This human factors research demonstrated the importance of instruction design on assembly performance and self-efficacy in young children. The mixed-method usability study evaluated the effect of gender, age, toy, and experience on assembly performance, frequency and duration of instruction looks, subjective evaluations, and usability problems. A total of twenty-four boys and girls, six- and nine-year-olds, assembled K'NEX, LEGO, BIONICLE, and Lincoln Log toys using the accompanying pictorial assembly instructions. Other research objectives included recommending key usability measures for instruction designers, developing a model of assembly self-efficacy, and evaluating traditional usability methods for use with children. Not surprisingly, quantitative results revealed that the older children assembled the toys more quickly and accurately with fewer usability problems. Six-year-old girls had the highest rate of mistakes. The nine-year-olds required fewer instruction looks of shorter duration than the six-year-olds. With few exceptions, toy comparisons were similar across subjective and objective measures. Thirty-two instruction design usability problems were described and illustrated and resulted in twenty-seven design recommendations. For example, more than half of the children omitted components added to the main assembly in the presence of a subassembly construction suggesting that the subassembly should be in a separate frame. Principal components analysis of all quantitative measures revealed four key components for the usability testing of pictorial assembly instructions: performance, satisfaction, difficulty, and previous experience. A qualitative analysis of the think-aloud data and observations, using Grounded Theory, produced a model of assembly self-efficacy from child users’ psychosocial and cognitive perspectives that affirmed the importance of user-centered instruction design. Girls exhibited lower self-efficacy and a greater tendency toward internal attributions, which was exacerbated by assembly of a boy-oriented toy. Six-year-old children were more affected by excess extraneous cognitive load and inaccurate information, such as color mismatches between the instructions and object. Adaptations of traditional usability methods and instruments were effective with children. They included video training for thinking aloud, visual-analog rating scales, and pictorial ranking instruments. A small head-mounted camera provided an economic means for gathering gross instruction encoding times and for better understanding the user's perspective. / Ph. D.

In the coming years, augmented reality, mobile computing, and related technologies have the potential to completely redefine how we interact with and use computers. No longer will we be bound to desktops and laptops, nor will we be bound to monitors, two-dimensional (2D) screens, and graphical user interface (GUI) backgrounds. Instead we will employ wearable systems to move about and augmented reality displays to overlay 2D and three-dimensional (3D) graphics onto the real world. When the computer graphics and user interface communities evolved from text-based user interfaces to 2D GUIs, many in the field noted the need for “new analyses and metrics“ [Shneiderman et al., 1995]; the same is equally true today as we shift from 2D GUI-based user interfaces and environments, to 3D, stereoscopic virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) environments. As we rush to advance the state of technology of AR and its capabilities, we need to advance the processes by which these environments are designed, built, and evaluated. Along these lines, this dissertation provides insight into the processes and products of AR usability evaluation. Despite the fact that this technology fundamentally changes the way we visualize, use, and interact with information, very little HCI work in general, and user-centered design and evaluation in particular, have been done to date specifically in AR [Swan & Gabbard, 2005]. While traditional HCI methods can be successfully applied in AR to determine what information should be presented to the user [Gabbard, 2002], these approaches do not tell us, and what, to date, has not been researched, is how information should be presented to the user. A difficulty in producing effective AR user interfaces (UIs) in outdoor AR settings lies in the wide range of environmental conditions that may be present, and specifically large-scale fluctuations in natural lighting and wide variations in likely backgrounds or objects in the scene. In many cases, a carefully designed AR user interface may be easily legible under some lighting and background conditions, and minutes later be totally illegible in others. Since lighting and background conditions may vary from minute to minute in dynamic AR usage contexts, there is a need for basic research to understand the relationship between real-world backgrounds and objects and associated augmenting text drawing styles. This research identifies characteristics of AR text drawing styles that affect legibility on common real-world backgrounds. We present the concept of active text drawing styles that adapt in real-time to changes in the real-world backgrounds. We also present lessons learned on applying traditional usability engineering techniques to outdoor AR application development and propose a modified usability engineering process to support user interface design of novel technologies such as AR. Results of this research provide the following scientific contributions to the field of AR: Empirical evidence regarding effectiveness of various text drawing styles in affording legibility to outdoor AR users. Empirical evidence that real-world backgrounds have an effect on the legibility of text drawing styles. Guidelines to aid AR user interface designers in choosing among various text drawing styles and characteristics of drawing styles produced by the pilot and user-based studies described in this dissertation. Candidate drawing style algorithms to support an active, real-time, AR display system, where sensors interpret real-world backgrounds to determine appropriate values for display drawing style characteristics. Lessons learned on applying traditional usability engineering processes to outdoor AR. A modified usability engineering process to assist developers in identifying effective UI designs vis-à-vis user-based studies. / Ph. D.

