Investigating Performance and Usage of Input Methods for Soft Keyboard Hotkeys

Touch-based devices, despite their mainstream availability, do not support a unified and efficient command selection mechanism, available on every platform and application. We advocate that hotkeys, conventionally used as a shortcut mechanism on desktop computers, could be generalized as a command selection mechanism for touch-based devices, even for keyboard-less applications. In this paper, we investigate the performance and usage of soft keyboard shortcuts or hotkeys (abbreviated SoftCuts) through two studies comparing different input methods across sitting, standing and walking conditions. Our results suggest that SoftCuts not only are appreciated by participants but also support rapid command selection with different devices and hand configurations. We also did not find evidence that walking deters their performance when using the Once input method.Comment: 17+2 pages, published at Mobile HCI 202

A reflective characterisation of occasional user

This work revisits established user classifications and aims to characterise a historically unspecified user category, the Occasional User (OU). Three user categories, novice, intermediate and expert, have dominated the work of user interface (UI) designers, researchers and educators for decades. These categories were created to conceptualise user's needs, strategies and goals around the 80s. Since then, UI paradigm shifts, such as direct manipulation and touch, along with other advances in technology, gave new access to people with little computer knowledge. This fact produced a diversification of the existing user categories not observed in the literature review of traditional classification of users. The findings of this work include a new characterisation of the occasional user, distinguished by user's uncertainty of repetitive use of an interface and little knowledge about its functioning. In addition, the specification of the OU, together with principles and recommendations will help UI community to informatively design for users without requiring a prospective use and previous knowledge of the UI. The OU is an essential type of user to apply user-centred design approach to understand the interaction with technology as universal, accessible and transparent for the user, independently of accumulated experience and technological era that users live in

Effect of Icon Styles on Cognitive Absorption and Behavioral Intention of Low Literate Users

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are being considered as one of the most potential medium for bringing more efficient and sustainable solution for many problems faced by different communities belong to the middle of economic pyramid of developing countries. Mobile phone based applications can offer many potential solutions for such problems. Existing solutions which are quite successful at the top of the pyramid user population often prove itself ineffective at the middle of the pyramid naïve low-literate users. In this context interface designers also face considerable challenges due to lack of consolidate icon design methodology which can be adapted for the target user sections. Therefore we propose an empirical study to address the requirement of concrete icon design methodology. Grounded in ‘Cognitive Absorption’ and ‘Theory of Metaphor’ we propose a concrete design guidelines specifically for designing icons to ensure instant learning, usage and adaptation of the system for daily usage. A mobile pest management system is developed to bring the real context on which design methodologies and the role of cognitive absorption and metaphor can be examined to identify the most appropriate one. Our preliminary study suggests a comprehensive icon design methodology and its effect on cognitive absorption as well as behavioral intention for low literate novice users

The design of speech-based automated mobile phone services using interface metaphors

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Interface metaphor is a widely used design technique for interactive computer systems. The advantages of using interface metaphors derive from their ability to promote active learning, which enables a user to transfer knowledge from a familiar real world domain, to an unfamiliar computing domain. Interface metaphor is not currently used for the design of automated phone services, and it was the aim of this thesis to examine whether interface metaphor could improve the usability of speech-activated automated mobile phone services. A human-centred design methodology was followed to generate, select, and develop potential metaphors, which were used to implement metaphor-based phone services. An experimental methodology was then used to compare the usability of the metaphor-based services with the usability of currently available number-based phone services. The first experiment examined the effect of three different interface metaphors on the usability of a mobile city guide service. Usability was measured as a range of performance and attitude measures, and was supplemented by telephone interview data. After three consecutive days of usage, participants both preferred, and performed better with, the service that was based on an office filing system metaphor. Experiment two was conducted over a six week period, and investigated the effect of users' individual differences, and the context of use, on the usability of both the office filing system metaphor-based service, and a non-metaphor service. The results showed that performance with the metaphor-based service was significantly better than performance with the non-metaphor service. The usability of the metaphor-based service was not significantly affected by users' individual characteristics and aptitudes, whereas the number-based service was, suggesting that metaphor-based services may be more usable for a wider range of potential users. Usability levels for both services were found to be consistent across both private and public locations of use, suggesting that speech-activated mobile phone services provide a flexible means of information access. Experiment three investigated the strategies used by participants when interacting with mobile phone services, specifically the visualisation strategy that was used by two thirds of the metaphor-based service participants in experiment two. In addition to the attitude and performance measures used for experiments one and two, face-to face interviews were conducted with participants. The results indicated that significantly more participants visualised the metaphor-based services relative to a non-metaphor service, and that visualisation of the service structure led to significant performance improvements. This thesis has demonstrated the usability benefits of interface metaphor as a design technique for speech-based mobile phone services. These benefits of metaphor appear to derive from their ability to provide a mental model of the phone service that can be visualised, and their ability to accommodate the individual differences of users

