Bibliographie

Ahuja Jaspreet S. & Webster Jane, Perceived disorientation: an examination of a new measure to assess web design effectiveness, Interacting with Computers, 2001, vol. 14, n° 1, pp. 15-29. Akin Ömer & Lin Chengtah, Design protocol data and novel design decisions, Design Studies, 1995, vol. 16, pp. 211-236. Alexander Christopher, Notes on the ..

Evaluating usability of e-commerce sites by tracking eye movements

The majority of existing e-commerce design guidelines has been derived by conducting heuristic evaluations, without reporting the involvement of the users themselves. This research provides clarification on a number of existing web design guidelines for e-commerce sites based on empirical studies with users. Four studies were conducted and each study focused on a specific set of design guidelines as found in the literature. A combined qualitative and quantitative approach has been used, including a state-of-the-art technique, eye tracking. The eye movement data were complemented by user-profile data elicited through background questionnaires and user-perception data as captured through semi-structured interviews. The first study investigated users’ initial impressions of homepages of e-commerce sites. The second study examined users’ adaptability to persistent or varied placement of design elements. The third and fourth studies explored the effect of the presentation format of e-commerce web pages: the first in terms of the proportion of images, and the second in terms of how key icons related to an e-commerce transaction were presented. On the whole, the results of the studies corroborated existing design guidelines, but they also identified potential refinements. The thesis contributes both methodologically and empirically to Human-Computer Interaction. The combined methodological approach enables insight into the user experience that spans behavioural aspects such as visual search behaviour and visual search performance data, and subjective aspects such as user expectations and preferences. The empirical outcomes amplify the design guidelines from a user’s perspective

Enhanced Cognitive Walkthrough: Development of the Cognitive Walkthrough Method to Better Predict, Identify, and Present Usability Problems

To avoid use errors when handling medical equipment, it is important to develop products with a high degree of usability. This can be achieved by performing usability evaluations in the product development process to detect and mitigate potential usability problems. A commonly used method is cognitive walkthrough (CW), but this method shows three weaknesses: poor high-level perspective, insufficient categorisation of detected usability problems, and difficulties in overviewing the analytical results. This paper presents a further development of CW with the aim of overcoming its weaknesses. The new method is called enhanced cognitive walkthrough (ECW). ECW is a proactive analytical method for analysis of potential usability problems. The ECW method has been employed to evaluate user interface designs of medical equipment such as home-care ventilators, infusion pumps, dialysis machines, and insulin pumps. The method has proved capable of identifying several potential use problems in designs

Supporting the management of electronic engineering design teams through a dynamic contingency approach

The contribution to knowledge presented in this thesis is the dynamic contingency approach, supported through software, which supports the management of the early, conceptual stages of electronic engineering team design. 1he term contingency pertains to the design environment being in a contingent state, that is "dependent on uncertain issues" (Hayward & Sparkes, 1991). These issues are typically dynamic, that is ''pertaining to forces not in equilibrium, forces that produce motion" (Hayward & Sparkes, 1991). The concept for the dynamic contingency approach was developed through a soft systems analysis. This analysis drew upon an ethnographic study conducted in parallel with the present work by another researcher. Both the present work and the ethnographic study were carried out within a multidisciplinary research team in collaboration with an industrial partner (company A). This thesis discusses the evolution of this multidisciplinary research method, including the development of a software prototype (EDAPT), which enabled the requirements for the dynamic contingency approach to be established. Through this research method key issues were identified which affect the ability of design managers, and to a lesser extent design engineers, to adequately perceive the current situation of a design project; and to determine appropriate corrective responses to potential problem situations. The work indicates that this is particularly true when under pressure in such a complex, interdependent and dynamic environment. This thesis illustrates how the environment of design can be dependent upon these key issues which are often uncertain, that is, the environment is in a contingent state. Furthermore, the thesis depicts the dynamic nature of these issues. The dynamic contingency approach was developed in response to these issues in partnership with the industrial collaborator. The approach synthesises a variety of such issues to support the coordination of interdependencies, provide a view of the current project situation, alert stakeholders to potential problem situations, and present possible responses to potential problem situations. In short, what has been achieved is a design management worldview with sufficient detail to help people expect and anticipate what might happen, and how others may behave in a team design environment, together with the foundations for a system which enables and supports this perspective. In essence the approach provides a way of conceptualising the design environment which should enable improvements in the management of design teams at the early, conceptual stages of electronic engineering design projects

