Universal Usability statements: Marking the trail for all users

Signposts at ski areas help skiers to choose slopes that match their skills and equipment. They describe easy, intermediate and expert trails, indicate which ones are groomed, and give their length or vertical drop. Skiers use this information to make informed decisions, avoiding routes that may be too difficult or too long. They may choose different skis or waxes depending on the conditions. For web surfers, good guidance and safe visits are still too rare. Despite extensive research and improved products, the primary experience of many users is frustration and anxiety. Common problems include long download times, incompatible browser versions, and unavailable plug-ins. Too often users find that their screen size does not match the designer's screen size, needed fonts are not installed, or media players just don't work on their machine. These problems are troubling to experienced users as well as novices and even more problematic to users with disabilities. However, web site designers can take immediate measures to help web surfers find safe trails and have more successful web experiences. Just as park rangers provide information that describes the terrain and the obstacles that may be lurking around the corner, web site designers can provide web versions of this information. When it becomes apparent that too many trails are marked as 'extremely difficult', thoughtful park rangers will recognize the need to cut some more 'moderate' and 'easy' trails to enable more visitors to enjoy the scenery. (UMIACS-TR-2001-84) (HCIL-TR-2001-02

Dynamic query tools for time series data sets: Timebox widgets for interactive exploration (2004)

Timeboxes are rectangular widgets that can be used in direct-manipulation graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to specify query constraints on time series data sets. Timeboxes are used to specify simultaneously two sets of constraints: given a set of N time series profiles, a timebox covering time periods x1...x2 (x1rx2) and values y1...y2 (y1ry2) will retrieve only those nAN that have values y1ryry2 during all times x1rxrx2. TimeSearcher is an information visualization tool that combines timebox queries with overview displays, query-byexample facilities, and support for queries over multiple time-varying attributes. Query manipulation tools including pattern inversion and eaders & laggards graphical bookmarks provide additional support for interactive exploration of data sets. Extensions to the basic timebox model that provide additional expressivity include variable time timeboxes, which can be used to express queries with variability in the time interval, and angular queries, which search for ranges of differentials, rather than absolute values. Analysis of the algorithmic requirements for providing dynamic query performance for timebox queries showed that a sequential search outperformed searches based on geometric indices. Design studies helped identify the strengths and weaknesses of the query tools. Extended case studies involving the analysis of two different types of data from molecular biology experiments provided valuable feedback and validated the utility of both the timebox model and the TimeSearcher tool. Timesearcher is available [url=http://www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/ timesearcher]online.[/url

Visual Queries for Finding Patterns in Time Series Data (2002)

Few tools exist for data exploration and pattern identification in time series data sets. Timeboxes are rectangular, direct-manipulation queries for studying time-series datasets. Timeboxes are the primary query tool in our Time- Searcher application, which supports interactive exploration via dynamic queries, along with overviews of query results and drag-and-drop support for query-by-example. This paper describes the TimeSearcher application and possible extensions to the timebox query model, along with a discussion of the use of TimeSearcher for exploring a time series data set involving gene expression profiles

Coordinating Overviews and Detail Views of WWW Log Data (2000)

Web server log analysis tools provide site operators with useful information regarding the visitors to their sites. Unfortunately, the utility of these tools is often limited by the use of aggregate summaries that hide the information associated with individual requests, and by the absence of contextual data that might help users interpret those summaries. Building upon earlier work in the use of starfield visualizations to display web site requests as individual data points [8], this paper describes the use of multiple-coordinated visualizations of web log data at varying granularities, and alongside additional related displays of appropriate contextual information

Visual Specification of Queries for Finding Patterns in Time-Series Data (2001)

Widespread interest in discovering features and trends in time- series has generated a need for tools that support interactive exploration.This paper introduces timeboxes: a powerful graphical, directmanipulation metaphor for the specification of queries over time-series datasets. Our TimeFinder implementation of timeboxes supports interactive formulation and modification of queries, thus speeding the process of exploring time-series data sets and guiding data mining. TimeFinder includes windows for timebox queries, individual time-series, and details-on-demand. Other features include drag-and-drop support for query-by-example and graphical envelopes for displaying the extent of the entire data set and result set from a given query. Extensions involving increased expressive power and general temporal data sets are discussed

An Augmented Visual Query Mechanism for Finding Patterns in Time Series Data (2002)

Relatively few query tools exist for data exploration and pattern identification in time series data sets. In previous work we introduced Timeboxes. Timeboxes are rectangular, direct-manipulation queries for studying time-series datasets. We demonstrated how Timeboxes can be used to support interactive exploration via dynamic queries, along with overviews of query results and drag-and-drop support for query-by-example. In this paper, we extend our work by introducing Variable Time Timeboxes (VTT). VTTs are a natural generalization of Timeboxes, which permit the specification of queries that allow a degree of uncertainty in the time axis. We carefully motivate the need for these more expressive queries, and demonstrate the utility of our approach on several data sets

Dynamic Querying for Pattern Identification in Microarray and Genomic Data (2003)

Data sets involving linear ordered sequences are a recurring theme in bioinformatics. Dynamic query tools that support exploration of these data sets can be useful for identifying patterns of interest. This paper describes the use of one such tool TimeSearcher - to interactively explore linear sequence data sets taken from two bioinformatics problems. Microarray time course data sets involve expression levels for large numbers of genes over multiple time points. TimeSearcher can be used to interactively search these data sets for genes with expression profiles of interest. The occurrence frequencies of short sequences of DNA in aligned exons can be used to identify sequences that play a role in the pre-mRNA splicing. TimeSearcher can be used to search these data sets for candidate splicing signals

User-centered design and evaluation of RxMAGIC: A Prescription Management And General Inventory Control system for free clinic dispensaries

Medication management is a complex and expensive multistage process that covers the prescribing and ordering, order communication, dispensing, administering, and monitoring and use of prescription medications. While challenges in medication management are ubiquitous across all settings, they can be particularly exacerbated in a free clinic that serves a medically vulnerable population. These patients suffer from financial constraints, poor health literacy, multiple chronic conditions, and medication non-adherence. Clinical pharmacists play an integral role in the provision of healthcare services to these patients and could benefit from the use of medication management information technology (MMIT) to provide efficiencies in the tracking, provision, and use of medications. While MMITs exist, they are not designed to support the unique needs of pharmacists in these settings