Reinhard Oppermann

An operational definition of context

The definition of context experienced an evolution in the research area of context-aware computing, but still suffers from either generality or incompleteness. Furthermore, many definitions are driven by the ease of implementation. This paper introduces two extensions to available context definitions that provide a natural understanding of this concept to users of context-aware applications and facilitates the engineering of this concept for software developers of such applications.

A Context-Sensitive Nomadic Exhibition Guide

The paper describes a nomadic guide that considers the context of use (CoU) for information selection and presentation. A nomadic system is defined by continuous access to information spaces independent from specific devices. The CoU is defined by the location and characteristics of the user. Interests of the user deduced from the navigation in the physical and information space are the main goal of information adaptation in the paper. A prototype of a nomadic system that adapts the information to the user needs is presented.

ACE : adaptive courseware environment

Abstract The Adaptive Courseware Environment (ACE) is a WWW-based tutoring framework which combines methods of knowledge representation, instructional planning, and adaptive media generation to deliver individualized courseware via the WWW. ACE is based on a domain model of the subject matter, a pedagogical model on how to teach a curriculum, and learner modeling on different levels, e.g., preferences, interests, and knowledge. Based on these three components individualized web-content (HTML, Java, pictures) is generated and presented to the learners. Taking into account the interests and the knowledge of a learner ACE can adapt different aspects of the instructional process, e.g., adapting the curriculum by selection of content, adapting the presentation of contents by choosing appropriate media and combining them, adapting the teaching strategies for specific contents, annotating hyperlinks, and by recommending appropriate hyperlinks and contents. Currently three systems have been realized on the basis ...

Adaptively supported adaptability

This paper presents an adaptive and adaptable system and its evaluation. The system is based on a commercial spreadsheet application and provides adaptation opportunities for defining a user- and task-specific user interface (new menu entries and key shortcuts for subrouting names and parameters, changing default parameters). The development following a design-evaluation-redesign approach has shown that adaptations are accepted if the user has the opportunity to control their timing and content. This does not necessarily mean that the adaptation is initiated and performed by the user alone (adaptability). On the contrary, the strictly user-controlled adaptation is too demanding for the user. The paper shows how the users own adaptations can be supported by the system by initial adaptive suggestions showing the rationale of adaptations and the way to perform them.

A Nomadic Information System for Adaptive Exhibition Guidance

The paper describes the electronic guide HIPS that can be used duringthe process of a visit in a museum, i.e., for preparation, execution andevaluation. Users can access the system via the Web to prepare a visitby receiving information about the content and organization of anexhibition and practical issues like location and opening hours. Thevisitor can also prepare a tour for the actual visit or define hotspotswith important exhibits. The system should remind the user when on site.Once the user is in the museum he or she has two specific options to usethe system: the visitor can walk around in the museum and remainstanding where he or she finds an item of interest. The current locationin the room identified by infrared emitters at all exhibits triggers anindicator for the information presentation. Or, the visitor can select atour prepared by a curator, prepared by the user in advance (at home) orgenerated by the user ad hoc. In the museum, the information access isprovided via wireless technologies. This allows the user to accessinformation by moving in the physical space and navigating in theinformation space concurrently. The Web-based server approach allows foradaptive information selection and presentation based on a user modelevaluating the history of the usage of the system. The user canaccelerate the adaptation by specifying interests and preferences in theuser model. Before the visit the user can define tours and hotspots andenter annotations that will be presented or activated by the system inthe appropriate physical environment. After a visit in the museum theuser can evaluate the experience at home for further own inquiries orfor communication with other interested people. Thebefore-during-after-the-visit-support of visitors via nomadicinformation system has been designed based on evidence from ourquestionnaire pre-study, which showed that visitors actually useinformation available in or about museums before and also after avisit.

Fast track article: Mobile health monitoring for the elderly: Designing for diversity

In the field of mobile health monitoring the current most important user groups are those aged 50 +. In our project senSAVE^(R) we developed a user interface for monitoring vital personal parameters that is specifically adapted to the needs of this group. The group is said to show less perception and control capability and has less experience in the use of information technology. More realistically, the group of 50 + users shows more diversity in their cognitive, sensory and motor skills than younger people. User interfaces for elderly people should therefore be designed for different capabilities and needs. For a mobile health monitoring system three design types were developed and evaluated in this study: three basic interfaces, two professional interfaces and an interface in between as a compromise of the two former types. Beyond monitoring the vital parameters of the user during mobile phases a stationary module for the inspection of aggregated data was included on a standard TV set together with a remote control device. The paper describes the user interface design and a comparative evaluation of the interfaces during and after the development, i.e. formative and summative evaluation. It also describes first user feedback about the stationary component.

Software Evaluation using the 9241 Evaluator

Abstract There is an increasing need for practical and comprehensive evaluation methods and tools for conformance testing with ISO standards.In this study, we focus on ISO9241 which is an important ergonomic standard. A brief description shows its content and structure. Practical evaluations include the amount of time and resources which must be managed in software projects,while comprehensive evaluations require that the context of use be considered during the evaluation of user interfaces. In order to complete a comprehensive evaluation of usability, it is necessary to use more than one evaluation method. Therefore, an overview of different evaluation approaches is given, describing their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the ISO 9241 evaluator is presented in detail as an example of a practical expert-based evaluation method for conformance testing with the ISO 9241 standard, that can be integrated in a comprehensive evaluation approach.

Hippie: A Nomadic Information System

Hippie is a WWW-based nomadic information system that supports users before, during, and after a visit to exhibitions. The system models the visitors knowledge, preferences, and interests and tracks his/her position while moving in the physical space with Infrared, electronic compass and DGPS technologies. Therefore the user-modeling component of Hippie enables the system to adapt presentations, recommend tours, or alert the visitor when he/she passes hotspots in the exhibition. The underlying metaphor of connecting information space and physical space is applicable in many fields and arouses new challenges for user modeling and user adaptive systems.

User-interface Design

User-interface design is a central issue for the usability of a software product. In this chapter, general requirements referring to the international software ergonomics standardization and specific design features for the user interface of learning systems are presented. Orientation and feedback for the learner are the most relevant issues of interface design of learning systems. Information presentation methods appropriate for learning are proposed. Contextualization of learner support by individualized interfaces, by active and situated learning means, and contextual online help are proposed. Reflection during and after the design and development of an interface are recommended.

Evaluation of user interfaces : EVADIS II-a comprehensive evaluation approach

Abstract As a result of the importance of the usability approach in system development and the ECs ‘Directive concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for VDT workers’ (EWG 1990), there is an accepted need for practical evaluation methods for user interfaces. The usability approach and the EC Directive are not restricted to user interface design, as they include the design of appropriate hardware and software, as well as organization, job, and task design. Therefore system designers are faced with many, often conflicting, requirements and need to address the question, ‘How can usability requirements comprehensively be considered and evaluated in system development?’ Customers buying hardware and software and introducing them into their organization ask, (How can I select easy-to-use hardware and software?’ Both designers and customers need an evaluation procedure that covers all the organizational, user, hard- and software requirements. The evaluation method, EVADIS.II, we present in this pa...