Human-computer Interaction Issues Research Articles

Memory and Motor Processes of Password Entry Error

Passwords are tightly interwoven with the digital fabric of our current society. Unfortunately, passwords that provide better security generally tend to be more complex, both in length and composition. Complex passwords are problematic both cognitively and motorically, leading to both memory and motor errors during recall and entry. It is important that we better understand and disentangle the two error sources, as password entry errors can have significant negative consequences, such as being locked out of a critical information system. We present a computational cognitive model of password recall and typing, with memory and motor errors each contributing to password entry error. With this synthesis we can study human-computer interaction issues involving the usability of computer access control systems, specifically the password as an authentication mechanism. Ultimately we hope to make science-based recommendations for password policies that promote the use of passwords that are more usable.

Taxonomy of Usage Issues for Consumer-centric Online Health Information Provision

Consumers are increasingly using Internet portals when searching for relevant health information. Despite the broad range of health information portals (HIPs) available, usage problems with such portals are still widely recognized and reported. In this study, we analyzed usage data from an operational health information portal and identified ways in which these problems can be addressed. While previous usage data and log analysis research has focused more on user behaviors, query structures, and human-computer interaction issues, this study covers more comprehensive issues such as content. We describe a taxonomy of usage issues derived from a literature analysis. We describe how we validated and refined the taxonomy based on analyzing the usage data from an operational health portal. Findings from the usage data indicate that a range of content issues exist that lead to unsuccessful searches. The analysis also highlights that users’ ineffective information seeking strategies are not well supported by the system’s design. We use this taxonomy to propose a usage-driven, consumer-centered approach for dynamic improvements of HIPs. We also discuss the study’s limitations and directions for future research.

Depth Sensor Based Automatic Hand Region Extraction by Using Time-series Curve and Its Application to Japanese Finger-spelled Sign Language Recognition

Abstract Hand sign recognition is one of most challenging issues in computer vision and human computer interaction, and many researchers tackle this issue. In this research, we focus on JFSL (Japanese Finger-spelled Sign Language) which is one of hand signs. The tasks for achieving high performance of JFSL recognition as well as other hand signs are how to extract hand region precisely and how to recognize hand signs accurately. To deal with the former task, in this paper, we propose an automatic hand region extraction method with a depth sensor. The characteristic points of our proposed method are to utilize Time-Series Curve, which is one of contour features, and to extract hand region accurately without wearing landmark object such as a color wristband. On the other hand, to tackle the latter task, in this research, we focus on a deep neural network based recognition method since such a method is reported that it allows us to achieve high performance for various recognition tasks. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate JFSL recognition performance with a deep neural network approach compared to that with the conventional image recognition method (HOG+SVM). From the experimental results with 8 subjects, we have confirmed that our proposed method allows us to extract hand region accurately regardless of subjects and JFSL signs. In addition, from the experimental results with a deep neural network based recognition method for JFSL recognition, we have achieved at least average recognition rate over 88%.

An Integrated Platform Supporting Intangible Cultural Heritage Learning and Transmission: Definition of Requirements and Evaluation Criteria

The paper offers an experience-based viewpoint on two key phases of the development of an Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)-based system: the definition of requirements and identification of related criteria and methodology for its evaluation. In doing so, it refers to the unique context of the i-Treasures EU project, which deals with the development of an innovative integrated platform to support the learning and transmission of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). The i-Treasures integrated platform is conceived to support both traditional learning approaches and innovative and active learning processes, based on extensive use of sensor-technologies. In this light, during the development process, particular attention has been devoted to the definition of requirements with specific reference to sensor-mediated Human Computer Interaction (HCI) issues and the evaluation process was designed accordingly, in coherence with the specific advanced features of the integrated platform. The paper offers a view of the complexity of the design of ICT-based tools supporting the preservation and transmission of ICH and also provides an insight (and this could have a broader impact) into the methodology adopted to harmonize the requirements and the evaluation phases which are key pillars for the construction of any educationally effective ICT-based learning system.

Novel Virtual User Models of Mild Cognitive Impairment for Simulating Dementia.

