Christophe Bortolaso

OrMiS: a tabletop interface for simulation-based training

This paper presents the design of OrMiS, a tabletop application supporting simulation-based training. OrMiS is notable as one of the few practical tabletop applications supporting collaborative analysis, planning and interaction around digital maps. OrMiS was designed using an iterative process involving field observation and testing with domain experts. Our key design insights were that such a process is required to resolve the tension between simplicity and functionality, that information should be displayed close to the point of the users touch, and that collaboration around maps cannot be adequately solved with a single form of zooming. OrMiS has been evaluated by domain experts and by officer candidates at a military university.

The Effect of View Techniques on Collaboration and Awareness in Tabletop Map-Based Tasks

Digital tabletops have become a natural medium for collaborative planning activities involving maps. Such activities are typically mixed-focus, where users switch between high-level and detailed views of the map and between individual and collaborative work. A wide range of view-sharing techniques such as lenses, zooming and radar views provide both shared and individual access to the same workspace. However, it is not yet sufficiently clear how the choice of view techniques affects collaboration in mixed-focus scenarios. In this paper, we explore the effect of different view techniques on collaborative map-based tasks around tables. We report on two studies in the context of military planning, one in a controlled environment and one in an open-ended scenario carried out by domain experts. Our findings show how the success of different techniques is sensitive to the form of collaboration and to the proximity of work on the table.

MACS: combination of a formal mixed interaction model with an informal creative session

In this paper, we propose a collaborative design method combining the informal power of creative session and the formal generative power of a mixed interaction model called MACS (Model Assisted Creativity Session). By using a formal notation during creative sessions, interdisciplinary teams systematically explore combinations between the physical and digital spaces and remain focused on the design problem to address. In this paper, we introduce the MACS method principles and illustrate its application on two case studies.

Developing Mixed Interactive Systems: A Model-Based Process for Generating and Managing Design Solutions

Taking advantage of the physical objects surrounding the user and the human ability to manipulate them fosters the development of multiple, new and advanced interaction techniques, called mixed interactive systems (MIS). Much work has been done to address specific aspects of the development of MIS. However, there is still no unifying conceptual framework to link these contributions and that presents a global approach for the development of MIS. In this context, this chapter presents a domain-specific development process that goes beyond ad hoc approaches and attempts to overcome barriers between different types of developer expertise, through a set of connections between steps of the MIS development process. Furthermore, to facilitate iteration in the design, these connections are observable, thus allowing a designer to review their decisions. The development process is illustrated via a concrete museum application.

Design and evaluation of mixed interactive museographic exhibits

This paper describes the four steps of a codesign process dedicated to the development of mixed interactive exhibits in Museums. The goal is to propose a well identified set of steps for accompanying the development of such systems, to document them and to suggest the most appropriate tools for each step. Based on a concrete design experience of a mixed interactive system in a museum, each step is illustrated and design decisions are highlighted with regards to the steps of the design process. A comparison of our codesign process with similar approaches applied in the field of interactive software engineering, participatory design or museum codesign is then performed; lessons learnt from the use of the process highlight benefits and limitations. Tightly coupled to this process, we then present different mechanisms and settings for evaluating visitors’ experience. Such mechanism involves lab and field activities requiring different methodologies and technical platforms. These formative evaluation activities are illustrated through some results of document-based usability inspections, user tests, field experiments and field studies. This paper reports lessons learnt and descriptive results of the prototype evaluations. Finally, we propose the ways for improving the use of codesign and evaluation of mixed interactive museographic exhibits.

