Barbee Teasley

Sleuthing in HyperHolmes : a TM an evaluation of using hypertext vs. a book to answer questions.

Abstract Although hypertext offers exciting new ways of presenting and accessing information, there is little research which systematically compares the usability of hypertext against traditional media with an eye to improving the design of the hypertext. This paper presents the results of an experiment which examined the performance and navigation strategies of users engaged in a question-answering task using either a hypertext encyclopedia of Sherlock Holmes facts (the HyperHolmessyTMstem) or the traditional paper form. The results showed that, overall, the hypertext users were marginally more accurate in answering questions, and excelled at questions where the key information was embedded in a text entry. The book users were marginally faster overall, but excelled only in answering questions based on graphics. Hypertext users showed a preference for those tools which most closely mimicked use of a conventional book. They used a hierarchical structure to guide their navigation strategy in early trials, ...

Empirically-based re-design of a hypertext encyclopedia

This paper reports on the processes used and guidelines discovered in re-designing the user interface of the hypertext encyclopedia, HyperHolmes. The re-design was based on the outcomes of a previous experiment and was evaluated experimentally. Results showed that the new system resulted in superior performance and somewhat different styles of navigation compared to the old system and to paper. The study provides empirical support for design guidelines relating to tiled windows, navigation tools, graphics and hierarchical navigation.

Designing for diverse users: will just a better interface do?

An important challenge to user interface designers is meeting the needs of users who differ in gender, culture, age, and/or abilities. At least two strategies have emerged: to design different interfaces for each group or to just design good interfaces. The panel will discuss approaches to and issues related to accommodating diversity.

The CHallenge of Effectively Integrating Graphics into Hypertext

It is important that designers of hypertext do not assume that the way information is presented in traditional media such as paper books will necessarily be effective in hypertext. Several studies have shown that graphics presented with text on a screen are not necessarily used effectively, or even used at all. In our study, we explored three ways of presenting textual and graphical information about geographical locations and objects. In all cases, the user had to point with a mouse to a item name in order to see text, and the text appeared near the mouse cursor. In one presentation style, no graphic was present. In a second style, a graphic was present, but the text appeared as a caption. In the hypertext style, the user pointed to item names on the graphic. The results showed that the hypertext style resulted in about 20% better learning of both spatial information (which was illustrated by the graphic) and of information not illustrated by the graphic.

Industry briefs: MONKEYmedia

Eric Gould Bear is MONKEYmedias CEO & Strategic Director. Hes been designing award-winning interfaces since 1984 and has been granted numerous patents for cutting-edge techniques. Hes an enthusiastic and inspirational leader who invites everyone to join in the work of creating easier to use and more engaging digital media. Barbee Teasley is one of MONKEYmedias interface design experts. She has been in the field of HCI from its beginnings, first as a Professor of Computer Science at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and later in the Human Factors groups at telecommunications companies , Ameritech and SBC. Ledia Pearl Carroll has extensive experience in usability research with teenage girls. As an interface designer at MONKEYmedia, she contributes to our design of digital appliances for kids. MONKEYmedia is a design firm specializing in interfaces for handheld appliances, interactive video, and kids. We offer interface design, specification and prototyping services as well as a diverse portfolio of intellectual properties for licensing. Clients include hardware and software manufacturers, publishers, research organizations and developers — working within such diverse fields as education, games, telecommunications, medical informatics, marketing , and advanced technology. MONKEYmedias process is characterized by a unique attentiveness to the interplay among content, form and function. We create and incorporate interactions consistent with broad product goals, and define media architectures whose navigation reflects and reveals their content. Philosophy of Design Our primary motivation is an insatiable desire to make the world a better place. We aim to design products and software that are engaging and highly satisfying for people to use, whether in work or play. The impact of a product on the world is considered when choosing projects to work on. In addition, MONKEYmedia fosters a work environment that helps us achieve a healthy balance with our personal lives. We believe this environment energizes us and inspires us in our design activities. Using the term interface design to describe what we do can be tricky, because it means different things to different people depending on their particular training and expertise. Not only do these multiple perspectives on interface overlap, they are intimately interrelated and ultimately inseparable. In gross terms, interface is the place where the person and the system meet. It is the point of contact, the boundary and the bridge between the content and the participant. In electronic media, it includes everything from the organization of the material to the layout …

User-Centered GUI Standards Design: A Case Study

Many organizations are aware of the benefits of standardizing their GUIs and go to the effort of creating their own standards. However, oftentimes the standards languish on the desk of human factors specialists, and fail to impact those who actually design and develop software user interfaces. Best practice, as reported in the literature, includes involving the end user, understanding the user’s needs, providing flexibility, and allowing for evolution. This case study describes how a project to create GUI standards at a large telecommunications corporation attempted to follow these guidelines, while working under a tight schedule.

Longitudinal Studies of the Relation of Programmer Expertise and Role-expressiveness to Program Comprehension

Theories of expert program comprehension generally fall into one of two categories: bottom-up or top-down. While evidence exists to support both types of theories, we propose that Gilmore & Green’s concept of role-expressiveness may explain certain contradictory findings.

Searching without a Keyboard in a Multimedia Environment

Designers of multimedia environments are challenged to develop search tools that are both appropriate and usable. The task is particularly difficult when text-oriented, keyboard-based searching tools are not feasible. For example, keyboardless searching tools may be necessary for information kiosks. While prior studies have looked at keyboardless searching for small databases, the current study examines children’s use of different search techniques and tools in a multimedia system. The results showed that, given well-designed tools, users can be highly effective and efficient in finding various sorts of information without using a keyboard.

Interactionary 2: is that your final answer?

This modification of an experimental panel is an attempt to demonstrate the dynamic and impromptu parts of the interaction design process. Teams of designers, usability engineers and project managers will design solutions to interaction problems live on stage, in front of an audience.

Here comes the multimedia generation! Ready? or not? (abstract)

Multimedia is the term applied to the technology which mixes sound, moving images, text and graphics on a computer. Elementary school children can now listen to their story books as the book’s images appear on the computer screen with each word of the text highlighted as it is spoken. As they watch, the figures in the images perform the activities described. Using a mouse the children can move around the image, examining features of it more closely. Students in high school studying Shakespeare can bring up the text of Hamlet in attractive script, obtain definitions of highlighted words, refer to reviews of the play, learn about the history of the period, and even watch and listen to Laurence Olivier and Jean Simmons performing the play. Chemistry students can complete their labs as interactive simulations thereby allowing experimentation without risk. Students can use the latest equipment to prepare multimedia reports capturing text and home video. All of this and more can be done on a personal computer with a CD-Rem or videodisc attached. The above are just a few brief descriptions of the kind of educational experiences the ‘multimedia generation’ will be exposed to before they reach our colleges and universities. This panel will discuss the implications of these experiences for those who teach computer science at the college level and address some of the following questions and others. What effects will this type of education have on the learning process? What do we need to know, that we don’t know now, in order to educate these students? Does what we teach and/or the way we teach need to change in response to these prior experiences? If it needs to change, how should it change? If we decide to make use of multi-media in our classes, what does it involve?