Virtual user modeling research has attempted to address critical issues of human-computer interaction (HCI) such as usability and utility through a large number of analytic, usability-oriented approaches as cognitive models in order to provide users with experiences fitting to their specific needs. However, there is demand for more specific modules embodied in cognitive architecture that will detect abnormal cognitive decline across new synthetic task environments. Also, accessibility evaluation of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) requires considerable effort for enhancing ICT products accessibility for older adults. The main aim of this study is to develop and test virtual user models (VUM) simulating mild cognitive impairment (MCI) through novel specific modules, embodied at cognitive models and defined by estimations of cognitive parameters. Well-established MCI detection tests assessed users' cognition, elaborated their ability to perform multitasks, and monitored the performance of infotainment related tasks to provide more accurate simulation results on existing conceptual frameworks and enhanced predictive validity in interfaces' design supported by increased tasks' complexity to capture a more detailed profile of users' capabilities and limitations. The final outcome is a more robust cognitive prediction model, accurately fitted to human data to be used for more reliable interfaces' evaluation through simulation on the basis of virtual models of MCI users.

Usability testing of Avoiding Diabetes Thru Action Plan Targeting (ADAPT) decision support for integrating care-based counseling of pre-diabetes in an electronic health record

PurposeUsability testing can be used to evaluate human–computer interaction (HCI) and communication in shared decision making (SDM) for patient–provider behavioral change and behavioral contracting. Traditional evaluations of usability using scripted or mock patient scenarios with think-aloud protocol analysis provide a way to identify HCI issues. In this paper we describe the application of these methods in the evaluation of the Avoiding Diabetes Thru Action Plan Targeting (ADAPT) tool, and test the usability of the tool to support the ADAPT framework for integrated care counseling of pre-diabetes. The think-aloud protocol analysis typically does not provide an assessment of how patient–provider interactions are effected in “live” clinical workflow or whether a tool is successful. Therefore, “Near-live” clinical simulations involving applied simulation methods were used to compliment the think-aloud results. This complementary usability technique was used to test the end-user HCI and tool performance by more closely mimicking the clinical workflow and capturing interaction sequences along with assessing the functionality of computer module prototypes on clinician workflow. We expected this method to further complement and provide different usability findings as compared to think-aloud analysis. Together, this mixed method evaluation provided comprehensive and realistic feedback for iterative refinement of the ADAPT system prior to implementation. MethodsThe study employed two phases of testing of a new interactive ADAPT tool that embedded an evidence-based shared goal setting component into primary care workflow for dealing with pre-diabetes counseling within a commercial physician office electronic health record (EHR). Phase I applied usability testing that involved “think-aloud” protocol analysis of eight primary care providers interacting with several scripted clinical scenarios. Phase II used “near-live” clinical simulations of five providers interacting with standardized trained patient actors enacting the clinical scenario of counseling for pre-diabetes, each of whom had a pedometer that recorded the number of steps taken over a week. In both phases, all sessions were audio-taped and motion screen-capture software was activated for onscreen recordings. Transcripts were coded using iterative qualitative content analysis methods. ResultsIn Phase I, the impact of the components and layout of ADAPT on user's Navigation, Understandability, and Workflow were associated with the largest volume of negative comments (i.e. approximately 80% of end-user commentary), while Usability and Content of ADAPT were representative of more positive than negative user commentary. The heuristic category of Usability had a positive-to-negative comment ratio of 2.1, reflecting positive perception of the usability of the tool, its functionality, and overall co-productive utilization of ADAPT. However, there were mixed perceptions about content (i.e., how the information was displayed, organized and described in the tool).In Phase II, the duration of patient encounters was approximately 10min with all of the Patient Instructions (prescriptions) and behavioral contracting being activated at the end of each visit. Upon activation, providers accepted the pathway prescribed by the tool 100% of the time and completed all the fields in the tool in the simulation cases. Only 14% of encounter time was spent using the functionality of the ADAPT tool in terms of keystrokes and entering relevant data. The rest of the time was spent on communication and dialog to populate the patient instructions. In all cases, the interaction sequence of reviewing and discussing exercise and diet of the patient was linked to the functionality of the ADAPT tool in terms of monitoring, response-efficacy, self-efficacy, and negotiation in the patient-provider dialog. There was a change from one-way dialog to two-way dialog and negotiation that ended in a behavioral contract. This change demonstrated the tool's sequence, which supported recording current exercise and diet followed by a diet and exercise goal setting procedure to reduce the risk of diabetes onset. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that “think-aloud” protocol analysis with “near-live” clinical simulations provided a successful usability evaluation of a new primary care pre-diabetes shared goal setting tool. Each phase of the study provided complementary observations on problems with the new onscreen tool and was used to show the influence of the ADAPT framework on the usability, workflow integration, and communication between the patient and provider. The think-aloud tests with the provider showed the tool can be used according to the ADAPT framework (exercise-to-diet behavior change and tool utilization), while the clinical simulations revealed the ADAPT framework to realistically support patient-provider communication to obtain behavioral change contract. SDM interactions and mechanisms affecting protocol-based care can be more completely captured by combining “near-live” clinical simulations with traditional “think-aloud analysis” which augments clinician utilization. More analysis is required to verify if the rich communication actions found in Phase II compliment clinical workflows.

