are correct. The paper also discusses the two central themes of the um work, the application of a tools approach to the design of a user modelling toolkit and the implications of making the user model accessible to its owner, the person modelled.

Using schematic scenarios to understand user needs

Abstract: Scenan’os are narrative descriptions of interactions between users and proposed Tstems. The concreteness qf scenan’os helps users and designers develop a shared understanding of the proposed .ystem ‘s jiinctionali~; but concreteness leads to a potentially unbounded number of scenan’os for a system. To help designers develop a limited set of salient scenarios, we propose a schema similar to story schemata. Like ston’es. scenarios have protagonists with goals. they start with background information already in place, and thqv have a point that makes them interesting or tests the rerrder’s understanding. The scenario schema provides a structuml fmmework for den’ving scenan’os with slots for such teleological information. Scenarios are derived from a description of the vstem’s and the user’s goals, and the potential obstacles that block those goals. In this paper, we describe the scenario schema and a method for deriving a set of’ salient scenarios. We illustrate how these scenarios can be used in the analysis of user needs for a multi-user oflee application.

Heterogeneous learning in the Doppelgänger user modeling system

Abstract: Doppelganger is a generalized user modeling system that gathers data about users, performs inferences upon the data, and makes the resulting information available to applications.Doppelganger's learning is calledheterogeneous for two reasons: first, multiple learning techniques are used to interpret the data, and second, the learning techniques must often grapple with disparate data types. These computations take place at geographically distributed sites, and make use of portable user models carried by individuals. This paper concentrates onDoppelganger's learning techniques and their implementation in an application-independent, sensor-independent environment.

The user modeling shell system BGP-MS

Abstract: BGP-MS is a user modeling shell system that can assist interactive software systems in adapting to their current users by taking the users' presumed knowledge, beliefs, and goals into account. It offers applications several methods for communicating observations concerning the user to BGP-MS, and for obtaining information on currently held assumptions about the user from BGP-MS. It provides a choice of two integrated formalisms for representing beliefs and goals, and includes several types of inferences for drawing additional assumptions based on an initial interview, observed user actions, and stereotypical knowledge about pre-defined user subgroups. BGP-MS is a customizable software system that is independent from applications, operates concurrently with them, and interacts with them through inter-process communication. For tailoring BGP-MS to a specific application domain, the developer must select those components of BGP-MS that are needed in this domain and fill them with relevant domain-dependent user modeling knowledge. This paper first summarizes the user modeling services that BGP-MS provides to application programs at runtime. It discusses the representational and inferential foundations that determine the scope and the limits of these services, and also gives a detailed example illustrating the interaction between the various system components. It describes interfaces that are available to application developers for tailoring BGP-MS to the specific user modeling needs of their application domains. Finally, it compares the system with all other major user modeling shell systems, and describes a first application that employs BGP-MS for adapting hypertext to users' terminological knowledge.

Method of and system for displaying context sensitive and application independent help information

Abstract: A method or process is disclosed for displaying help information to users of computer programs. The process is application independent and provides context sensitive help information for a particular subject selected by the user. The help information is customized to the needs of an individual user. The process also automatically provides help information for the particular subject matter selected by the user from other contexts without having the user select the other contexts or even know about the existence of the other contexts. The help information is displayed to the user without interrupting the application currently being run by the user.

End user query facility including a query connectivity driver

Abstract: An end user query technology is taught which is capable of automatically understanding the database model and guiding the user to scout for the desired information, thereby increasing productivity and ease of information access. The user is freed from the need to understanding the database model, with the end user query facility of this invention quickly guiding the user to acquire the information. This is made possible by the end user query facility of this invention first recapturing the application semantics from the existing database model to provide a set of derived semantics. The derived semantics are then used by the end user query facility to intelligently guide the user to scout for the desired information in the database. In addition, the derived semantics can be easily updated by the end user query facility when the database model is changed.

