Towards Designing and Generating User Interfaces by Using Expert Knowledge

[ES] La investigación reportada en la presente tesis doctoral se lleva a cabo a través de la metodología de la ciencia del diseño que se centra en la creación y evaluación de artefactos. En esta tesis, el principal artefacto es el novedoso enfoque para diseñar y generar interfaces de usuario utilizando el conocimiento experto. Con el fin de permitir el uso del conocimiento experto, el enfoque propuesto se basa en la reutilización de patrones de diseño que incorporan el conocimiento experto del diseño de la interfaz y proporcionan soluciones reutilizables a diversos problemas de diseño. El objetivo principal de dicho enfoque es abordar el uso de patrones de diseño a fin de garantizar que los conocimientos especializados se integren en el diseño y la generación de interfaces de usuario para aplicaciones móviles y web. Las contribuciones específicas de esta tesis se resumen a continuación: Una primera contribución consiste en el marco AUIDP que se define para apoyar el diseño y la generación de interfaces adaptativas para aplicaciones web y móviles utilizando patrones de diseño HCI. El marco propuesto abarca tanto la etapa de diseño como la de ejecución de dichas interfaces. En el momento del diseño, los modelos de patrones de diseño junto con la interfaz de usuario y el perfil de usuario se definen siguiendo una metodología de desarrollo específica. En tiempo de ejecución, los modelos creados se utilizan para permitir la selección de patrones de diseño de HCI y para permitir la generación de interfaces de usuario a partir de las soluciones de diseño proporcionadas por los patrones de diseño relevantes. La segunda contribución es un método de especificación para establecer un modelo de ontología que convierte la representación tradicional basada en texto en la representación formal del patrón de diseño de HCI. Este método adopta la metodología Neon para lograr la transición de las representaciones informales a las formales. El modelo de ontología creado se llama MIDEP, que es una ontología modular que captura el conocimiento sobre los patrones de diseño, así como la interfaz de usuario y el perfil del usuario. La tercera contribución es el IDEPAR, que es el primer sistema dentro del marco global del AUIDP. Este sistema tiene como objetivo recomendar automáticamente los patrones de diseño más relevantes para un problema de diseño dado. Se basa en un enfoque híbrido que utiliza una combinación mixta de técnicas de recomendación basadas en texto y ontología para producir recomendaciones de patrones de diseño que proporcionan soluciones de diseño apropiadas. La cuarta contribución es un sistema generador de interfaz llamado ICGDEP, que se propone para generar automáticamente el código fuente de la interfaz de usuario para aplicaciones web y móviles. El ICGDEP es el segundo sistema dentro del marco global de AUIDP y se basa en el uso de patrones de diseño de HCI que son recomendados por el sistema IDEPAR. Su objetivo principal es generar automáticamente el código fuente de la interfaz de usuario a partir de las soluciones de diseño proporcionadas por los patrones de diseño. Para lograr esto, el sistema ICGDEP utiliza un método que permite la generación de código fuente de interfaz de usuario para la aplicación de destino. Las contribuciones aportadas en la presente tesis han sido validadas a través de diferentes perspectivas. En primer lugar, la evaluación de la ontología MIDEP desarrollada se realiza utilizando preguntas de competencia, enfoques de evaluación basados en la tecnología y basados en aplicaciones. En segundo lugar, la evaluación del sistema IDEPAR se establece mediante un patrón producido por expertos y un estudio de evaluación centrado en el usuario. Luego, el sistema ICGDEP es evaluado en términos de ser utilizado efectivamente por los desarrolladores, considerando el factor de productividad. Por último, la evaluación del marco mundial de AUIDP se lleva a cabo mediante estudios de casos y estudios de usabilidad.[CA] La investigació reportada en aquesta tesi doctoral es duu a terme a través de la metodologia de la ciència del disseny que se centra en la creació i avaluació d'artefactes. En aquesta tesi, el principal artefacte és el nou enfocament per dissenyar i generar interfícies d'usuari utilitzant el coneixement expert. Per tal de permetre l'ús del coneixement expert, l'enfocament proposat es basa en la reutilització de patrons de disseny que incorporen el coneixement expert del disseny de la interfície i proporcionen solucions reutilitzables a diversos problemes de disseny. L'objectiu principal d'aquest enfocament és abordar l'ús de patrons de disseny per tal de garantir que els coneixements especialitzats s'integrin en el disseny i la generació d'interfícies d'usuari per a aplicacions mòbils i web. Les contribucions específiques d'aquesta tesi es resumeixen a continuació: Una primera contribució consisteix en el marc AUIDP que es defineix per donar suport al disseny i generació d'interfícies adaptatives per a aplicacions web i mòbils utilitzant patrons de disseny HCI. El marc proposat inclou tant l'etapa de disseny com la d'execució de les interfícies esmentades. En el moment del disseny, els models de patrons de disseny juntament amb la interfície d'usuari i el perfil d'usuari es defineixen seguint una metodologia de desenvolupament específica. En temps d'execució, els models creats s'utilitzen per permetre la selecció de patrons de disseny de HCI i per permetre la generació de interfícies d'usuari a partir de les solucions de disseny proporcionades pels patrons de disseny rellevants. La segona contribució és un mètode d'especificació per establir un model d'ontologia que converteix la representació