Checklist: uma ferramenta de suporte a avaliação ergonômica de interfaces

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnologico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de ProduçãoDestaca a importância das interfaces de software, e propõe que o pré-diagnóstico da etapa de avaliação preliminar do software seja realizada com a utilização de um checklist baseado em normas e recomendações ergonômicas selecionadas, e classificadas segundo critérios ergonômicos. Descreve a metodologia utilizada para geração e aplicação do checklist, e compara os resultados de uma avaliação de um software editor de textos obtida através da aplicação do checklist proposto, com os resultados obtidos por uma avaliação ergonômica completa do mesmo software. O resultado da comparação mostra que o checklist conseguiu detectar grande parte dos problemas de usabilidade detectados pela avaliação completa, e mostra que a inserção do checklist na avaliação aumentaria a sua abrangência

Design models for multimedia learning environments based on interactive drama

Interactive multimedia offers a degree of richness that lies outside the scope of conventional design methods for computer based learning. This research seeks to develop an interdisciplinary approach to design, that recognises the ways in which the combination and integration of different media forms can be exploited to stimulate experiential, intuitive, perceptual, and social/communicative aspects of learning. The goal of the project has been to develop a conceptual design model for the development of multimedia learning environments (MLEs), for humanistic learning applications, by using interactive drama. The models and methods developed though a practical design project have been founded upon theory from the realms of psychology, social sciences, learning and education, the arts and media, and software design. They address the cognitive and social aspects of learning, the use and interpretation of interactive media, the creation of learning environments, and the activities involved in design. As a vehicle to test the theoretical perspective, a design project has been undertaken, that has involved: 0 learning needs analysis and subject matter development; 9 development of a structural model for the MLE; 9 information structure, navigation and interface design; scripting, design and development of media materials for the development of interactive drama; formative evaluation. The subject area chosen for the design project is that of pregnancy and childbirth. The primary reasons for this choice was a desire to address the issues of design for informal learning experiences (that do not fit in the remit of institutional curricula) and an interest in finding ways to represent the social and interpersonal dimension to learning. Such learning processes have been described as `humanistic learning' for the purposes of this research project. To help fulfil these goals, it was decided to work with playwright Simon Turley to develop a number of interactive drama scenes. Not only did this enable some of the more sensitive and personal issues of pregnancy to be addressed, but it also gave an opportunity to explore the world of drama, film and theatre as a means to create interactive learning experiences. The research has shown the benefits of interdisciplinary design practice, produced a framework of the theoretical issues that inform designers, and developed an approach to the design of MLEs for humanistic learning applications. These elements have been brought together to form the conceptual design model.The Higher Education Funding Council For Englan

Multi-modal usability evaluation.

Research into the usability of multi-modal systems has tended to be device-led, with a resulting lack of theory about multi-modal interaction and how it might differ from more conventional interaction. This is compounded by a confusion over the precise definition of modality between the various disciplines within the HCI community, how modalities can be effectively classified, and their usability properties. There is a consequent lack of appropriate methodologies and notations to model such interactions and assess the usability implications of these interfaces. The role of expertise and craft skill in using HCI techniques is also poorly understood. This thesis proposes a new definition of modality, and goes on to identify issues of importance to multi-modal usability, culminating in the development of a new methodology to support the identification of such usability issues. It additionally explores the role of expertise and craft skill in using usability modelling techniques to assess usability issues. By analysing the problems inherent in current definitions and approaches, as well as issues relevant to cognitive science, a clear understanding of both the requirements for a suitable definition of modality and the salient usability issues are obtained. A novel definition of modality, based on the three elements of sense, information form and temporal nature is proposed. Further, an associated taxonomy is produced, which categorises modalities within the sensory dimension as visual, acoustic and haptic. This taxonomy classifies modalities within the information form dimension as lexical, symbolic or concrete, and classifies the temporal form dimension modalities as discrete, continuous, or dynamic. This results in a twenty-seven cell taxonomy, with each cell representing one taxon, indicating one particular type of modality. This is a faceted classification system, with the modality named after the intersection of the categories, building the category names into a compound modality name. The issues surrounding modality are examined and refined into the concepts of modality types, properties and clashes. Modalities are identified as belonging to either the system or the user, and being expressive or receptive in type. Various properties are described based on issues of granularity and redundancy. The five different types of clashes are described. Problems relating to the modelling of multi-modal interaction are examined by means of a motivating case study based on a portion of an interface for a robotic arm. The effectiveness of five modelling techniques, STN, CW, CPM-GOMS, PUM and Z, in representing multi-modal issues are assessed. From this, and using the collated definition, taxonomy and theory, a new methodology, Evaluating Multi-modal Usability (EMU), is developed. This is applied to a previous case study of the robotic arm to assess its application and coverage. Both the definition and EMU are used by students in a case study to test the definition and methodology's effectiveness, and to examine the leverage such an approach may give. The results shows that modalities can be successfully identified within an interactive context, and that usability issues can be described. Empirical video data of the robotic arm in use is used to confirm the issues identified by the previous analyses, and to identify new issues. A rational re-analysis of the six approaches (STN, CW, CPM-GOMS, PUM, Z and EMU) is conducted in order to distinguish between issues identified through craft skill, based on general HCI expertise and familiarity with the problem, and issues identified due to the core of the method for each approach. This is to gain a realistic understanding of the validity of claims made by each method, and to identify how else issues might be identified, and the consequent implications. Craft skill is found to have a wider role than anticipated, and the importance of expertise in using such approaches emphasised. From the case study and the re-analyses the implications for EMU are examined, and suggestions made for future refinement. The main contributions of this thesis are the new definition, taxonomy and theory, which significantly contribute to the theoretical understanding of multi-modal usability, helping to resolve existing confusion in this area. The new methodology, EMU, is a useful technique for examining interfaces for multi-modal usability issues, although some refinement is required. The importance of craft skill in the identification of usability issues has been explicitly explored, with implications for future work on usability modelling and the training of practitioners in such techniques

