The display of electronic commerce within virtual environments

In today’s competitive business environment, the majority of companies are expected to be represented on the Internet in the form of an electronic commerce site. In an effort to keep up with current business trends, certain aspects of interface design such as those related to navigation and perception may be overlooked. For instance, the manner in which a visitor to the site might perceive the information displayed or the ease with which they navigate through the site may not be taken into consideration. This paper reports on the evaluation of the electronic commerce sites of three different companies, focusing specifically on the human factors issues such as perception and navigation. Heuristic evaluation, the most popular method for investigating user interface design, is the technique employed to assess each of these sites. In light of the results from the analysis of the evaluation data, virtual environments are suggested as a way of improving the navigation and perception display constraints

Twenty questions about design behavior for sustainability, report of the International Expert Panel on behavioral science for design

How behavioral scientists, engineers, and architects can work together to advance how we all understand and practice design—in order to enhance sustainability in the built environment, and beyond.https://www.nature.com/documents/design_behavior_for_sustainability.pdfPublished versio

User interface design of advanced process control system for causticizing

Abstract. The aim of this thesis was to design new interfaces for Valmet Automation Oy’s causticizing Advanced Process Control product. The goal for the research was to determine how pulp mill’s operators’ needs and Valmet’s engineers needs from the user interface can be taken into account and how the interface can be implemented into ongoing project. The thesis describes the user interface design principles and best practices with human factors and ergonomics. The theory describes the causticizing process and how it is controlled with the advanced process control. From the technical theory, the thesis moves on to describing user experience and user interface design in depth. The human factors and ergonomics are elaborated from design point of view, and how the interface can support and enhance operators’ work ergonomics. The thesis also describes how the design process should be carried through. Aim of the theory part is to elaborate what are the design principles and best practices, and how they can be utilized in industrial interface design. The practical part of the thesis was conducted by interview research. The research was done with two user groups: with Valmet’s engineers who are responsible for the Advanced Process Control products, and with operators who are the main end users of the product. Presented theory and conducted interview research was utilized in the interface design with Valmet UI system. The design was done in cooperation with project’s stakeholders. As a result, separate interfaces were designed for operators and for control tuning. Operators’ interface was designed to support their work and the overall operating system design. The designed operator interface includes only the essential elements of the top-level control system which are supportive for operator decision making process. The designed control tuning interface was made to include more information which is relevant for the engineering work.Kaustisointiprosessin ylätason säädön käyttöliittymäsuunnittelu. Tiivistelmä. Diplomityön tavoitteena oli kehittää Valmet Automation Oy:n kaustisoinnin Advanced Process Control -tuotteelle uusi käyttöliittymä. Tutkimuskohteena oli selvittää miten sellutehtaan operaattoreiden ja Valmetin insinöörien tarpeet käyttöliittymältä saadaan huomioitua, sekä miten käyttöliittymän suunnittelu voidaan toteuttaa toimitettavaan projektiin. Työ avaa käyttöliittymäsuunnittelun teoriaa ja perusteita yhdessä inhimillisten tekijöiden kanssa. Teoria esittelee kaustoinnin prosessikuvauksen ja kuinka sitä ohjataan Valmetin ylätason kehittyneellä säätömenetelmällä. Teoria etenee teknillisistä kuvauksista käyttäjäkokemuksen esittelyyn sekä käyttöliittymäsuunnittelun perusteisiin ja käytäntöihin. Työ avaa mitä inhimillisiä tekijöitä käyttöliittymäsuunnittelussa tulee ottaa huomioon, jotta käyttöliittymä tukisi operaattorin työergonomiaa, sekä kuinka käyttöliittymäsuunnittelu tulisi toteuttaa kokonaisuutena. Kokeellisessa osassa toteutettiin haastattelututkimus, johon osallistui kaksi käyttäjäryhmää: Valmetin insinöörit, jotka ovat vastuussa Advanced Process Control -tuotteista, ja operaattorit sellutehtaalta, jotka ovat tuotteen pääkäyttäjiä. Diplomityössä esitelty teoria ja toteutettu haastattelututkimus toimi pohjana uusien käyttöliittymien suunnitteluun Valmet UI -järjestelmään. Käyttöliittymien suunnittelu toteutettiin yhdessä projektin sidosryhmien kanssa. Työn tuloksena suunniteltiin erilliset käyttöliittymät operaattoreille ja ylätason säädön viritykseen. Operaattoreiden käyttöliittymä suunniteltiin tukemaan heidän työtään ja kokonaisjärjestelmää mahdollisimman hyvin. Operaattoreiden käyttöliittymä sisältää vain ylätason säädölle olennaiset elementit, jotka tukevat operaattoreiden päätöksentekoa säätömenetelmää vaihtaessa. Säädön viritykseen suunniteltu käyttöliittymä on vapaamuotoisempi ja se sisältää enemmän informaatiota, mikä on säädön viritykselle oleellista

