Computer Interface Design Research Articles

Designing a multimedia, interactive interface to facilitate cultural understanding in a fifth grade classroom

Stereotypes and miscommunication have led to many misunderstandings between people of different cultures. As the world becomes increasingly multicultural, new tools are needed to educate populations about each other. The multimedia, interactive computer environment could be one such tool. However, in order to realize its full power as a learning environment, interface design needs to expand its traditional role of facilitating computer use to a role that effectively communicates ideas. This project attempts to explore this new role for interface design by creating a prototype, based on principles of visual communications, education and computer interface design, that teaches fifth grade children about cultures.

Academic Computing in Psychology: Trends and Issues

This paper discusses selected trends and issues in academic computing in psychology. Major courseware packages for introductory and laboratory courses are discussed in relation to educational objectives, computer interface design, content, style, substance, and implementation issues. Other important topics focus on the use of the computer as tool, the emergence of HyperCard, a graphics-based authoring environment and multifaceted learning tool, and the evolution of true multimedia and its potential impact on learning. The paper concludes with a discussion on implementation issues, touching on barriers and solutions. A state program for incentive funding and a national advocacy and promotion program are discussed as examples of two successful programs. Keywords Academic computing, educational software, educational technology, HyperCard, hypermedia, multimedia, psychology.

Social Influence and Preference of Direct-Manipulation and Keyboard-Command Computer Interfaces

Direct-manipulation and command-based computer interfaces have each found their own following among microcomputer users. This study explores some of the differences between these two groups of computer users. Participants completed a questionnaire that requested their microcomputer usage and ownership, usage and preference of various command methods and pointing devices, the microcomputers most of their friends use, the microcomputer they would be most willing to purchase next, and their preference for several models of microcomputers. The results showed that participants preferred pointing devices (e.g., mouse) compared to other input methods (e.g., arrow keys) regardless of their prior usage. They tended to use an interface similar to that of their friends' and they reported greater willingness to purchase a computer with an interface similar to the one they most often use. In general, the results suggest that social influence and interface familiarity are important factors in determining which interface people choose to use. Being surrounded by others who use a similar computer interface eases the burden (in terms of effort, time, and expense) of obtaining relevant computer information. An implication of this work is that these variables may hinder approval and acceptance of improved computer interface designs offered by human factors specialists.

How Computers Use Psychologists

This article explores some of the ways in which psychologists have influenced computers, particularly the design of human-computer interfaces. Three psychologists who are involved with computer interface design were interviewed. The mutual benefits of interdisciplinary efforts in computing are described. Keywords: psychology, psychologists, computers, design, human factors, human-computer interface.

Update of Dod-Hdbk-761: ‘Human Engineering Guidelines for Management Information Systems’

DoD-HDBK-761 “Human Engineering Guidelines for Management Information Systems” was extensively updated and revised to reflect 1) significant changes in computing technology, including user interface techniques and display technology, and 2) recent user computer interface (UCI) design literature. The document was updated based on literature reviews, mail-out surveys of UCI designers and users, and interactive computer interviews (using question and answer dialog). The updated document contains two main sections. The first presents a general process for conducting UCI analysis, design, development, and evaluation activities. These activities include; conduct of system functions analysis, function allocation, user task analysis, user surveys, use of UCI prototypes, and product testing. The second section contains over 1000 human engineering guideline statements which can be applied to the detailed design of UCIs. The guideline section addresses dialog design, computer control, data entry and display, job performance aiding, expert systems interface design, and data communication and protection. This paper discusses the content and organization of the document.

Learning to Use a Text Editor

Why do some people have much more difficulty than others in learning a computer-based skill? To answer this question, we observed first-time users of computers as they learned to use a computer text editor. In two experiments, older people had more trouble than younger people and those who scored low on a stanbdard test of Spatial Memory had greater difficulty than high scorers. These correlations were stable over several hours of practice and did not vary as a function of the type of terminal used or specific editing problems attempted. Correlations involving Age and Spatial Memory could not be explained by other characteristics such as amount of education, reasoning ability, or associative memory ability. Results like these that relate learning difficulty to specific characteristics of people ultimately may suggest ways to change computer interface design or training to accommodate a wider range of users.

Lost in Computerl and: Functional Model-Enhanced Training and Interface Designs

Recent research suggests that the key to effective interaction with complex systems like computers is possessing a good mental model of the system. Studies have shown that when novices are provided models and metaphors for a system, they have less difficulty learning operating procedures, recalling procedures, and devising procedural shortcuts. However, two important criticisms of these studies are: (1) they focus more on the means used to communicate a system model (e.g., metaphor) than the type of conceptual Information being communicated (e.g., functional model), and (2) their subjects have all been bright, young college students. The present research examined the effectiveness of functional model-enhanced training for a group more representative of the growing population of older, out-of-school computer users: secretaries aged 21 to 62. Text editing performance was significantly better for secretaries who received functional model-enhanced training and/or provided functional model descriptions of the text editor program. Implications for computer training and interface design are discussed.