Designing Object-Oriented User Interfaces

Abstract: 1. Introduction. The User Interface. Plan of the Book. Audiences for the Book. Relation to Other Design Approaches. I. FOUNDATIONS. 2. A Bit of History. People, Work or Technological Change. Knowledge Workers and Production Workers. Evolution of the User Interface. User Interface Technology - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. 3. Two User Interface Styles. Analyzing User Interfaces. The Interfaces. Discussion. 4. Applying Object-Orientation To User Interfaces. A Model of Object-Orientation. Cognitive Models for Object-Orientation. Object Orientation in User Interfaces. 5. Three Domains of Oo Design For The User Interface. Designing for Understandability. The Three Domains. An Example: "Klondike" Solitaire. 6. Ooui Design: Process and Team. Models of the Development Process. The OOUI Design Process. Skills Required for OOUI Design. Role of the UI Design Team in Development. Managing the OOUI Design Process. II. EXTERNAL DESIGN. 7. Users, Tasks, and Task Analysis. Why Task Analysis? Users and Their Tasks. Task Analysis and Task Synthesis. Documenting Task Analysis. Tasks as Objects. 8. The User's Conceptual Model. Models and Metaphors. Users' Models of Systems. Designing the User's Conceptual Model. A Catalog of Metaphors. 9. Information Presentation. Human Senses, Information, and Technology. Views, Presentation Metaphors, and Patterns. Step-by-Step Presentation Design. Content View Design. Icon Design. Non-Visual Information. Differences Between Computers and Other Media. 10. Interaction and Control. Mechanisms. Interactivity. Interaction Devices. Step-by-Step Interaction Design. Style Guides. Documenting Look and Feel. III. INTERNAL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION. 11. Object-Oriented System Architectures. An OO View of Systems and Applications. Reactive Systems. The Model-View-Controller Architecture. An Architecture for Object-Oriented Client-Server. Applications. 12. Information Models. "Middle Out" User Interface Design. Modular Separation of Information Models and Interaction. A "Three-Schema" Approach to User Interfaces. 13. Presentation and Interaction Objects. Views and Interactors. Design and Code Reuse. Direct Manipulation Interaction. Object Handlers. 14. Tools For Prototyping and Implementation. Implementation Languages. Toolkits. Visual Interface Builders. Application Frameworks. Portability. 15. Putting it All Together. The Whole Interface. Case Study: Online News Photos, With and Without Seams. Case Study: A Distributed Multimedia System. Case Study: Adding Fax to an Office System. Pragmatic issues of OOUI Implementation. 16. Summary and Directions. Key Points of the Book. The Future of the OOUI. Where to Go From Here. Appendix 1. Fax Case Study. Appendix 2. Introduction to Object-Orientation. Appendix 3. Resources. 0201704544T06252001

TAGUS ? A user and learner modeling workbench

Abstract: In this paper we will describe, outline and exemplify the functionalities and architecture of a User and Learner Modeling System called TAGUS (within the project “Theory and Applications for General User/Learner-modeling Systems”).

Graphical User Interface Design and Evaluation: A Practical Process

Abstract: From the Publisher: Written from the point of view of software systems developers, this guide describes the process for designing and evaluating the graphical user interface (GUI) to computer application software. Defines a comprehensive user-interface design process, showing how complementary techniques can be used together. Shows how task analysis can be used in conjunction with user object modeling to create a user-centered application model. Offers a coherent and practical approach to the design of the user

Coupling the user interfaces of a multiuser program

Abstract: We have developed a new model for coupling the user interfaces of a multiuser program. It is based on an interaction model and a user interface framework that allow users and programmers, respectively, to view applications as editors of data. It consists of a semantics model, a specification model, and an implementation model for coupling. The semantics model determines (1) which properties of interaction entities created for a user are shared with corresponding interaction entities created for other users and (2) when changes made by a user to a property of an interaction entity are communicated to other users sharing it. It divides the properties of an interaction entity into multiple coupling sets and allows users to share different coupling sets independently. It supports several criteria for choosing when a change made by a user to a shared property is communicated to other users. These criteria include how structurally complete the change is, how correct it is, and the time at which it was made. The specification model determines how users specify the desired semantics of coupling. It associates interaction entities with inheritable coupling attributes, allows multiple users to specify values of these attributes, and does a runtime matching of the coupling attributes specified by different users to derive the coupling among their user interfaces. The implementation model determines how multiuser programs implement user-customizable coupling. It divides the task of implementing the coupling between system-provided modules and application programs. The modules support automatically a predefined semantics and specification model that can be extended by the programs. We have implemented the coupling model as part of a system called Suite. This paper describes and motivates the model using the concrete example of Suite, discusses how aspects of it can be implemented in other systems, compares it with related work, discusses its shortcomings, and suggests directions for future work.

Human-Computer Interaction for Software Designers

Abstract: Human-computer interaction and the software designer understanding user needs and requirements designing the user interface designing graphical user interfaces designing user interfaces to CSCW system usability HCI standards solutions to exercises Useful addresses.

Computer system for automatically instantiating tasks designated by a user

Abstract: A computer-user interface facilitates interaction between the user and the computer in a manner which enables the computer to assist the user in accomplishing desired goals. Based upon a particular task to be performed, the computer interviews the user to obtain the information pertinent to that particular task. Once the information is provided to the computer, it works with the user to automatically perform desired tasks in response to triggering events designated by the user. In addition, the computer can notify the user whenever a task is being carried out. Any executable function can be designated by the user as the object of a task. The initiation of this task can be carried out in response to any programmatically detectable event, or trigger, which is also designated by the user. As a further feature, the user has the ability to select from among a number of different types of notification to be provided whenever the task is being performed. With the flexibility offered by this arrangement, the user can customize the operation of a computer to suit his or her particular needs.

