Jörn Hurtienne

Image schemas and their metaphorical extensions: intuitive patterns for tangible interaction

One of the goals of tangible interaction is to build more intuitive interfaces. This paper gives a definition of intuitivity and presents a continuum of knowledge serving as a classification for intuitive interaction. Against the background of the continuum recent taxonomies for tangible interaction are reviewed. A new approach for classifying tangible interaction will be presented: image schemas and their metaphorical extensions. Motivated by linguistic studies of meaning this taxonomy is able to overcome some limitations of previous approaches. The taxonomy is illustrated with examples of using image schemas and their metaphorical extensions in potential TUI applications. A more complex example, the Tangible Memories Box, shows how our taxonomy and earlier approaches may complement each other.

Cooking up real world business applications combining physicality, digitality, and image schemas

Tangible interaction research has opened up new ways to interact with computers and extended our imagination of what is possible with digital systems. However, research on tangible user interfaces (TUI) seems to have lost sight of the everyday situation of the majority of people who still work with standard computer systems. This paper investigates a design process for applying TUI in a GUI dominated domain while preserving the functionality of the traditional systems. We exemplify a user centered design process using (1) image schemas as a meta-language for analysis and design and (2) a systematic function allocation of digital and physical user interface elements. We demonstrate this process in the context of the redesign of an invoice verification and posting system of a German beverage company.

Sad is heavy and happy is light: population stereotypes of tangible object attributes

Population stereotypes describe ways in which people, often unconsciously, expect user interface elements to function. Thus they can provide powerful rules for designing intuitive interaction. The literature, however, documents only a few population stereotypes and most of them do not tap the full potential of tangible interaction. Here, we try to alleviate this situation by providing a theory and a method to obtain candidate population stereotypes with a special emphasis on physical-to-abstract mappings. Twenty-nine stereotype candidates were derived from the theory and their validity was empirically tested. The results indicate that more than half of them can be recommended as design guidelines right away; the remainder needs further investigation regarding the contexts under which they can be applied.

Substituting Color for Haptic Attributes in Conceptual Metaphors for Tangible Interaction Design

Studies in tangible interaction have investigated how physical object attributes can stand for abstract content (e.g. IMPORTANT IS HEAVY). A less expensive and more practical alternative to dynamically change, for example, the size, weight or temperature of tangibles, could be using color-to-abstract mappings. Grounded in embodied cognition theory, a number of color-for-haptic substitutions are derived (e.g. DARK COLORS ARE HEAVY). These substitutions are then tested for their effectiveness with 15 conceptual metaphors (e.g. IMPORTANT IS DARK COLOR). In four conditions (haptic, color, haptic-color congruence, haptic-color incongruence) 48 participants matched objects of different colors, sizes, weights or temperatures with abstract words. The results indicate that color can replace haptic attributes in metaphoric mappings and that designers need to explicitly design for color, because metaphor-incongruent colors can hamper the effectiveness of metaphorical mappings. The results also indicate that an embodied experiential view can circumvent arguing about specific colors with high-level symbolic meanings.

Facets of prior experience and the effectiveness of inclusive design

Research in inclusive design has shown the importance of prior experience for the usability of interactive products. Prior experience, however, is an ill-defined and inconsistently used construct. A number of different definitions and operationalisations of experience exist, but the differing power of these operationalisations to predict the usability of products for older users has rarely been investigated systematically. This study seeks to fill that gap. It is argued that the construct of experience has at least three components. It is proposed that two of these components, exposure and competence, are directly relevant for the current discussion about prior experience in inclusive design and that they can predict to different degrees the usability of a product for older users. In an empirical study, these facets of expertise are each operationalised on three levels of specificity and their impact on usability is assessed. The results show that measures of competence predict usability variables more strongly than measures of exposure and that levels of medium and high specificity are the best predictors. The application of inclusive design principles to a redesigned version of a ticket vending machine—although not resulting in a difference of overall usability—changed the impact of prior experience on usability measures implying an enhanced inclusiveness of the redesign with regard to prior experience. The implications of these findings for the effectiveness of inclusive design for older users are discussed.

Office Ergonomics Driven by Contextual Design

Following contextual design, we identified motivational and social aspects, as well as environmental factors of desk-based office workplaces, that contribute to sedentary behavior in the workplace. Through 10 full-day work observations, we gathered detailed qualitative data on why and when workers sit and unveiled tacit knowledge about habits and physical workplace layouts that favor prolonged sitting, complementing the mostly quantitative research done in the field. Developing social motivations for standing and walking, distributing frequently used objects to require more walking, and reducing the attractiveness of sitting turned out to be key drivers for reducing and interrupting sedentary behavior.

Intuitive Use of User Interfaces - Definition und Herausforderungen

Nicht immer wird einem das Gluck zuteil, den „Best Session“ Publikumspreis auf der Mensch und Computer UPA Konferenz zu gewinnen und nicht immer hat man danach noch einmal die Chance, das Gesagte zu prazisieren, zu uberarbeiten und zu erganzen. Dieser Artikel beschaftigt sich mit dem Thema „Intuitivitat von Interfaces“, schlagt eine Definition des haufig benutzten, aber selten bewusst reflektierten Begriffes vor und ladt schlieslich ein, zu der Weiterentwicklung und Forschung an diesem Thema selbst beizutragen.

Evaluation of an Application Based on Conceptual Metaphors for Social Interaction Between Vehicles

Due to an increasing level of automation whilst driving, users will gain additional spare time while travelling in the future. This allows passengers to indulge in non-driving activities, e.g. staying socially connected with their friends or entertaining themselves via mobile devices, which would otherwise be considered too distracting. To facilitate this, we designed an in-car infotainment system to replace the multiple mobile devices currently necessary to satisfy those needs. Our design approach employed a combination of Contextual Design methods and the Image Schema Theory for the first time ever in the automotive domain, which promises to be intuitive-to-use, and have innovative and inclusive interfaces. A first-time comparison with market leading products indicated higher efficiency, innovation scores and preferential scores while showing equal results for effectiveness, inclusivity and intuitive use. Furthermore we provide a set of conceptual metaphors which can inform future design and research efforts in the automotive domain.

Examining the design space of insect inspired notifications

Our work investigates new designs for notification cues, leveraging knowledge about insects that people gained through lifelong experiences. We conducted a user study to identify peoples knowledge about nine typical and easily differentiated insect-species. We conclude that this information can be used in creating notifications that can be perceived intuitively. We discuss how results of this study can inform design decisions in all four design dimensions of notification systems, and consider the future potential of notifications based on such biomimicry patterns.

Expected Behavior and Desired Appearance of Insect-Like Desk Companions

Prior work on zoomorphic desktop companions has shown that these can fulfill a wide range of functionality and convey emotional value. When mimicking familiar animals or pets, however, users may develop unrealistic expectations about the available functionality and behavior of the companion. To amend this limitation, we propose insect-inspired concepts as a way to utilize our intuitive understanding of insects without raising unrealistic expectations of the companions. We built 11 tangible insect prototypes with varying forms and levels of abstraction and illustrated their potential behavior in video vignettes. The prototypes and vignettes were shown to 22 participants to elicit desired functionalities of insect-inspired companions, possible ways of conveying these and the meaning insect companions could have for the user. The results open up a realistic design space for the appearance and behavior of insect-inspired robots as desktop companions.