Perceived Website Aesthetics by Users and Designers

The set up of practical methods for evaluation of website aesthetics from the user perspective and the provision of useful feedback to designers is an open issue in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). The paper presents an evaluation study of aesthetic attributes of two websites from the user perspective and compares the results to the design team. The study initially involved the formulation of a set of aesthetic attributes and their appreciation by a user group of 111 users for two websites, following a traditional user testing approach. The user evaluation was then compared to the design team's appreciation of these aesthetic attributes for their own designs. The main results of this test was that: (a) the two groups have a similar view about the presence of a considerable number of the selected aesthetic attributes; (b) users have rated most aesthetic attributes significantly lower than designers; (c) different aesthetic attributes become important for different objects of study for both groups. The design team found the evaluation informative and inspiring; however they identified the need for further explanation of user responses in terms of suggested design patterns and examples. Also, a number of recommendations towards an evaluation method of aesthetics in HCI are identified and discussed

Advanced signal processing and HCI issues for interactive multimedia services

With the flood and popularity of various multimedia contents on the Internet, intelligent interactive multimedia services such as personalization and adaptability have become essential in recent multimedia systems. For this reason, they need to be interactive not only through classical modes of interactionwhere a user inputs information through a keyboard ormouse, but also through advanced interaction modes which are more attractive, more user friendly, more human-like and more informative [9]. We have received 18 manuscripts. Each manuscript was blindly reviewed by at least three reviewers consisting of guest editors and external reviewers. After the first and second review processes, eight manuscripts were finally selected to be included in this special issue. In Section 2 and 3, we present a brief description about the signal processing and HCI (Human Computer Interaction) issues for interactive multimedia services, respectively. In the last section, we conclude the paper with some observations and future work.

Perceived Website Aesthetics by Users and Designers

The set up of practical methods for evaluation of web site aesthetics from the user perspective and the provision of useful feedback to designers is an open issue in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). The paper presents an evaluation study of aesthetic attributes of two web sites from the user perspective and compares the results to the design team. The study initially involved the formulation of a set of aesthetic attributes and their appreciation by a user group of 111 users for two web sites, following a traditional user testing approach. The user evaluation was then compared to the design team’s appreciation of these aesthetic attributes for their own designs. The main results of this test was that: (a) the two groups have a similar view about the presence of a considerable number of the selected aesthetic attributes; (b) users have rated most aesthetic attributes significantly lower than designers; (c) different aesthetic attributes become important for different objects of study for both groups. The design team found the evaluation informative and inspiring; however they identified the need for further explanation of user responses in terms of suggested design patterns and examples. Also, a number of recommendations towards an evaluation method of aesthetics in HCI are identified and discussed

Reinforcing sustainable practices by sharing cases of appropriation

Background Sustainability has become a hot issue in recent HCI(Human-Computer Interaction) and interaction design, which has made numerous efforts to enlighten people about environmental issues with the objective of eventually promoting sustainable actions. However, these efforts could have the effect of inducing people to save energy and minimizing waste but revealed the limitations of negotiating people’s practices for sustainable purposes. In order to overcome this weakness, it is relevant to investigate practices while respecting them rather than negotiating or intervening. How, then, should HCI and interaction design approach everyday practices for sustainable purposes? Methods People appropriate artifacts every day. Therefore, this study first investigates appropriation in terms of everyday practice. We first conducted situated interviews with six residents in dormitories and found that appropriation is a sustainable action which reuses and reinvents uses for possessions. In order to support its sustainability, we designed a socio-technical platform, Wikiuse, as the first prototype of a socio-technical platform that allows people to share their cases of appropriation and to see other people’s cases. Wikiuse was developed as a mobile application that runs on iOS4. Users can install it on their iPhone or iPod Touch and can easily connect to its Linux server by running the application. In order to explore the practical value of using the platform to share cases of everyday appropriation, we recruited sixteen graduate students?seven males and nine females?who live in a dormitory; these students were very similar to the interviewees recruited for the dormitory interviews. Results In a field study of sixteen participants, it was found that Wikiuse helped people in two ways: it made them aware of the value of their applications and provided shared cases that helped them to discover more about their own cases. Additionally, the sharing of cases of appropriation led to the adoption of other people’s ways of appropriation, domestication, and sharing, which created a cycle of social appropriation. Participants adopted some of cases because they provided solutions to their problems, gave value to their possessions, and created new and interesting ways to use objects. In addition, satisfaction from helping others motivated participants’ sharing as well as supporting the process of psychological bond formation through sharing cases is an emotional value of the cases shared on Wikiuse. Conclusion In sum, Wikiuse enables people to adopt others’ sustainable actions, domesticate them, and share modified cases of appropriation. In other words, this study revealed that the practice of appropriation can be reinforced and its meaning can be coconstructed through online sharing. Finally, this paper suggests that a new direction for sustainable HCI is to consolidate people’s sustainable practices rather than negotiating their practices with the intention of sustainability.