Modeling Option and Strategy Choices with Connectionist Networks: Towards an Integrative Model of Automatic and Deliberate Decision Making

We claim that understanding human decisions requires that both automatic and deliberate processes be considered. First, we sketch the qualitative differences between two hypothetical processing systems, an automatic and a deliberate system. Second, we show the potential that connectionism offers for modeling processes of decision making and discuss some empirical evidence. Specifically, we posit that the integration of information and the application of a selection rule are governed by the automatic system. The deliberate system is assumed to be responsible for information search, inferences and the modification of the network that the automatic processes act on. Third, we critically evaluate the multiple-strategy approach to decision making. We introduce the basic assumption of an integrative approach stating that individuals apply an all-purpose rule for decisions but use different strategies for information search. Fourth, we develop a connectionist framework that explains the interaction between automatic and deliberate processes and is able to account for choices both at the option and at the strategy level.System 1, Intuition, Reasoning, Control, Routines, Connectionist Model, Parallel Constraint Satisfaction

Development, Usability Engineering and Testing of the Video on Demand Service Filmrommet.no

Master's thesis in Multimedia and Educational Technology MM500 - University of Agder 2016This thesis describes the design outcomes and user evaluation of the redesigned Filmrommetservice, from a human-centred point of view. Research into several interdisciplinary fields, including interaction design, design principles, usability testing and usage of movies in schools have been assessed in order to design an interface that is easy to use, engages the user and presents meaningful content. Prior to starting designing the new interface, a questionnaire survey comprised of feedback from 116 Filmrommet users was conducted. The qualitative and quantitative data from the survey covering user characteristics, user behaviour, user satisfaction and user needs, was then analysed and put to use in subsequent design activities. Human-centred design activities are described and presented as well as a usability study conducted on 6 teachers and librarians. Digital prototyping and testing was done through the use of Adobe XD and InVision, and a design solution is presented based on the feedback acquired from testing. The concluding redesign of Filmrommet gives suggestions for further development. Findings emphasise the importance of implementing a well-functioning search featureXX50

Evaluation methodology for visual analytics software

O desafio do Visual Analytics (VA) é produzir visualizações que ajudem os utilizadores a concentrarem-se no aspecto mais relevante ou mais interessante dos dados apresentados. A sociedade actual enfrenta uma quantidade de dados que aumenta rapidamente. Assim, os utilizadores de informação em todos os domínios acabam por ter mais informação do que aquela com que podem lidar. O software VA deve suportar interacções intuitivas para que os analistas possam concentrar-se na informação que estão a manipular, e não na técnica de manipulação em si. Os ambientes de VA devem procurar minimizar a carga de trabalho cognitivo global dos seus utilizadores, porque se tivermos de pensar menos nas interacções em si, teremos mais tempo para pensar na análise propriamente dita. Tendo em conta os benefícios que as aplicações VA podem trazer e a confusão que ainda existe ao identificar tais aplicações no mercado, propomos neste trabalho uma nova metodologia de avaliação baseada em heurísticas. A nossa metodologia destina-se a avaliar aplicações através de testes de usabilidade considerando as funcionalidades e características desejáveis em sistemas de VA. No entanto, devido à sua natureza quatitativa, pode ser naturalmente utilizada para outros fins, tais como comparação para decisão entre aplicações de VA do mesmo contexto. Além disso, seus critérios poderão servir como fonte de informação para designers e programadores fazerem escolhas apropriadas durante a concepção e desenvolvimento de sistemas de VA

Marking as judgment

An aspect of assessment which has received little attention compared with perennial concerns, such as standards or reliability, is the role of judgment in marking. This paper explores marking as an act of judgment, paying particular attention to the nature of judgment and the processes involved. It brings together studies which have explored marking from a psychological perspective for the purpose of critical discussion of the light they shed on each other and on the practice of marking. Later stages speculate on recent developments in psychology and neuroscience which may cast further light on educational assessment