Icon Types, Classical and Expressive Aesthetics, Pleasurable Interaction and Satisfaction with the Process of Semi-literate Users

The hedonic role of icons has been undermined in contemporary human computer interaction research, though users have specifically mentioned the importance of icons while performing aesthetic evaluation of user interfaces. Previous research has also neglected factors like aesthetics and pleasurable interaction while comparing efficiency of same interface elements. In this regard, current study investigates how different types of icons in mobile applications affect the aesthetics and pleasurable interactions of semi-literate users. This study also investigates the extent to which aesthetics and pleasurable interactions affect satisfaction with the process. The study addresses these issues from the theoretical perspectives of metaphor and aesthetics. Significant differences were observed for aesthetics and pleasurable interactions between two different types of icon sets, namely metaphoric and idiomatic. This study suggests that for higher evaluation of aesthetics and pleasurable interaction for semi-literate users, specific icon types are preferred

Interactive maps: What we know and what we need to know

This article provides a review of the current state of science regarding cartographic interaction a complement to the traditional focus within cartography on cartographic representation. Cartographic interaction is defined as the dialog between a human and map mediated through a computing device and is essential to the research into interactive cartography geovisualization and geovisual analytics. The review is structured around six fundamental questions facing a science of cartographic interaction: (1) what is cartographic interaction (e.g. digital versus analog interactions interaction versus interfaces stages of interaction interactive maps versus mapping systems versus map mash-ups); (2) why provide cartographic interaction (e.g. visual thinking geographic insight the stages of science the cartographic problematic); (3) when should cartographic interaction be provided (e.g. static versus interactive maps interface complexity the productivity paradox flexibility versus constraint work versus enabling interactions); (4) who should be provided with cartographic interaction (e.g. user-centered design user ability expertise and motivation adaptive cartography and geocollaboration); (5) where should cartographic interaction be provided (e.g. input capabilities bandwidth and processing power display capabilities mobile mapping and location-based services); and (6) how should cartographic interaction be provided (e.g. interaction primitives objective-based versus operator-based versus operand-based taxonomies interface styles interface design)? The article concludes with a summary of research questions facing cartographic interaction and offers an outlook for cartography as a field of study moving forward

Analysis of graphical user interface design in the context of human-computer interaction (with a case study on oven control panel)

Thesis (Master)--Izmir Institute of Technology, Industrial Design, Izmir, 2005Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 95)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishxi, 98 leavesIn this era that the popularity of digital products has risen, computer and its tools affect every part of our lives. New technologies provide extraordinary powers to those people who master them. Digital products and their graphical user interfaces are still new technologies that are being rapidly disseminated. Human performance in the use of digital product will remain a rapidly expanding research and development topic in the coming decades. For this reason, theimportance of interaction between digital product and user should be considered.The term .Graphical user interface. is the layer where the digital productcommunicated with human and human communicated with digital product. A well-designed product can fail with an unsuccessful interface. Conversely, a product has not good design values can become successful with its well-designed interface. To get best interaction between digital product and user, the graphical interface design itself has some rudimentary design values like user-friendliness, usability, easy to learn, etc.At an individual level, user interfaces change many people.s lives. For instance, At an individual level, user interfaces change many people.s lives. For instance, and technicians can manipulate their job more safely. Some changes, however, are disruptive; too often, users must cope with frustration, fear, and failure when they encounter excessive complexity, incomprehensible terminology, or chaotic layouts.Designers are exploring how best to organize information graphically. They are developing query languages and visually attractive facilities. Techniques such as direct manipulation, telepresence, and virtual realities may change the ways that we interact with and think about digital products. Consequently, the goal of making the user's quality of life better is important to keep in mind.In this research, from the point of an industrial designer.s view, the subject matter .Graphical user interface design., and its all interaction rules with user are evaluated. In terms of design language, which has the ability of understand the user behavior, it puts the subject matter on the agenda to explore recipe of a successful product