A new model for the development of information systems

The most commonly used systems specification and design techniques in commercial computing are described and compared; Information Engineering as proposed by James Martin, A Framework for Information Definition-Muitiview proposed by Wood-Harper et al, Real-world Modeling as described by Jackson, Structured Analysis and Design as In Demarco, Yourdon and Constantine and Output-Oriented Structured Requirement Definition proposed by Orr. In addition, system prototyping is discussed, including the role of prototyping in large software development projects and as a tool for the design of human-computer interfaces. Other areas described and discussed include decision support systems (DSS) and knowledge based management support systems. The context is in the design and development approaches for DSS, prototyping for DSS, expert system for DSS and the integration of DSS and information system. The design and development of human-computer interface is also discussed in relation to user Interface complexity and adaptive interfaces. Further, the important issue of user involvement and support within the development process Is discussed. Thus, weaknesses of current approaches to the system development process are identified and a new model for the development of information system is proposed. In proposing the model, data and functional analysis structured method and methodology for decision support systems (DSS) development is presented including guidelines for the development of knowledge based DSS. The new proposed model is put to test in the design, development and implementation of large integrated commercial systems including DSS. Results and discussion on the use of the model is reported with special consideration to the users' and developers' view of the model. Finally the objectives of this research program are examined in relation to what has been achieved during this program of research. The prospect of using the model for the development of information systems are concluded with references to current and future goals

Into the Black Box: Designing for Transparency in Artificial Intelligence

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)The rapid infusion of artificial intelligence into everyday technologies means that consumers are likely to interact with intelligent systems that provide suggestions and recommendations on a daily basis in the very near future. While these technologies promise much, current issues in low transparency create high potential to confuse end-users, limiting the market viability of these technologies. While efforts are underway to make machine learning models more transparent, HCI currently lacks an understanding of how these model-generated explanations should best translate into the practicalities of system design. To address this gap, my research took a pragmatic approach to improving system transparency for end-users. Through a series of three studies, I investigated the need and value of transparency to end-users, and explored methods to improve system designs to accomplish greater transparency in intelligent systems offering recommendations. My research resulted in a summarized taxonomy that outlines a variety of motivations for why users ask questions of intelligent systems; useful for considering the type and category of information users might appreciate when interacting with AI-based recommendations. I also developed a categorization of explanation types, known as explanation vectors, that is organized into groups that correspond to user knowledge goals. Explanation vectors provide system designers options for delivering explanations of system processes beyond those of basic explainability. I developed a detailed user typology, which is a four-factor categorization of the predominant attitudes and opinion schemes of everyday users interacting with AI-based recommendations; useful to understand the range of user sentiment towards AI-based recommender features, and possibly useful for tailoring interface design by user type. Lastly, I developed and tested an evaluation method known as the System Transparency Evaluation Method (STEv), which allows for real-world systems and prototypes to be evaluated and improved through a low-cost query method. Results from this dissertation offer concrete direction to interaction designers as to how these results might manifest in the design of interfaces that are more transparent to end users. These studies provide a framework and methodology that is complementary to existing HCI evaluation methods, and lay the groundwork upon which other research into improving system transparency might build

The development of secure and usable systems.

"People are the weakest link in the security chain"---Bruce Schneier. The aim of the thesis is to investigate the process of designing secure systems, and how designers can ensure that security mechanisms are usable and effective in practice. The research perspective is one of security as a socio-technical system. A review of the literature of security design and Human Computer Interactions in Security (HCISec) reveals that most security design methods adopt either an organisational approach, or a technical focus. And whilst HCISec has identified the need to improve usability in computer security, most of the current research in this area is addressing the issue by improving user interfaces to security tools. Whilst this should help to reduce users' errors and workload, this approach does not address problems which arise from the difficulty of reconciling technical requirements and human factors. To date, little research has been applied to socio-technical approaches to secure system design methods. Both identifying successful socio-technical design approaches and gaining a better understanding of the issues surrounding their application is required to address this gap. Appropriate and Effective Guidance for Information Security (AEGIS) is a socio-technical secure system development methodology developed for this purpose. It takes a risk-based approach to security design and focuses on recreating the contextual information surrounding the system in order to better inform security decisions, with the aim of making these decisions better suited to users' needs. AEGIS uses a graphical notation defined in the UML Meta-Object Facility to provide designers with a familiar and well- supported means of building models. Grid applications were selected as the area in which to apply and validate AEGIS. Using the research methodology Action Research, AEGIS was applied to a total of four Grid case studies. This allowed in the first instance the evaluation and refinement of AEGIS on real- world systems. Through the use of the qualitative data analysis methodology Grounded Theory, the design session transcripts gathered from the Action Research application of AEGIS were then further analysed. The resulting analysis identified important factors affecting the design process - separated into categories of responsibility, motivation, stakeholders and communication. These categories were then assembled into a model informing the factors and issues that affect socio-technical secure system design. This model therefore provides a key theoretical insight into real-world issues and is a useful foundation for improving current practice and future socio-technical secure system design methodologies

Tangible user interfaces : past, present and future directions

In the last two decades, Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have emerged as a new interface type that interlinks the digital and physical worlds. Drawing upon users' knowledge and skills of interaction with the real non-digital world, TUIs show a potential to enhance the way in which people interact with and leverage digital information. However, TUI research is still in its infancy and extensive research is required in or- der to fully understand the implications of tangible user interfaces, to develop technologies that further bridge the digital and the physical, and to guide TUI design with empirical knowledge. This paper examines the existing body of work on Tangible User In- terfaces. We start by sketching the history of tangible user interfaces, examining the intellectual origins of this field. We then present TUIs in a broader context, survey application domains, and review frame- works and taxonomies. We also discuss conceptual foundations of TUIs including perspectives from cognitive sciences, phycology, and philoso- phy. Methods and technologies for designing, building, and evaluating TUIs are also addressed. Finally, we discuss the strengths and limita- tions of TUIs and chart directions for future research

Haptic Experience and the Design of Drawing Interfaces

Haptic feedback has the potential to enhance users’ sense of being engaged and creative in their artwork. Current work on providing haptic feedback in computer-based drawing applications has focused mainly on the realism of the haptic sensation rather than the users’ experience of that sensation in the context of their creative work. We present a study that focuses on user experience of three haptic drawing interfaces. These interfaces were based on two different haptic metaphors, one of which mimicked familiar drawing tools (such as pen, pencil or crayon on smooth or rough paper) and the other of which drew on abstract descriptors of haptic experience (roughness, stickiness, scratchiness and smoothness). It was found that users valued having control over the haptic sensation; that each metaphor was preferred by approximately half of the participants; and that the real world metaphor interface was considered more helpful than the abstract one, whereas the abstract interface was considered to better support creativity. This suggests that future interfaces for artistic work should have user-modifiable interaction styles for controlling the haptic sensation

The assessment of usability of electronic shopping: A heuristic evaluation

Today there are thousands of electronic shops accessible via the Web. Some provide user-friendly features whilst others seem not to consider usability factors at all. Yet, it is critical that the electronic shopping interface is user-friendly so as to help users to obtain their desired results. This study applied heuristic evaluation to examine the usability of current electronic shopping. In particular, it focused on four UK-based supermarkets offering electronic services: including ASDA, Iceland, Sainsbury, and Tesco. The evaluation consists of two stages: a free-flow inspection and a task-based inspection. The results indicate that the most significant and common usability problems have been found to lie within the areas of ‘User Control and Freedom’ and ‘Help and Documentation’. The findings of this study are applied to develop a set of usability guidelines to support the future design of effective interfaces for electronic shopping