An MDE-based framework to support the development of Mixed Interactive Systems

In the domain of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), recent advances in sensors, communication technologies, miniaturization and computing capabilities have led to new and advanced forms of interaction. Among them, Mixed Interactive Systems (MIS), form a class of interactive systems that comprises augmented reality, tangible interfaces and ambient computing; MIS aim to take advantage of physical and digital worlds to promote a more transparent integration of interactive systems with the users environment. Due to the constant change of technologies and the multiplicity of these interaction forms, specific development approaches have been developed. As a result, numerous taxonomies, frameworks, API and models have emerged, each one covering a specific and limited aspect of the development of MIS.To support a coherent use of these multiple development resources and contribute to the increasing popularity of MIS, we have developed a framework based on Model-Driven Engineering. The goal is to take advantage of Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) standards, methodology and tools to support the manipulation of complementary Domain Specific Languages (DSL), to organize and link the use of different design and implementation resources, and to ensure a rationalized implementation based on design choices.In this paper, we first summarize existing uses of MDE in HCI before focusing on five major benefits MDE can provide in a MIS development context. We then detail which MDE tools and resources support these benefits and thus form the pillars of the success of an MDE-based MIS development approach. Based on this analysis, we introduce our framework, called Guide-Me, and illustrate its use through a case study. This framework includes two design models. Model transformations are also included to link one model to another; as a result the frameworks coverage extends from the earliest design step to a software component-based prototyping platform. A toolset based on the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) that supports the use of the framework is also presented. We finally assess our MDE-based development process for MIS based on the five major MDE benefits for MIS. Five benefits justify the use of MDE for developing Mixed Interactive Systems.A combination of MDE tools is proposed to develop complex interactive systems.MDE approach contributes to the increasing popularity of Mixed Interactive Systems.Multiple design facets of MIS are easily supported by MDE approaches.Early design decisions are strongly anchored within a development approach of MIS.

Model Assisted Creativity Sessions for the Design of Mixed Interactive Systems: a Protocol Analysis

To help designers face the complexity of mixed interaction and identifying original and adapted solutions, we developed and evaluated an original approach to interaction design. This approach, called MACS, aims to combine the best elements of both a model of mixed interaction, and a collaborative and creative session. The objective is twofold: to support the exploration of the design space, and to establish a common language between participants. To assess the viability of this approach, we relied on a protocol analysis technique on the verbal recordings of two existing design situations. Results show that the model has a strong impact on the generation of ideas and that participants use the model concepts to share their thoughts during the session.

Usability Recommendations for Mixed Interactive Systems: Extraction and Integration in a Design Process

Mixed interactive systems (MIS) denote an advanced form of interaction that aims at combining physical and digital worlds, such as mixed and augmented reality, tangible user interfaces, ubiquitous computing, etc. Their main interest relates to the use of physical artifacts from the user’s activity customary context. These can support partly the user communication with the interactive system: personal belongings and everyday physical objects are very familiar to users for smoothly interacting with the system. Initially limited to very specific domains, MIS now appear in many domains, thus motivating the need for adapted design supports. Beyond the technological issues and challenges, the variety of entities involved and the originality of the conditions of use, innovative interaction forms also trigger the need to focus on the elaboration of a solid, structured and common usability knowledge dedicated to MIS. In this chapter, we first report on a systematic review of the literature on MIS evaluation. From that review, usability recommendations were selected and deciphered before reformulating them under a common format. Finally, three different classification schemes of the usability recommendations obtained are proposed to facilitate search and retrieval, but also to better integrate them into the MIS development process.

Scenarchitectures: the use of domain-specific architectures to bridge design and implementation

In this paper, we present scenarchitectures, a means of raising the level of design of advanced interactive systems. Scenarchitectures combine elements of scenarios and system architectures, and can be used during the user interface design process as an adjunct to other design tools such as textual scenarios and story boards. Meanwhile, scenarchitectures can be automatically transformed to system architectures, providing a link between design and implementation. Using two existing scenarchitectural notations, we investigate the role of scenarchitectures in the design process. We then show how model-transformation techniques can be used to automatically derive system architectures from scenarchitectures, and conclude with concrete examples of the application of the scenarchitectural approach to the design of a mixed-reality system.

3D multitouch advanced interaction techniques and applications

The Cubtile is a 3D multitouch device composed of 5 multitouch surfaces. It allows the use of classical multitouch gestures in 3D, and therefore to ease the manipulation of 3D scenes: it provides more direct ways to handle complex 3D operations such as applying arbitrary rotations. The video illustrates several of those advanced gestures that the cubtile supports, and demonstrates the integration of this device in an actual museal application: it allows visitors, even non experts, to manipulate with great efficiency a 3D environment used to teach the basics of species classifications.