tradicional basada en text en la representació formal del patró de disseny de HCI. Aquest mètode adopta la metodologia Neon per aconseguir la transició de les representacions informals a les formals. El model d'ontologia creat s'anomena MIDEP, una ontologia modular que captura el coneixement sobre els patrons de disseny, així com la interfície d'usuari i el perfil de l'usuari. La tercera contribució és l'IDEPAR, que és el primer sistema dins del marc global de l'AUIDP. Aquest sistema té com a objectiu recomanar automàticament els patrons de disseny més rellevants per a un problema de disseny donat. Es basa en un enfocament híbrid que utilitza una combinació mixta de tècniques de recomanació basades en text i ontologia per produir recomanacions de patrons de disseny que proporcionen solucions de disseny apropiades. La quarta contribució és un sistema generador d'interfície anomenat ICGDEP, que es proposa per generar automàticament el codi font de la interfície d'usuari per a aplicacions web i mòbils. L'ICGDEP és el segon sistema dins del marc global d'AUIDP i es basa en l'ús de patrons de disseny de HCI que són recomanats pel sistema IDEPAR. El seu objectiu principal és generar automàticament el codi font de la interfície d'usuari a partir de les solucions de disseny proporcionades pels patrons de disseny. Per aconseguir-ho, el sistema ICGDEP utilitza un mètode que permet generar codi font d'interfície d'usuari per a l'aplicació de destinació. Les contribucions aportades a la present tesi han estat validades a través de diferents perspectives. En primer lloc, l'avaluació de l'ontologia MIDEP desenvolupada es fa utilitzant preguntes de competència, enfocaments d'avaluació basats en la tecnologia i basats en aplicacions. En segon lloc, l'avaluació del sistema IDEPAR s'estableix mitjançant un patró produït per experts i un estudi d'avaluació centrat en l'usuari. Després, el sistema ICGDEP és avaluat en termes de ser utilitzat efectivament pels desenvolupadors, considerant el factor de productivitat. Finalment, l'avaluació del marc mundial d'AUIDP es fa mitjançant estudis de casos i estudis d'usabilitat.[EN] The research reported in the present PhD dissertation is conducted through the design science methodology that focuses on creating and evaluating artifacts. In the current thesis, the main artifact is the novel approach to design and generate user interfaces using expert knowledge. In order to enable the use of expert knowledge, the present approach is devoted to reuse design patterns that incorporate expert knowledge of interface design and provide reusable solutions to various design problems. The main goal of the proposed approach is to address the use of design patterns in order to ensure that expert knowledge is integrated into the design and generation of user interfaces for mobile and Web applications. The specific contributions of this thesis are summarized below: This first contribution is the AUIDP framework that is defined to support the design and generation of adaptive interfaces for Web and mobile applications using HCI design patterns. The proposed framework spans over design-time and run-time. At design-time, models of design patterns along with user interface and user profile are defined following a specific development methodology. At run-time, the created models are used to allow the selection of HCI design patterns and to enable the generation of user interfaces from the design solutions provided by the relevant design patterns. The second contribution is a specification method to establish an ontology model that turns traditional text-based representation into formal HCI design pattern representation. This method adopts the Neon methodology to achieve the transition from informal to formal representations. The created ontology model is named MIDEP, which is a modular ontology that captures knowledge about design patterns as well as the user interface and user's profile. The third contribution is the IDEPAR, which is the first system within the global AUIDP framework. This system aims to automatically recommend the most relevant design patterns for a given design problem. It is based on a hybrid approach that relies on a mixed combination of text-based and ontology-based recommendation techniques to produce design pattern recommendations that provide appropriate design solutions. The fourth contribution is an interface generator system called ICGDEP, which is proposed to automatically generate the user interface source code for Web and mobile applications. The proposed ICGDEP is the second system within the global AUIDP framework and relies on the use of HCI design patterns that are recommended by the IDEPAR system. It mainly aims at automatically generating the user interface source code from the design solutions provided by design patterns. To achieve this, the ICGDEP system is based on a generation method that allows the generation of user interface source code for the target application. The contributions provided in the present thesis have been validated through different perspectives. First, the evaluation of the developed MIDEP ontology is performed using competency questions, technology-based, and application-based evaluation approaches. Second, the evaluation of the IDEPAR system is established through an expert-based gold standard and a user-centric evaluation study. Then, the ICGDEP system is evaluated in terms of being effectively used by developers, considering the productivity factor. Finally, the evaluation of the global AUIDP framework is conducted through case studies and usability studies.Braham, A. (2022). Towards Designing and Generating User Interfaces by Using Expert Knowledge [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/19092