Supporting user interfaces for all through user modeling

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the development of supporting user interfaces for all users through user modeling User models are collections of information and assumptions about individual users (as well as user groups) which are needed in the adaptation process This holds true for the manual adaptation of the interface by the system developer according to the requirements of specific user groups or individual users; it is even more necessary if a system is supposed to automatically adapt to the requirements of the current user User characteristics that have been modeled include users' domain knowledge, goals, plans, interests, preferences, and misconceptions The adaptation takes place at the level of the content of the provided information (as opposed to the level of information presentation at the interface) Recent research efforts extend the scope of user modeling towards modeling the characteristics of all users, including those with communication and interaction difficulties

Programming environment system for customizing a program application based upon user input

Abstract: A programming environment is provided in which an end user of one or more existing applications, e.g. integrated environment applications, can customize the applications with a unique user interface appearance. The environment consists of one application or a group of applications, a customization facility and a graphical editor. The customization facility records event streams from the user to the applications when they are run, and enables the user to compose a plurality of event streams into a story. The user generates a unique user interface appearance with graphical parts, e.g., boxes, arrows, icons, etc., using the graphical editor. The user then links the graphical parts, or objects of the user interface appearance to event streams or stories, and completes a programming mode. After programming, the user can make the customized application run by interaction with the new user interface appearance, for example picking the graphical objects on the appearance.

An architecture for voice dialog systems based on prolog-style theorem proving

Abstract: A pragmatic architecture for voice dialog machines aimed at the equipment repair problem has been implemented. This architecture exhibits a number of behaviors required for efficient human-machine dialog. These behaviors include:(1) problem solving to achieve a target goal(2) the ability to carry out subdialogs to achieve appropriate subgoals and to pass control arbitrarily from one subdialog to another(3) the use of a user model to enable useful verbal exchanges and to inhibit unnecessary ones(4) the ability to change initiative from strongly computer controlled to strongly user controlled or to some level in between(5) the ability to use context dependent expectations to correct speech recognition and track user movement to new subdialogs.The paper gives a description of the dialog theory, presents examples of its capabilities, and includes a detailed trace of one of those examples showing all significant mechanisms. The paper gives performance data for a series of 141 problem-solving dialogs carried out with human subjects.

Towards user interfaces for all: some critical issues

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the critical issues involved in the development of user interfaces. Recent approaches have demonstrated the technical feasibility of providing user interface development systems that, at design time, take into consideration the access requirements of both able and disabled users. The evident speed of technological progress in the (human–computer interaction) HCI field necessitates a more holistic approach towards solving accessibility issues for people with disabilities, because the application of adaptation methods becomes inappropriate because of the high cost for producing customized case-specific solutions for different application domains, interaction technologies/environments, and target user groups. Moreover, technical problems can be cited as another factor, because, for the vast majority of emerging interaction technologies the application of adaptation oriented approaches may become practically impossible or meaningless. It is argued that, by following a proactive approach (i.e. by addressing accessibility issues at design time) it is possible to ensure that forthcoming technologies are made accessible to all. Moreover, it is claimed that the population at large stands to gain additional benefits from such proactive considerations of emerging technological advancements (i.e. there is added value).

User model acquisition heuristics based on dialogue acts

Abstract: A wide-spread technique for user model acquisition is the use of acquisition heuristics, which are normally employedfor inferringassumptionsabouttheuser’s beliefsorgoalsfrom observed useractions. Thesebeliefs or goals can often be characterized as presuppositions to communicative actions that the user performs. In the area of natural-language systems, presupposition analysis techniques have been applied for making assumptionsaboutthe dialoguepartnerbased on the typesof speech acts thathe or sheemploys. In thispaper, we will generalize this approach and investigate the analysis of so-called ‘dialogue acts’, i.e. communicative actions on the user interface whose execution entails user beliefs or goals as presuppositionsof the action. Dialogue act types with schematic presuppositions will be proposed as a means for formulating and generalizinguser model acquisitionheuristics. Several dialogueact types, bothgeneral onesapplicableto any interactive system and specialized ones for an adaptive hypertext, are presented. The BGP-MS user modeling shell system contains a dialogue act analysis component that allows the developer of an adaptive application to define relevant dialogue act types and associated presuppositionpatterns. During run-time, the application can then inform BGP-MS about observed dialogueacts. BGP-MS will instantiatethe presuppositionpatterns of the corresponding dialogue act type and enter them into the current user model. L’aquisition d’un mod`

Vive la difference! individualised interaction with users

Abstract: To build systems that can deal with the individual differences of users, we need to represent a model of the user Such a user model can support interpretation of user actions and drive the system's actions This paper takes considerable care in defining the various notions of 'user model' From this, we characterise the promise of user modelling in terms of the individualisation it offers Then we describe the challenges and benefits user modelling offers as a domain for research in many fields of Artificial Intelligence Firstly we do this in terms of the major subtasks that are critical to user modelling and then in the context of an example system that filters and customises multi-media objects

