Benjamin Weyers

Interface creation and redesign techniques in collaborative learning scenarios

User interfaces are redesigned for various purposes, like adapting interfaces or meeting new requirements during software creation processes. In the context of learning systems, the aim of interface redesign is to let the student creates his or her own interface corresponding to the abstract concept to be learned, which is reflected in the interface designed. In this article we present an approach to interface redesign in a cooperative learning scenario for cryptographic protocols. We describe an iterative workflow using two different pieces of software for the creation and redesign of interfaces and distributed simulation and evaluate this approach.

Customization of user interfaces to reduce errors and enhance user acceptance

Customization is assumed to reduce error and increase user acceptance in the human-machine relation. Reconfiguration gives the operator the option to customize a user interface according to his or her own preferences. An experimental study with 72 computer science students using a simulated process control task was conducted. The reconfiguration group (RG) interactively reconfigured their user interfaces and used the reconfigured user interface in the subsequent test whereas the control group (CG) used a default user interface. Results showed significantly lower error rates and higher acceptance of the RG compared to the CG while there were no significant differences between the groups regarding situation awareness and mental workload. Reconfiguration seems to be promising and therefore warrants further exploration.

Cooperative creation of concept keyboards in distributed learning environments

In this paper we introduce CoBo, a collaborative system supporting cryptographic protocol learning, which offers an interface for the cooperative creation of concept keyboards. Concept keyboards are input interfaces created by the user during runtime with the goal of meeting the users need for interaction. Experiments with an early version of CoBo have shown that, although students recognize the power of collaborative learning, they found a collaborative simulation of cryptographic algorithms should be associated with an additional step in the learning process: the collaborative design of the concept keyboards that will be used to perform the collaborative simulation of cryptographic protocols.

Formal Modeling and Reconfiguration of User Interfaces

The paper at hand introduces a new formal approach to user interface modeling. This approach is mainly motivated by a lack of formal methods for modeling interaction logic of interactive user interfaces. Based on formal methods, various verification, alidation, transformation and reconfiguration techniques can be applied directly to user interfaces in the context of adaptation as well as usability issues. To address these points, we introduce a new modeling language called FILL, which has been developed specifically for modeling interaction logic and can be easily transformed to reference nets, a special form of Petri nets offering a formal semantics for FILL. Finally, we present several case studies we are working on to identify the impact of user interface reconfiguration on the control of complex processes.

Cooperative model reconstruction for cryptographic protocols using visual languages

Cooperative work in learning environments has been shown to be a successful extension to traditional learning systems due to the great impact of cooperation on students motivation and learning success. In this paper we describe a new approach to cooperative construction of cryptographic protocols. Using an appropriate visual language (VL), students describe a protocol step by step, modeling subsequent situations and alternating this with the creation of a concept keyboard (CK) describing the operations in the protocol. The system automatically generates a colored Petri subnet that is matched against an existing action logic specifying the protocol. Finally, the learners implement role-dependent CKs in a cooperative workflow and perform a role-play simulation.

Integrating Production Workers into User Interface Design for Diagnosis Devices in Automotive Production Environments: Field Experiences and Lessons Learned

In this paper, we present an exploratory case study regarding user interface design for test and diagnosis devices in automotive production environments. We report workers´ opinions concerning existing user interfaces and devices, as well as the use of innovative user interface and interaction concepts. Finally, we derive requirements for future use of modern interaction concepts and present a set of possible devices for future evaluation.

Metaphorical design of feedback interfaces in activity-aware ambient assisted-living applications

This paper presents a new way of motivating the elderly to correct misbehavior without confronting them directly about it. This is done by reversing the usual human-computer interaction concept, so that the computer-based process influences the human user. By processing data on individuals activity recognition system (ARS), the behavior of the elderly is rated by comparing it to expected behavior. Presenting visual or physical metaphors then motivates individuals to behave well in order to affect the appearance of the metaphor by achieving a given goal, such as making a flower flourish by brushing their teeth.

Formal modeling of multi-user interfaces in cooperative work

Support systems for cooperative work lack consistent modeling tools for user interface creation and execution that are flexible enough to combine both data processing and the logical aspects of a user interface and, at the same time, dialog and cooperation modeling aspects. This paper introduces a new concept to model user interfaces for cooperative work: the so-called multi-user interfaces aimed at distributed scenarios involving mobile devices implementing cooperative work. These multi-user interfaces are modeled in a hierarchical structure of dialog models and interaction logic based on a formal modeling language called FILL. For execution and verification, FILL models are automatically transformed to reference nets, a type of Petri nets, making the entire user interface and cooperation model accessible to simulation and verification tools. This new approach seeks to integrate more closely modeling and implementation based on a formalized interface design and user-machine dialogue. Formal graph rewriting concepts allow both the user interface and the collaboration model to be easily adapted in various ways by the modeler or user.