Displays are a useful tool for users and operators to understand information quickly. Configural displays are effective in supporting focus and divided attention tasks through the use of emergent features. Emergent features are highly salient and are generally used to support divided attention task However, due to the salience of emergent features, a potential performance costs to focused attention tasks arises with configural displays. To address this cost, semantic mapping has been used to map salience techniques to information needed by focus attention tasks to increase their saliency (Bennett & Walters, 2001; Bennett et al., 2000). Semantic mapping is the process of mapping the domain constrains to the display, which in turn is mapped to the users capabilities and limitations to understand that domain data. The objective of this dissertation is to extend the use of semantic mapping to address potential performance costs of configural displays for hierarchical domains using the scenario-based training (SBT) instructor domain. Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of salience application and salience type on data extraction accuracy and response time performances at low-level, mid-level, high-level, and a remediation task. The first study examined the effects of one salience technique mapped to the display. This study employed a 2(low or mid application) X 3(baseline, color techniques, and alphanumeric techniques) mixed model design in which 63 participants completed 3 blocks of 32 trails each using displays with the salience techniques mapped to either low- or mid-level data. Results from the first study showed that salience type had a significant impact on multi-level data extraction performance, but interactions were not found. The second study changed the manipulation of application and mapped two salience techniques display at the same time, using either the same technique or a combination of different techniques. The same experimental design was utilized and 65 participants completed study 2. Results of study 2 showed that different application resulted in greater improvements of performance and specific salience combinations were found better support data extraction performance. Across study analyses were also performed and revealed that more salience is not better than less salience. Instead it is the specific mapping of salience type and application which improves performance the most. Overall, these findings have major implications for theories of semantic mapping, attention and performance, and display design of hierarchical domains.

No description available.

This thesis investigates the design of audio for feedback in human-technology interaction— auditory displays. Despite promising progress in research and the potential benefits, we currently see little impact of audio in everyday interfaces. Changing interaction paradigms, new contexts of use and inclusive design principles, however, increase the need for an efficient, non-visual means of conveying information. Motivated by these needs, this work describes the development and evaluation of a methodological design framework, aiming to enhance knowledge and skill transfer in auditory display design and to enable designers to build more efficient and compelling auditory solutions. The work starts by investigating the current practice in designing audio in the user interface. A survey amongst practitioners and researchers in the field and a literature study of research papers highlighted the need for a structured design approach. Building on these results, paco – pattern design in the context space has been developed, a framework providing methods to capture, apply and refine design knowledge through design patterns. A key element of paco, the context space, serves as the organising principle for patterns, artefacts and design problems and supports designers in conceptualising the design space. The evaluation of paco is the first comparative study of a design methodology in this area. Experts in auditory display design and novice designers participated in a series of experiments to determine the usefulness of the framework. The evaluation demonstrated that paco facilitates the transfer of design knowledge and skill between experts and novices as well as promoting reflection and recording of design rationale. Alongside these principle achievements, important insights have been gained about the design process which lay the foundations for future research into this subject area. This work contributes to the field of auditory display as it reflects on the current practice and proposes a means of supporting designers to communicate, reason about and build on each other’s work more efficiently. The broader field of human-computer interaction may also benefit from the availability of design guidance for exploiting the auditory modality to answer the challenges of future interaction design. Finally, with paco a generic methodology in the field of design patterns was proposed, potentially similarly beneficial to other designing disciplines.

The goal of this thesis is to improve pilot understanding of the Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) by changing the Traffic Situation Display (TSD). This is supported by two objectives. The first objective is to create an integrated, realistic air traffic environment. This serves as an experimental platform for testing and evaluating future TCAS TSDs. The simulator environment includes a desktop flight simulator, background air traffic simulator, and intruder aircraft. The intruder aircraft uses seven dimensional waypoints to robustly follow trajectories and cause specific resolution advisories. Second, the relative benefits of, and potential concerns with, new TCAS TSDs are explored using a structured, iterative design process with subject matter ex- perts (SMEs). Incremental changes to the TSD were implemented into the simulator environment. SMEs evaluated the displays and potential points of confusion were identified. Several display features are discussed and implemented for future evaluations. These include boundary lines of TCAS variables depicted on the TSD and on a vertical situation display, speed lines which vary with the TCAS estimate of time to closest point of approach, and a prediction of the safe altitude target during a resolution advisory. Scenarios which may be confusing or misleading are discussed. These scenarios may be ameliorated or exacerbated by display features. This information is useful to guide both design and certification or operational approval and is a starting place for future TCAS experiments.