Context-Aware HCI Service Selection

Context-awareness has become a key issue in Human-Computer Interaction(HCI) to provide better user experience under multi-device and multi-modal environment. With this intuition, we have proposed a web service based framework, which associates interactions with services, and provided service selection mechanism using context knowledge to achieve smart interaction migration [1]. A fundamental problem of such a service-oriented framework for interaction migration is to design an effective while scalable algorithm for service selection. In this paper, we propose a service selection algorithm considering not only context information and user preferences but also inter-service relations such as relative location. Our algorithm detects interaction hot spots within user active scope and presents the best service combination based on evaluation of interaction effectiveness. We also conduct simulation and the results illustrate that our algorithm is effective and scalable for interaction service selection.

Classifying Health Information Technology patient safety related incidents – an approach used in Wales

Interest in the field of patient safety incident reporting and analysis with respect to Health Information Technology (HIT) has been growing over recent years as the development, implementation and reliance on HIT systems becomes ever more prevalent. One of the rationales for capturing patient safety incidents is to learn from failures in the delivery of care and must form part of a feedback loop which also includes analysis; investigation and monitoring. With the advent of new technologies and organizational programs of delivery the emphasis is increasingly upon analyzing HIT incidents. This thematic review had two objectives, to test the applicability of a framework specifically designed to categorize HIT incidents and to review the Welsh incidents as communicated via the national incident reporting system in order to understand their implications for healthcare. The incidents were those reported as IT/ telecommunications failure/ overload. Incidents were searched for within a national reporting system using a standardized search strategy for incidents occurring between 1(st) January 2009 and 31(st) May 2011. 149 incident reports were identified and classified. The majority (77%) of which were machine related (technical problems) such as access problems; computer system down/too slow; display issues; and software malfunctions. A further 10% (n = 15) of incidents were down to human-computer interaction issues and 13% (n = 19) incidents, mainly telephone related, could not be classified using the framework being tested. On the basis of this review of incidents, it is recommended that the framework be expanded to include hardware malfunctions and the wrong record retrieved/missing data associated with a machine output error (as opposed to human error). In terms of the implications for clinical practice, the incidents reviewed highlighted critical issues including the access problems particularly relating to the use of mobile technologies.

Designing Emergency Response Dispatch Systems for Better Dispatcher Performance

Emergency response systems are a relatively new and important area of research in the information systems community. While there is a growing body of literature in this research stream, human-computer interaction (HCI) issues concerning the design of emergency response system interfaces have received limited attention. Emergency responders often work in time pressured situations and depend on fast access to key information. One of the problems studied in HCI research is the design of interfaces to improve user information selection and processing performance. Based on cue-summation theory and research findings on parallel processing, associative processing, and hemispheric differences in information processing, this study proposes that information selection of target information in an emergency response dispatch application can be improved by using supplementary cues. Color-coding and sorting are proposed as relevant cues that can improve processing performance by providing prioritization heuristics. An experimental emergency response dispatch application is developed, and user performance is tested under conditions of varying complexity and time pressure. The results suggest that supplementary cues significantly improve performance, with better results often obtained when both cues are used. Additionally, the use of these cues becomes more beneficial as time pressure and task complexity increase.