Reading news on mobile devices has during the past decade transcended into an every- day activity, which induce greater demands on design and presentation of news. Several researchers have examined essential components in the area of digital newspapers, despite this, there are few newspapers that have switched to a reader-friendly format. The objective of this thesis is to evaluate how the reading experience in digital newspa- pers can be improved by abandoning the traditional structure of today’s printed newspapers. Based on numerous tests and studies, as well as support from literature, a set of guidelines has been produced as a result of this thesis. The design guidelines contain recommendations for optimal line size, typeface, point size, appearance, functionality, placement, recognition factor and packaging. To ensure quality, all guidelines were validated in order to prove that the reading experience had increased. An evaluation was performed that attempted to determine that. The statistic result of this thesis showed a significant difference in both reading speed and the subjective experience. However no significant difference could be seen regarding the reading comprehension. The conclusions made was that structure and design of content can influence both reading speed and reading experience. All design guidelines can be used as guidance when developing templates for digital newspapers.

This thesis addressed the following research activities: (1) Developing and evaluating the usability of an adult age-independent online assessment tool that includes health care related content and is centered on the needs and capabilities of both older and younger users and, (2) Developing adult age-independent design guidelines. An online tool, which was developed for a previous study, was revised according to the results of the previous study and preliminary development activities based upon the user requirements of older adults (50 years or older). The online assessment tool was also tested with younger adults (between 18 and 35 years of age) to determine the differences between younger and older adults. Subsequent to these activities, a final tool that captured the needs of both older and younger adults was developed and evaluated for usability. According to the usability testing results, a design guideline set for an adult age-independent Online Needs Assessment Tool was developed and revisions were conducted in order to develop the final Online Needs Assessment Tool. The results of these studies, along with the tools developed, provide online survey and interface designers information on older and younger adult user requirements. They provide a knowledge resource for older and younger user healthcare information needs and information about the usability of one online assessment tool to accommodate both older and younger adult users. They also assist interface designers to proliferate and to facilitate more rapid application development / Master of Science