In response to growing concerns over the susceptibility of water distribution systems to contamination, this thesis presents the design and evaluation of an ecological display for an intelligent water monitoring system. Work Domain Analysis and Control Task Analysis were used to uncover the information requirements of the display. The work domain model in this thesis is one of a limited number of such models to include a representation of the automation. The resulting ecological display was evaluated in a comparative usability study against an alternative display based on a competitor’s product. Nine certified water operators participated. The displays were compared across three categories of usability measures: effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. No significant differences were observed. The results, however, helped identify design changes for the display. The implications for the design of intelligent automation displays, and the challenge of designing displays in parallel with early development of automation systems, are discussed.

In response to growing concerns over the susceptibility of water distribution systems to contamination, this thesis presents the design and evaluation of an ecological display for an intelligent water monitoring system. Work Domain Analysis and Control Task Analysis were used to uncover the information requirements of the display. The work domain model in this thesis is one of a limited number of such models to include a representation of the automation. The resulting ecological display was evaluated in a comparative usability study against an alternative display based on a competitor’s product. Nine certified water operators participated. The displays were compared across three categories of usability measures: effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. No significant differences were observed. The results, however, helped identify design changes for the display. The implications for the design of intelligent automation displays, and the challenge of designing displays in parallel with early development of automation systems, are discussed.

The ability to locate symbols on a visual display forms an integral part of the effective use of AAC systems. Characteristics of display design and perceptual features of symbols have been shown to influence rate and accuracy of symbol location (Thistle&Wilkinson, 2009; Wilkinson, Carlin,&Jagaroo, 2006). The current study endeavoured to compare the use of two colour-coded organisational strategies (alphabetical order and categorisation) for their effectiveness in symbol location and to investigate if some bottom-up features influenced the performance of the participants in these tasks. 114 learners in Grade 1 to 3 in a mainstream school were randomly divided into two groups. Both of the groups were exposed to two visual search tests in alternating order. The tests involved searching for 36 visual targets amongst 81 coloured Picture Communication Symbols on a computer screen in one of two colour-coded organizational methods, namely alphabetical order or categorisation. The data from the research task was collected through computer logging of all mouse selections. Findings showed that locating symbols on a computer screen with a categorisation strategy was significantly faster and more accurate than with an alphabetical strategy for the Grade 1 to 3 participants. The rate and accuracy of target symbol location in both the strategies decreased significantly as grade increased, as did the differences between rate and accuracy of target location when using the two strategies. It was also found that although the tests in this study placed heavy top-down processing demands on the participants, there was still evidence of bottom-up factors influencing their performance. Implications for display design in AAC clinical practice were discussed. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication / unrestricted

No description available.

No description available.

