On visual interfaces and their conceptual analysis

Abstract

Visual interface is a rather general concept. Visualization in the user interface aims at the user's task. A cognitive approach to the analysis of a visual interface is suggested. As example some simple tasks like mailing, editing, or file handling are taken. A survey of several user interfaces discusses some fundamental principles of visualization. Based on the survey and some principles of human concept building (spatial concepts), a systematic method of the concepts which can be visualized is suggested. This approach is illustrated by a discussion of different user interfaces for a mailing task. With the paper, we want to initiate a cognitive view to a visual interface.KeywordsUser InterfaceVirtual WorldVirtual ObjectVisual InterfaceSpatial ConceptThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.