A interação com o usuário na validação do software Oficina de Relatório

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção.Este estudo apresenta a avaliação do software Oficina de Relatório desenvolvido no Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Santa Catarina (CEFET-SC) com o objetivo de auxiliar o aluno a elaborar o relatório de estágio curricular. Apresenta, também, a implementação das alterações advindas da avaliação. O método de avaliação utilizado foi os ensaios de interação, por empregarem potenciais usuários na realização das tarefas. O estudo, ainda, faz uma abordagem sobre a participação do usuário e a importância da educação na formação de cidadãos, consumidores e potenciais usuários, críticos, capazes de avaliar um produto e sugerir modificações que garantam a usabilidade e gerem satisfação ao usuário. Os resultados comprovaram que o software Oficina de Relatório apresenta um bom grau de usabilidade e pode auxiliar muito na elaboração do relatório de estágio curricula

La conception des documents pour le Web

Pourquoi les documents électroniques pour le Web sont-ils si souvent difficiles à utiliser et à comprendre ? Quelle activité cognitive développent les concepteurs de ces documents ? Quelles difficultés rencontrent-ils ? Cet ouvrage vise à apporter des éléments de réponse à ces questions. Pour cela, dans un premier temps, des éléments historiques sur l’étude scientifique des activités de conception sont mis en perspective avec les spécificités de la conception de documents pour le Web. L’auteur présente ensuite des études qui analysent les difficultés auxquelles les concepteurs de ces documents sont confrontés et les conséquences qu’elles peuvent générer au niveau des documents conçus. Enfin, le rôle de l’esthétique et ses liens avec l’ergonomie clôturent cet essai.Ce livre s’adresse aux étudiants et enseignants-chercheurs qui s’intéressent à la psychologie et à l’ergonomie cognitives des documents électroniques. L’ergonome ainsi que le concepteur de documents Web pourront également y trouver des connaissances intéressantes pour leurs pratiques

La conception des documents pour le Web

Pourquoi les documents électroniques pour le Web sont-ils si souvent difficiles à utiliser et à comprendre ? Quelle activité cognitive développent les concepteurs de ces documents ? Quelles difficultés rencontrent-ils ? Cet ouvrage vise à apporter des éléments de réponse à ces questions. Pour cela, dans un premier temps, des éléments historiques sur l’étude scientifique des activités de conception sont mis en perspective avec les spécificités de la conception de documents pour le Web. L’auteur présente ensuite des études qui analysent les difficultés auxquelles les concepteurs de ces documents sont confrontés et les conséquences qu’elles peuvent générer au niveau des documents conçus. Enfin, le rôle de l’esthétique et ses liens avec l’ergonomie clôturent cet essai.Ce livre s’adresse aux étudiants et enseignants-chercheurs qui s’intéressent à la psychologie et à l’ergonomie cognitives des documents électroniques. L’ergonome ainsi que le concepteur de documents Web pourront également y trouver des connaissances intéressantes pour leurs pratiques