Classifying users: a hard look at some controversial issues

It has become a common recommendation to computer interface designers that they should “Know the User” (e.g., Rubinstein and Hersh, 1984). This panel discussion will examine the issues that arise from this advice.

Learning to Use a Text Editor: Some Learner Characteristics That Predict Success

Why do some people have much more difficulty than others in learning a computer-based skill? To answer this question, we observed first-time users of computers as they learned to use a computer text editor. In two experiments, older people had more trouble than younger people and those who scored low on a standard test of spatial memory had greater diffkulty than high scorers. These correlations were stable over several hours of practice and did not vary as a function of the type of terminal used or specific editing problems attempted. Correlations involving age and spatial memory could not be explained by other characteristics such as amount of education, reasoning ability, or associative memory ability. Results like these that relate learning diffkulty to specific characteristics of people ultimately may suggest ways to change computer interface design or training to accommodate a wider range of users.

Computer human factors in computer interface design (panel session)

Human factors psychologists contribute in many ways to improving human-computer interaction. One contribution involves evaluating existing or prototype systems, in order to assess usability and identify problems. Another involves contributing more directly to the design of systems in the first place: that is, not only evaluating systems but bringing to bear empirical methods and theoretical considerations that help specify what are plausible designs in the first place. The goal of this panel is to discuss four case studies emphasizing this role of cognitive human factors, and identify relevant methods and theoretical considerations. The panelists will present examples of prototypes or products to whose design they contributed, with the aim of characterizing the problem (or problems) they tried to solve, the approach to identifying a design solution for that problem, and evidence that the approach was useful. Robert Mack will discuss an editor prototype designed to get novices started doing meaningful work quickly and helping them to continue acquiring new skills, with virtually no explicit instruction. The prototype is being designed in large part by identifying key novice problems and expectations, and trying to design the interface to better accommodate these expectations. The first goal of getting novices started relatively quickly has been achieved but problems remain as novices try to acquire further text-editing skill. These problems — and solutions to them — are being identified through a process of iterative design and evaluation. Dennis Wixon will discuss implications for designing usable interfaces of the User-Derived-Interface project (Good, M., Whiteside, J., Wixon, D. and Jones, S., 1984). The project involved a simulation of a restricted natural language interface for an electronic mail system. The design process was driven by the behavioral goal of getting users started relatively quickly with little or no instruction or interface aids. Actual user interaction with the simulation coupled with iterative design and evaluation provided interface specifications. This prototype illustrates a number of techniques for bringing usability into the software engineering process. These presentations will discuss the role of empirical methods such as verbal protocol techniques for identifying user problems with existing computer systems (e.g., Lewis, 1982; Mack, Lewis & Carroll, 1983; Douglas & Moran, 1983), including variations aimed at identifying user expectations that may be able to guide design (e.g., Mack, 1984); interface simulations for studying user interactions again with the aim of letting user behavior guide interface design (e.g., Kelley, 1984; Good, Whiteside, Wixon & Jones, 1984), and iterative design and evaluation of interfaces, aimed at achieving behavioral goals (e.g., Carroll & Rosson, 1984; Gould & Lewis, 1983).

Evaluation of Strategies of File Management Behavior

A critical component of computer interface design is the specification of a file management system. Although much is known about how humans organize and classify information and objects, there have been few investigations of the performance consequences of alternative computer filing systems. This paper presents the results of an experimental study of how the organizational capabilities of interactive computer filing systems affect the ability of users to manage sets of information. This study compared the use of flat versus hierarchical, and keyword versus non-keyword filing systems. Each of 16 subjects performed a two-part filing and retrieval task using one of four filing system configurations. Subjects first organized and arranged a set of 50 computer files according to the constraints and capabilities of one of the four filing systems. During retrieval the subjects were required to locate certain files and perform common computer operations on them. Task completion time is used as a measure of ease of filing and retrieval for each system. Strategies of file retrieval as a function of the filing system are also discussed.

Computer Interface Design between a Master Computer and a Slave Computer for Simulation Control and Instrumentation Monitoring of the Brookhaven 200 MeV Linac Accelerator

An interface design is proposed for tie-in between a master computer and a slave computer for transferring of data and control signals between the 200 MeV Linear Accelerator and a master computer station. Report discusses device control, device selection and control for a party line I/O bus, sensing techniques, and graphic display simulation.