Michel Beaudouin-Lafon

Instrumental interaction: an interaction model for designing post-WIMP user interfaces

This article introduces a new interaction model called Instrumental Interaction that extends and generalizes the principles of direct manipulation. It covers existing interaction styles, including traditional WIMP interfaces, as well as new interaction styles such as two-handed input and augmented reality. It defines a design space for new interaction techniques and a set of properties for comparing them. Instrumental Interaction describes graphical user interfaces in terms of domain objects and interaction instruments. Interaction between users and domain objects is mediated by interaction instruments, similar to the tools and instruments we use in the real world to interact with physical objects. The article presents the model, applies it to describe and compare a number of interaction techniques, and shows how it was used to create a new interface for searching and replacing text.

Reification, polymorphism and reuse: three principles for designing visual interfaces

This paper presents three design principles to support the development of large-scale applications and take advantage of recent research in new interaction techniques: Reification turns concepts into first class objects, polymorphism permits commands to be applied to objects of different types, and reuse makes both user input and system output accessible for later use. We show that the power of these principles lies in their combination. Reification creates new objects that can be acted upon by a small set of polymorphic commands, creating more opportunities for reuse. The result is a simpler yet more powerful interface.n To validate these principles, we describe their application in the redesign of a complex interface for editing and simulating Coloured Petri Nets. The cpn2000 interface integrates floating palettes, toolglasses and marking menus in a consistent manner with a new metaphor for managing the workspace. It challenges traditional ideas about user interfaces, getting rid of pull-down menus, scrollbars, and even selection, while providing the same or greater functionality. Preliminary tests with users show that they find the new system both easier to use and more efficient.

CPN/Tools: A Post-WIMP Interface for Editing and Simulating Coloured Petri Nets

CPN/Tools is a major redesign of the popular Design/CPN tool from the University of Aarhus CPN group. The new interface is based on advanced, post-WIMP interaction techniques, including bi-manual interaction, toolglasses and marking menus and a new metaphor for managing the workspace. It challenges traditional ideas about user interfaces, getting rid of pull-down menus, scrollbars, and even selection, while providing the same or greater functionality. It also uses the new and much faster CPN simulator and features incremental syntax checking of the nets. CPN/Tools requires an OpenGL graphics accelerator and will run on all major platforms.

Evaluating two-handed input techniques: rectangle editing and navigation

This paper reports our ongoing design and evaluation of two-handed input techniques for several common tasks found in desktop interfaces: specifying simple geometric shapes, navigating in a large document and navigating between windows on a desktop.

CPN/Tools: A Tool for Editing and Simulating Coloured Petri Nets ETAPS Tool Demonstration Related to TACAS

CPN/Tools is a major redesign of the popular Design/CPN tool for editing, simulation and state space analysis of Coloured Petri Nets. The new interface is based on advanced interaction techniques, including bi-manual interaction, toolglasses and marking menus and a new metaphor for managing the workspace. It challenges traditional ideas about user interfaces, getting rid of pull-down menus, scrollbars, and even selection, while providing the same or greater functionality. CPN/Tools requires an OpenGL graphics accelerator and will run on all major platforms (Windows, Unix/Linux, MacOS).

Research directions in situated computing

The goal of this one-day workshop is to launch a special interest area within CHI concerning the concept of situated computing. The notions of context and situations of use have been at the center of a body of recent research. The time has come to create a community around this theme and define a corresponding research agenda. The workshop is organized around two main activities: presenting current research and discussing directions for future research.

CPN/tools: revisiting the desktop metaphor with post-WIMP interaction techniques

CPN/Tools is an editor and simulator of Coloured Petri Nets that uses post-WIMP interaction techniques, including bi-manual interaction, toolglasses and marking menus and a new metaphor for managing the workspace. It challenges traditional ideas about user interfaces, getting rid of pull-down menus, scrollbars, and even selection, while providing the same or greater functionality than current GUIs. This demo presents the first version of CPN/Tools.