7±2 Questions and Answers about Metaphors for GIS User Interfaces

Abstract: Metaphors have found their way into the theory and practice of user interface design, but there remain many specific questions about the extent and methodology of their use. This paper discusses some of these questions in the context of user interfaces for geographic information systems (GIS). It is structured as a list of 7±2 questions and answers, where the “+” applies to questions and the “-” to answers, reflecting the fact that there are many questions without, or with only tentative answers yet. The questions address the issues of metaphor definition, metaphor vs. magic, generating metaphor candidates, metaphor selection, design methodology, metaphor combination, cross-cultural use, extent of use, and overall justification for metaphors. The question and answer pairs are illustrated by examples from the domain of GIS.

A User Interface Evaluation Mapping Physical User Actions to Task-Driven Formal Specifications

Abstract: This paper describes the first results of a work which aims to join two different levels in order to evaluate user interfaces. The two levels are task specification and user physical actions. To achieve this goal we pass through an intermediate level: the formal specification of the system considered. The approach entails building an interactor-based LOTOS formal specification of the system starting from task specification. Then a tool, which we have developed, gathers information from both low and high abstraction levels and evaluates the user interactions. The behaviour and results of this tool are shown. We also present how the tool has been applied to Map, a real application used for presenting maps.

Expose HCI-counseling for User Interface Design

Abstract: EXPOSE is an expert system with the objective to provide user interface designers with empirical knowledge about common practice of the application domain, with software-ergonomic (HCI-) knowledge comprised from psychology and ergonomics research findings and with procedural knowledge about a principled approach (design rationale) to user interface design. The system provides the designer with a tool to describe the design decisions for a specific user interface subsequently in four models in order to reduce the design complexity: a conceptual model, a model of the dialog structure, a concretized model of the user interface and the prototype, following the four views of MUSE (Method for User Interface Engineering).

Developments in graph-based modeling for decision support

Abstract: The user interface has long been recognized as one of the key components of a decision support system (DSS). Much recent research has contributed theories, tools and techniques for user interface design and implementation for DSS. Graphs are widely used in DSS to represent complicated problems. Graph-grammars provide a theoretically grounded, practical tool for building user interfaces and some degree of functionality for problem domains where the problem can be represented as a graph. We discuss recent developments for one such line of research — graph-based modeling using graph-grammars.

Mediating between hearer's and speaker's views in the generation of adaptive explanations

Abstract: In this article, we examine the case of a system that cooperates with a “direct” user to plan an activity that some “indirect” user, not interacting with the system, should perform. The specific application we consider is the prescription of drugs. In this case, the direct user is the prescriber and the indirect user is the person who is responsible for performing the therapy. Relevant characteristics of the two users are represented in two user models. Explanation strategies are represented in planning operators whose preconditions encode the cognitive state of the indirect user; this allows tailoring the message to the indirect user's characteristics. Expansion of optional subgoals and selection among candidate operators is made by applying decision criteria represented as metarules, that negotiate between direct and indirect users' views also taking into account the context where explanation is provided. After the message has been generated, the direct user may ask to add or remove some items, or change the message style. The system defends the indirect user's needs as far as possible by mentioning the rationale behind the generated message. If needed, the plan is repaired and the direct user model is revised accordingly, so that the system learns progressively to generate messages suited to the preferences of people with whom it interacts.

A design concept for N-dimensional user interfaces

Abstract: We describe a classification concept, that allows us to discriminate four different domains: the dimension of the internal world model, presentation effects based on different techniques, perception mechanism, and the conceptualization of the world's dimensions in the user's mental model. This classification concept is applied to visual depth cues and acoustical signals. The user's perceptual feeling of being immersed in the context of virtual interfaces can be achieved by different presentation effects based on several techniques. ⁄A major problem in designing n-D user interfaces is the fact, that designers do not have any metrics or benchmarks for applying the optimal software and hardware setting given a certain task. Different experiments for the visual information processing channel show, that, for example, depth cues for monocular perception are often sufficient versus binocular depth cues (often called stereo). Experiments show that combining different presentation and inter–action techniques in a synergetic way may give further advantages for the effectiveness of n-D user interfaces.

Separating User and Device Descriptions for Modelling Interactive Problem Solving

Abstract: We are constructing models of interactive problem solving, accounting for the general problem solving techniques people exploit in performing tasks with computers, the device-specific knowledge they need, and the sources of that knowledge. We present an approach that allows us to specify separately the behaviour of the computer system, the problem solving capabilities of the user, and the knowledge the user applies when using the system. This allows us to recognise design features that depend on the user keeping track of non-displayed aspects of the device state, as well as those the user can see.