摘要:

How can we understand why a bank teller has different needs for a user interface than those of casual users of a machine teller, or why a graphic designer needs a different user interface than a secretary? This article presents a framework for the design of user interfaces that originates from the work situations in which computer-based artifacts are used: The framework deals with the role of the user interface in purposeful human work. Human activity theory is used in this analysis. The purpose of this article is to make the reader curious and hopefully open his or her eyes to a somewhat different way of thinking about the user interface. The article applies examples of real-life interfaces to support this process, but it does not include a systematic presentation of empirical results. I focus on the role of the computer application in use. Thus, it is necessary to consider human-computer interaction and other related work conditions. I deal with human experience and competence as being rooted in the practice of the group that conducts the specific work activity. The main conclusions are: The user interface cannot be seen independently of the use activity (i.e., the professional, socially organized practice of the users and the material conditions for the activity, including the object of the activity). The standard view in these situations is to deduce an ultimate set of operations from an abstract use activity and apply these to design and analysis. This article argues that the user interface fully reveals itself to us only when in use. What is a good user interface for those with a certain degree of competence may not be efficient for those with different levels of competence. I give certain general recommendations for the user interface, but I have no guarantee that such recommendations are applicable to the specific case wherein these concerns may be overruled by specific social or material concerns.

ISSN:0737-0024    

DOI:10.1207/s15327051hci0403_1

出版商:Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.    

年代:1989

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

Although there is a strong theoretical basis for concluding that conceptual models are effective in aiding users build mental models of computer systems, very little empirical evidence exists to support such a conclusion. Frequently, the effect has been weak. Subjects trained with a conceptual model often perform better than control group subjects in learning tests, but seldom at a statistically significant level. One possible reason for this is the influence of individual differences such as basic cognitive abilities. This study examined the influence of two cognitive variables - visual ability and learning mode - in the mental model formation process of novice users of an electronic mail filing system. We compared the effectiveness of two types of conceptual models-analogical and abstract. It was found that high-visual subjects performed significantly better than low-visual subjects. Abstract learners also performed better than concrete learners. More important, interaction effects were observed. Low-visual subjects were severely hampered by abstract models but performed as well as high-visual subjects when provided with analogical models. Abstract learners benefited from the abstract model but were hampered by the analogical model. On the other hand, concrete learners performed better with the analogical models compared to abstract models. The findings indicate that there is a need to consider individual differences, such as visual ability and learning mode, in research on mental models and on human-computer interaction in general.

ISSN:0737-0024    

DOI:10.1207/s15327051hci0403_2

出版商:Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.    

年代:1989

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

Design paradigms often ignore the diverse goals users bring to the computer interface. Any human-computer interaction can be viewed as a marriage of two systems: The user begins the interaction by formulating an information goal, and the computer software meets that goal with a sometimes complex list of potential topic areas. The user then accesses that topic list through the computer interface. Part of the act of accessing the topic list is selecting a potential topic, and this action is often supported by a menu interface. Although research is pervasive on how best to organize menu items to facilitate learning, search speed, and reduced selection errors, little has been done to examine the impact of different types of user goals or cues on a menu's effectiveness. In a study using three distinct cues-direct match, synonym, and iconic - and two menu organizations - alphabetical and functional-data suggest that (a) the functional menu is more effective than the alphabetical menu for the synonym and iconic cues, (b) learning occurs with both menu designs (i.e., selection speed increases rapidly across the five trial blocks), and (c) users make fewer errors with the functionally organized menu. The results, in general, encourage more rigorous investigation of the interaction between the tasks users bring to menu interfaces and the optimal design of those menus.

ISSN:0737-0024    

DOI:10.1207/s15327051hci0403_3

出版商:Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.    

年代:1989

数据来源: Taylor