No / This paper introduces multimedia design guidelines for browsing large volumes of e-mail data. These software design guidelines derived from two sets of experiments under a prototype version of a multimedia e-mail tool. The experiments tested various forms of audio-visual communication metaphors. For example, the auditory stimuli consisted of musical sounds (earcons), compositional sounds, environmental sounds (auditory icons), stereophony, pitch, synthesised and recorded speech as well as other sound effects. The first set of experiments involved the multimedia browsing of simple and complex sets of e-mail data. The second set of the experiments involved the communication of e-mail categories and other related e-mail information such as the presence or absence of an attachment, priority status and subject of an e-mail. The results of these two sets of experiments are described and linked with other experiments in the literature. The paper integrates and discusses all these experimental results, the incorporation of auditory stimuli and the suitability of different types of multimedia metaphors for the design of audio-visual browsing techniques of large volumes of e-mail data. The totality of the multimedia design appeared to offer a meaningful, easily understood and recognised interaction mechanism and therefore demonstrated a potential way to maximise the volume of information that could be communicated to users. The application of synthesised and recorded speech, earcons and auditory icons as well as sound effects are also discussed in the light of the experimental results with emphasis upon issues of synergy, synchronisation, consistency, structure, classification and presentation of different types of communication metaphors as an integral part of the software design process. Furthermore, the suitability and use of compositional sounds are also discussed. The paper concludes with a set of practical guidelines for software and multimedia designers and a design approach for this type of data browsing.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional & Community Planning / Eric A. Bernard / Typical aspects of a zoo’s mission are conservation of wildlife and habitats. As part of conservation efforts zoos provide opportunities for visitors to learn about animals and their environments. Ultimately their goal is visitor understanding leading to conservation behavior. While documented zoo design methods such as landscape immersion, cultural resonance and interpretation elements provide opportunities to learn, current literature stops short of explaining how visitors learn. This research intends to bridge this gap through an innovative mixed methods approach under the hypothesis: if designers understand how visitors learn, their design approach will change to integrate learning and cognitive process theories, resulting in exhibit designs which engage visitor’s cognitive processes increasing learning, thereby increasing the potential for conservation behavior. A thorough literature review revealed cognitive psychology and learning theories vital to exhibit design. Cognitive processes are the mental processes visitors use to learn, think and act (Leonard, 2002). To design for visitor’s cognitive processes designers need to be concerned with visitor’s attention, perception, recall, understanding and memory (Koran, 1983). A personal design exercise testing novel approaches for incorporating cognitive processes into theoretical exhibits yielded potential new guidelines and typologies for exhibit design. To test these personal insights, integrated survey and participatory methods were envisioned to engage zoo design professionals. Professional zoo exhibit designers attended two workshops where they learned about cognitive processes and learning theories, discussed and sketched ideas for learning in zoos, and focused on how to integrate theories in design. The interactive charrette engaged zoo design professional’s cognitive processes to uncover new approaches and typologies for zoo exhibit design. Participants completed pre and post-surveys to measure design approach changes. Chan’s (Chan, 2001) five components of an individual’s design style are used as a framework for the survey questions. Results from the workshop suggest participants augmented their design approach by increasing the influence of cognitive processes in their design approach and concepts. Participants also showed an increased ability to create goals for learning and an increased ability to form constraints along with improvements in existing mental imagery. Additionally, participants demonstrated increases in their search pattern and order in typical design stages of research, site analysis and design development. From the workshop analysis of the surveys, discussions, and sketches, new design strategies emerged to guide the design of exhibits in engaging and facilitating visitor’s cognitive processes. A triangulation analysis methodology validated the design strategies creating 53 design guidelines for learning by comparing design strategies in the workshop, personal charrette and literature. The design guidelines are compiled into an interactive PDF for other zoo designers and professionals use. To assist the reader in employing the design guidelines most effectively learning principles explain the fundamental learning concepts grounding the guideline. Also, seven example projects illustrate the use of the guidelines. The guidelines, learning principles and example projects are hyperlinked to facilitate learning and application.

Studies have shown that foster children encounter many problems in everyday life. Three of these major problems are access to information, communication and integration. Studies have also shown that digital services such as mobile application can assist this particular type of user with their needs. However, when designing such a service, it is important that the right user experience design process which is suitable for the user will be implemented. For this reason, the goal of this study is to answer the following questions: “Which UX design guidelines are considered more efficient when designing a digital service, especially eHealth services, aimed for adolescent foster children?” In general, this study aims to identify which factors inside user experience design will lead to a more efficient experience for adolescent foster children from the age of 15 to 18. In order to accomplish this, the user centered design and design science research methodology were adopted for this study. Other methods such as literature study, interviews, usability test and heuristic evaluation test were also conducted. Furthermore, to evaluate the identified design guidelines, a mobile prototype which included the design guidelines were created. Based on the results from the usability test and heuristic evaluation test, it can be argued that the design features that would benefit adolescent foster children in a digital service are social features, accessing the right information at the right time, rewards and challenges. Other design features such positive color palates, clear navigation features and minimum use of instructional text should also be used. More importantly, when it came to understanding the needs of the focus group and the context specifics surrounding them, it was realized that designers should create trust with the user, including experts in the area, identifying ethical issues and the exact limitations that the focus group faces. It should be noted that at the beginning of this study, the main plan was to test the concept on actual foster children. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, this was not possible. Instead, a usability test and heuristic evaluation test for the prototype was conducted with participants that were experts in the areas related to this study.

