J. Sapsford-Francis

Providing public access to information in complex and weakly structured domains: A 3-layered model for hypermedia information systems

Abstract Advice systems are defined as information systems which present users with both information and more subjective expert advice about complex and weakly structured domains. This paper presents a Generic Advice System Architecture (GASA) to assist in developing such systems. It describes how the architecture was used in developing the SPIRE system, whose aim is to provide advice and information which will assist the integration of students with disabilities into higher education. The paper discusses the way in which the GASA addresses key issues in the development of hypermedia advice systems including the need to make such systems available to users with little training and limited knowledge of the domain; the requirement to support diverse information exploration strategies; the provision of purely ‘point and select access; ’ and the minimisation of user disorientation and cognitive overhead.

Introducing voice control—widening the perspective

This paper describes the development of a multimedia tutorial system which is designed to encourage more people to use voice controlled systems. A three part tutorial takes a user through a first introduction at an exhibition or assessment centre, an intermediate learning level designed to improve performance in using speech controlled systems and finally an application oriented tutorial designed to accelerate learning to ‘expert user’ status. The system is designed to be used in hands-free mode right from the first access by a new user, thus giving the disabled user more independence of use throughout their training, hence minimising the need for third party assistance.