The transfer from survey (map-like) to route representations into Virtual Reality Mazes: effect of age and cerebral lesion

BackgroundTo go from one place to another, we routinely generate internal representations of surrounding spaces, which can include egocentric (body-centred) and allocentric (world-centred) coordinates, combined into route and survey representations.Recent studies have shown how both egocentric and allocentric representations exist in parallel and are joined to support behaviour according to the task.Our study investigated the transfer from survey (map-like) to route representations in healthy and brain-damaged subjects. The aim was two-fold: first, to understand how this ability could change with age in a sample of healthy participants, aged from 40 to 71 years old; second, to investigate how it is affected after a brain lesion in a 8 patients' sample, with reference to specific neuropsychological frames.MethodsParticipants were first required to perform the paper and pencil version of eight mazes, then to translate the map-like paths into egocentric routes, in order to find the right way into equivalent Virtual Reality (VR) mazes.Patients also underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation, including a specific investigation of some topographical orientation components.ResultsAs regards the healthy sample, we found age-related deterioration in VR task performance. While education level and gender were not found to be related to performance, global cognitive level (Mini Mental State Examination), previous experience with computer and fluidity of navigation into the VR appeared to influence VR task results.Considering the clinical sample, there was a difficulty in performing the VR Maze task; executive functions and visuo-spatial abilities deficits appeared to be more relevant for predicting patients' results.ConclusionsOur study suggests the importance of developing tools aimed at investigating the survey to route transfer ability in both healthy elderly and clinical samples, since this skill seems high cognitive demanding and sensitive to cognitive decline.Human-computer interaction issues should be considered in employing new technologies, such as VR environments, with elderly subjects and neurological patients.

A Unified Human–Computer Interaction Requirements Analysis Framework for Complex Socio-technical Systems

Complex socio-technical systems (CSTS) play an important part in the operations of a wide range of large-scale, socially important infrastructure, such as power plants and railways systems. Such systems are highly automated but nonetheless still require substantial human operator involvement and oversight. However, the effectiveness of this operator oversight is often compromised by the fact that such systems are built by combining heterogeneous systems and user interfaces, which can lead to operators being asked to oversee systems that represent vital information using a plethora of incommensurable signals, presenting a very considerable threat not just to the usability of such systems but also to their safety. This article presents a Unified Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Requirements Analysis Framework (UHRAF) and a Safety and Usability Model (SUM) for analyzing the HCI requirements of a safety-related scenario in a railway system. UHRAF and SUM are used to identify requirement issues in HCI arising from the concurrent development of heterogeneous systems and aim to facilitate the development of relevant HCI design guidelines for CSTS.

On-the-Move and in Your Car

The introduction of computing and communications technologies within cars raises a range of novel human-computer interaction (HCI) issues. In particular, it is critical to understand how user-interfaces within cars can best be designed to account for the severe physical, perceptual and cognitive constraints placed on users by the driving context. This article introduces the driving situation and explains the range of computing systems being introduced within cars and their associated user-interfaces. The overall human- focused factors that designers must consider for this technology are raised. Furthermore, the range of methods (e.g. use of simulators, instrumented vehicles) available to designers of in-car user-interfaces are compared and contrasted. Specific guidance for one key system, vehicle navigation, is provided in a case study discussion. To conclude, overall trends in the development of in-car user-interfaces are discussed and the research challenges are raised.

Issues of Human Computer Interaction

Issues of Human Computer Interaction

HCI and Societal Issues: A Framework for Engagement

Human-computer interaction (HCI) is much broader than the study of interface design and input devices. It includes considerations of the social, political, ethical, and societal implications of computer systems. Concerns such as privacy, accessibility, universal design, and voting usability have led to active HCI research. Our examination of HCI responses to these and other issues informs a model of social engagement based on societal influences that motivate various responses from the HCI community. This model provides suggestions for engagement with issues that are likely to grow in importance over the next several years. By focusing on these issues, HCI researchers may make still greater contributions toward addressing societal concerns.

A Cognitive Engineering Approach for Facilitating Analysis of Human-Computer Interaction in Complex Work Domains

This paper demonstrates that work domain analysis (WDA), a cognitive engineering approach based on Rasmussen's abstraction hierarchy (AH) framework, is a valuable and alternate analytic tool for analyzing human-computer interaction (HCI) in complex work domains through a case study. In the case study, we use WDA to examine automation awareness, an HCI issue in automated flight decks. The case study shows that WDA provides an effective approach to systematically assess collected human factors data in order to identify the gaps in satisfying the work requirements across interrelated factors. It helps assess the adequacy of domain information provided to workers via training in order to build a fairly accurate and effective mental model, adequacy of domain information presented to workers at the interface, and the adequacy of operation procedures designed for workers to copy with unfamiliar situations. Finally, WDA also helps generate needs for enhancements of existing systems from a work domain perspective.

Issues of human computer interaction

Issues of human computer interaction