ISML: an interface specification meta-language

In this paper we present an abstract metaphor model situated within a model-based user interface framework. The inclusion of metaphors in graphical user interfaces is a well established, but mostly craft-based strategy to design. A substantial body of notations and tools can be found within the model-based user interface design literature, however an explicit treatment of metaphor and its mappings to other design views has yet to be addressed. We introduce the Interface Specification Meta-Language (ISML) framework and demonstrate its use in comparing the semantic and syntactic features of an interactive system. Challenges facing this research are outlined and further work proposed

User-centred design of flexible hypermedia for a mobile guide: Reflections on the hyperaudio experience

A user-centred design approach involves end-users from the very beginning. Considering users at the early stages compels designers to think in terms of utility and usability and helps develop the system on what is actually needed. This paper discusses the case of HyperAudio, a context-sensitive adaptive and mobile guide to museums developed in the late 90s. User requirements were collected via a survey to understand visitors’ profiles and visit styles in Natural Science museums. The knowledge acquired supported the specification of system requirements, helping defining user model, data structure and adaptive behaviour of the system. User requirements guided the design decisions on what could be implemented by using simple adaptable triggers and what instead needed more sophisticated adaptive techniques, a fundamental choice when all the computation must be done on a PDA. Graphical and interactive environments for developing and testing complex adaptive systems are discussed as a further step towards an iterative design that considers the user interaction a central point. The paper discusses how such an environment allows designers and developers to experiment with different system’s behaviours and to widely test it under realistic conditions by simulation of the actual context evolving over time. The understanding gained in HyperAudio is then considered in the perspective of the developments that followed that first experience: our findings seem still valid despite the passed time

"Off museum" (I) : estris insòlits

En aquest principi del curs 2008-9, les nostres vitrines oferiran algunes de les novetats rebudes recentment, tant de medicaments com d'estris professionals. Per enllaçar amb l'exposició d'antiveneris antics, bàsicament mercurials, que va cloure la sèrie de vitrines del curs passat, ens ha semblat idoni presentar dos estris també relacionats amb el mercuri però en un camp diferent del terapèutic, camp cultivat per il·lustres representants de la professió farmacèutica dedicats a les anàlisis i a la recerca físico-química. Són les cubetes hidrargíriques i una estranya ampul·la de vidre, d'aparença hominiforme, amb sis extremitats acabades en un contacte o born elèctric, contenint una apreciable quantitat de mercuri metàl·lic amb la superfície ennegrida que evidencia el seu ús