"The potential hazard of using curbs on high-speed roadways has been a concern for highway designers for almost half a century. Curbs extend 75-200 mm above the road surface for appreciable distances and are located very near the edge of the traveled way, thus, they constitute a continuous hazard for motorist. Curbs are sometimes used in combination with guardrails or other roadside safety barriers. Full-scale crash testing has demonstrated that inadequate design and placement of these systems can result in vehicles vaulting, underriding or rupturing a strong-post guardrail system though the mechanisms for these failures are not well understood. For these reasons, the use of curbs has generally been discouraged on high-speed roadways. Curbs are often essential, however, because of restricted right-of-way, drainage considerations, access control, delineation and other curb functions. Thus, there is a need for nationally recognized guidelines for the design and use of curbs. The primary purpose of this study was to develop design guidelines for the use of curbs and curb-barrier combinations on roadways with operating speeds greater than 60 km/hr. The research presented herein identifies common types of curbs that can be used safely and effectively on high-speed roadways and also identifies the proper combination and placement of curbs and barriers that will allow the traffic barriers to safely contain and redirect an impacting vehicle. Finite element models of curbs and curb-guardrail systems were developed, and the finite element program, LS-DYNA, was used to investigate the event of a vehicle traversing several curb types. Finite element analysis was also used in the analysis of a vehicle impacting a number of curb-guardrail combinations. The results obtained from these analyses were synthesized with the results of previous studies, which involved full-scale crash testing, computer simulation, and other methods. The combined information was then used to develop a set of guidelines for using curbs and curb-barrier combinations on high-speed roadways."

This thesis strives to establish a set of design guidelines for the upcoming Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit development in Toronto. The primary design goals are to promote an enjoyable travel experience to commuters, offer positive public spaces in vicinity, and contribute to the greater social and cultural matrices of the city. Under a realistic project setting, the study will meditate upon spatial anthropological theories to identify essential public space qualities and to formulate underground lighting strategies. The main objective is to complete the development of both underground station and surface stop prototypes that can be flexibly implemented along the entire transit line. The vision is for these stations to not only provide convenient public transit amenities but also function as locale identifiers, showcasing Toronto’s culture virtually as unique rooms in a gallery. Three sites are chosen: Mount Pleasant, Dufferin, and Keele stations. These stations will provide interesting conditions to demonstrate the way in which a set of design guidelines can facilitate the positive development of subway stations into the powerful loci envisioned.

This thesis strives to establish a set of design guidelines for the upcoming Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit development in Toronto. The primary design goals are to promote an enjoyable travel experience to commuters, offer positive public spaces in vicinity, and contribute to the greater social and cultural matrices of the city. Under a realistic project setting, the study will meditate upon spatial anthropological theories to identify essential public space qualities and to formulate underground lighting strategies. The main objective is to complete the development of both underground station and surface stop prototypes that can be flexibly implemented along the entire transit line. The vision is for these stations to not only provide convenient public transit amenities but also function as locale identifiers, showcasing Toronto’s culture virtually as unique rooms in a gallery. Three sites are chosen: Mount Pleasant, Dufferin, and Keele stations. These stations will provide interesting conditions to demonstrate the way in which a set of design guidelines can facilitate the positive development of subway stations into the powerful loci envisioned.