A Hybrid Recommender System for HCI Design Pattern Recommendations

[EN] User interface design patterns are acknowledged as a standard solution to recurring de¿ sign problems. The heterogeneity of existing design patterns makes the selection of relevant ones difficult. To tackle these concerns, the current work contributes in a twofold manner. The first con¿ tribution is the development of a recommender system for selecting the most relevant design pat¿ terns in the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) domain. This system introduces a hybrid approach that combines text¿based and ontology¿based techniques and is aimed at using semantic similarity along with ontology models to retrieve appropriate HCI design patterns. The second contribution addresses the validation of the proposed recommender system regarding the acceptance intention towards our system by assessing the perceived experience and the perceived accuracy. To this pur¿ pose, we conducted a user¿centric evaluation experiment wherein participants were invited to fill pre¿study and post¿test questionnaires. The findings of the evaluation study revealed that the per¿ ceived experience of the proposed system¿s quality and the accuracy of the recommended design patterns were assessed positively.Braham, A.; Khemaja, M.; Buendía García, F.; Gargouri, F. (2021). A Hybrid Recommender System for HCI Design Pattern Recommendations. Applied Sciences. 11(22):1-25. https://doi.org/10.3390/app112210776S125112

WATER USE IN OLIVE ORCHARDS ESTIMATED BY PHYSIOLOGIC AND CLIMATIC METHODS IN TUNISIA

This experimental study conducted on irrigated olive trees (cv. Meski) in arid climate in Enfidha-Tunisia. This study aims to estimate the water needs of the Olive Trees for a possible optimization of irrigation.To do this, a calculation of water requirements was performed by physiologic and climatic methods and compared to traditional irrigation practiced by farmer (T0). The physiologic method is based on the xylem sap flow (T1) and the climatic method is based on the reference evapotranspiration (T2).Results showed that the values of the highest transpiration are recorded under 60% ET0 (T2).Under this treatment, the average of transpiration was about 50% of the applied irrigation dose, with soil evaporation average about 15%. These results allowed us to conclude that the physiological method (T1) allows a better estimate of water needs. This method also improves the profitability of the olive tree with a better optimization of water use (save 35% of water)

Ecophysiological Responses of Two Olive Tree Cultivars (Olea europaea L. CV Koroneiki and Chemlali) Under Three Water Treatments

In this paper, our objective is to assess and compare the effects of three levels of irrigation application on the ecophysiological behavior and plant dry matter accumulation of two young olive tree cultivars Koroneiki, a promising greek cultivar, and Chemlali, the best local cultivar. According to this assessment, we can determine the most efficient water treatment that could be suitable for Mediterranean environments subjected to water shortage conditions. Measurements were made in the green house of the Tunisian Olive tree Institute under normal day-light conditions from March, 16th to April, 21st 2015. Three water treatments were applied which are T100% (control treatment: Daily irrigation at 100% of Available Water Content (AWC)), T50% (Daily irrigation at 50% of AWC) and T0% (Without watering). The results showed that the two olive tree cultivars possess important mechanisms to overtake limited water resources. However, some striking variations existed between the two cultivars studied. Indeed, as water stress increased (T0%), Chemlali maintained longer a high midday leaf water potential compared (- 4.54 MPa) to Koroneiki (- 5.8 MPa). T50% treatment seems to be sufficient for both cultivars. Measurements of total Osmotic Adjustment (OA) showed that olive trees use this mechanism to create very negative leaf water potentials in order to be able to extract water from a dry root environment. The root/shoot ratio of Chemlali plants at T50% treatment was the highest (1.08) comparatively with the other two treatments (0.70 and 0.79 for T100% and T0% AWC water treatments, respectively). This result shows that Chemlali plants valorize low quantities of water (T50%) rather than high quantities (T100%) and Koroneiki plants behave better when it is irrigated at 100% AWC. To conclude, Chemlali plants irrigated at 50% AWC, compared to Koroneiki plants, are the most suitable to tolerate water restriction conditions

A Hybrid Recommender System for HCI Design Pattern Recommendations

User interface design patterns are acknowledged as a standard solution to recurring design problems. The heterogeneity of existing design patterns makes the selection of relevant ones difficult. To tackle these concerns, the current work contributes in a twofold manner. The first contribution is the development of a recommender system for selecting the most relevant design patterns in the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) domain. This system introduces a hybrid approach that combines text-based and ontology-based techniques and is aimed at using semantic similarity along with ontology models to retrieve appropriate HCI design patterns. The second contribution addresses the validation of the proposed recommender system regarding the acceptance intention towards our system by assessing the perceived experience and the perceived accuracy. To this purpose, we conducted a user-centric evaluation experiment wherein participants were invited to fill pre-study and post-test questionnaires. The findings of the evaluation study revealed that the perceived experience of the proposed system’s quality and the accuracy of the recommended design patterns were assessed positively

User interface design patterns and ontology models for adaptive mobile applications

[EN] Mobile applications are an essential element in pervasive and ubiquitous computing, and they face many challenges during their generation process from the analysis of user needs to the design of specific mobile interfaces and their development in several technological platforms. Moreover, the rise of Ambient Intelligent and context-aware environments also introduces multiple interaction aspects to be considered when using mobile devices in this kind of scenarios. The present work seeks to examine the role of design patterns and ontology models in order to help with the generation of mobile applications, which can be adapted at runtime to the various user needs, different context scenarios, interactive design modes, or technology requirements. In this way, an ontology-based framework is introduced to represent, design, and support the adaptation of user interfaces in mobile appli cations by using design patterns according to these user needs or preferences and the context around them. This framework provides developers with a client-server architecture that enables the access to an expert knowledge base of user, context, and pattern information together with a set of inference rules, which allow the dynamic selection of interface design patterns and the runtime adaptation of the user interface features. These ontology models and inference rules are key components of the proposed framework, and their implementation has helped to produce an example of mobile application supporting user interface adap tation processes for disabled people, which can be required in Ambient Intelligent environments. Three examples of user scenarios have been considered to assess the framework potential, and usability dimensions have been tested by a limited set of users through the produced mobile application, making the usefulness of generated adaptive user interfaces apparent.Amani, B.; Buendía García, F.; Khemaja, M.; Gargouri, F. (2021). User interface design patterns and ontology models for adaptive mobile applications. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing. 26:1395-1411. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-020-01481-5139514112

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE OSMOTIC ADJUSTMENT IN OLIVE TREE LEAVES DURING DROUGHT STRESS

We evaluated the osmotic adjustment capacity of two-year-old olive trees (Olea europaea L.) grown in pots in a greenhouse during a period of drought stress. Total osmotic adjustment increased with increasing severity of drought stress. Trees in the high stress treatment showed a total osmotic adjustment of 2.1 MPa and 2.8 MPa for the cultivars ‘Meski’ and ’Koroneiki’, respectively, 30 days after imposing drought stress. Osmotic adjustment allowed the leaves to reach total water potentials of -4.3 and -6.0 MPa for ‘Meski’ and ‘Koroneiki’, respectively. Osmotic adjustment (OA) in olive trees was associated with active (AOA) and passive (POA) osmotic regulation mechanisms. Using a regression analysis with some of the key osmoregulatory compounds (i.e. proline, soluble sugars and potassium), we found that ‘Koroneiki’ tends to adopt a passive strategy (POA) to tolerate progressive drought stress (confirmed by a reduction in leaf water content), while ‘Meski’ used an active strategy (AOA) and was able to maintain its leaf water content

Estimation and comparison of reference evapotranspiration using different methods to determine olive trees irrigation schedule in different bioclimatic stages of Tunisia

[eng] The study of olive trees water requirements allows a better water management by using more accurate methods including maximum parameters of the continuum soil-plant- atmosphere. The Penman-Monteith equations is consideredas the most rational approach and the most reliable for calculating evapotranspiration. Only this approach necessarily requires an important number of climate parameters. The use of other equations, less complicated and using less climate parameters may be a reliable and efficient alternative. This experimental study was carried out on two cultivars cv. 'Meski' and cv. 'Chemlali' conducted in the intensive system in different bioclimatic stages (Subhumid, Semi-Arid and Arid) in Tunisia. This work aims to estimate olive trees water needs using evapotranspiration calculation in three different bioclimatic stages. For that, we compared the Penman-Monteith formula with Blaney-Criddel, Hargreaves-Temperature, Hargreaves- Radiation and Priestley-Taylor formulas to estimate reference evapotranspiration (ET0). Results show that ET0 values calculated by Priestley-Taylor and Blaney-Criddel formulas were more or less similar to Penman-Monteith. The ET0 values found by Hargreaves-Temperature and Hargreaves-Radiation were twice the values calculated by Penman-Monteith formula. We also found good correlations between the reference evapotranspiration calculated by the Penman-Monteith equation and that calculated by Priestley-Taylor and Blaney-Criddel equations in all bioclimatic stages (R2 more than 0.85, p < 1%). The ET0 sensitivity analysis has shown that solar radiation and air temperature (energetic climatic parameters) have the dominant effect on the ET0 at the level of the different climatic regions. Accordingly, in the case of lack of some climatic parameters and in sub-humid, semi-arid and arid conditions and for the different phenological stages of the olive tree, we can use Priestley-Taylor and/or Blaney-Criddle formulas to estimate water needs