We  are  heading  into  a  world  that  is  becoming  more  and  more  digital.  In  the  future  markets,  customers   will   demand   that   some   sort   of   technical  support  is  available  when  they  make  purchases.   This   put   a   big   responsibility   on   companies  that  have  to  satisfy  that  need.  The  wallpaper  industry  has  not  incorporated  many  efficient  support  tools  to  facilitate  the  product  selection at Swedish retailers. This results in that customers  experience  many  issues  when  they  search for new wallpapers. Through a needfinding process, where customers   were   observed   at   retailers,   eight   primary  customer  needs  could  be  established  in  the  project.  These  were  ranked  after  their  relative   importance.   The   results   showed   that   the  most  important  needs  to  satisfy  was  to  give  customer’s  inspiration  and  help  them  visualize  wallpapers  in  environments.  In  two  workshops,  around  100  ideas  on  how  a  system  that  could  satisfy  these  needs  was  generated  in  a  number  of brainstorming sessions. These ideas were then culled   with   various   evaluation   methods   such   as  rating  matrixes,  inventory  methods  and  by  clustering the ideas. At the end of the evaluation process,  four  concepts  remained  with  different  levels of technical demands and implementation requirements.  The  decision  of  which  concept  that was going to be further developed was then made by Midbec. The final system is a service that allows customer to   visualize   chosen   wallpapers   in   a   digital   environment.  The  system  contains  a  screen  with  a connected hand scanner that will be integrated in  Midbec’s  store  interior  and  QR-barcodes  that  is  applied  to  each  wallpaper.  When  a  barcode  is  decoded,  either  with  the  scanner  or  with  a  smartphone, the user connects to Midbec’s newly developed   online   wallpaper   tool   where   the   wallpaper can be seen in different environments. The   benchmarking   showed   that   no   studies   of    effective    wallpaper    displays    has    been    made.  Several  areas  where  new  systems  can  be   implemented   to   support   customers   and   promote  wallpapers  more  effectively  was  found  throughout  the  process.  This  means  that  there  are many possibilities to develop and implement new  designs  in  the  industry.  As  a  conclusion,  this  project  showed  that  a  needfinding  process  should  focus  on  incorporating  the  user  to  the  highest possible level to ensure that reliable data is collected. Another conclusion is that customers experience   many   different   issues   in   today’s   wallpaper  selection  process.  Again,  this  shows  that  there  is  potential  to  develop  systems  that  can improve today’s wallpaper industry. / Vi går mot en värld som blir allt mer digital. I den framtida marknaden kommer kunder kräva att något sorts tekniskt  hjälpmedel  finns  tillhands  när  de  gör  sina  inköp.  Detta  ställer  krav  på  företagen  som  måste  tillfredsställa  det  behovet.  Tapetindustrin har inte integrerat många     effektiva  verktyg  för  att  underlätta  produktvalet  hos  svenska  återförsäljare.  Detta  resulterar  i  att  kunderna  upplever  många  svårigheter  när  de  letar efter nya tapeter. Genom en behovsidentifieringsprocess,    där    kunder  observerades  hos  återförsäljare,  kunde  åtta  primära  kundbehov  fastställas  i  projektet.  Dessa  rankades  efter  deras  relativa  betydelse.  Resultatet  visade  att  de  viktigast  behoven  att  tillfredsställa  är  att  ge  kunderna  inspiration  och  hjälpa  de  att  visualisera  tapeter  i  miljöer.  I  två  workshops genererades cirka 100 idéer i ett antal brainstorming  sessioner  på  hur  ett  system  som  tillfredsställer dessa behov kan se ut. Dessa idéer sorterades sedan med olika utvärderingsmetoder som     betygsmatriser,     inventerings     metoder     och  genom  att  gruppera  idéerna.  I  slutet  av  utvärderingsprocessen   återstod   fyra   koncept   med olika grad av tekniska och implementerings krav.   Beslutet   om   viket   koncept   som   skulle   vidareutvecklas togs sedan av Midbec. Det  slutgiltiga  systemet  är  en  tjänst  som  tillåter  kunderna att visualisera valda tapeter i en digital miljö.   Systemet   inkluderar   en   skärm   med   en   tillhörande   handskanner   som   är   integrerad   i   Midbec’s   butiksmiljö   samt   QR-koder   som   är   applicerade  på  varje  tapet.  När  en  kod  avläses,  antigen med skannern eller med en smartphone, kopplas     användaren     till     Midbec’s     nyligen     framtagna onlinetjänst där tapeten kan ses i olika miljöer. Förstudien  visade  att  inga  tidigare  studier  på  effektiva  tapetskyltningar  har  genomförts.  Flera  områden   där   nya   system   kan   implementeras   för  att  stödja  kunderna  och  framhäva  tapeter  mer  effektivt  framkom  under  projektet.  Detta  betyder   att   det   finns   många   möjligheter   för   att  utveckla  och  implementera  nya  designer  i  branschen.  Som  en  slutsats  visade  detta  projekt  att      en      behovsidentifieringsprocess      borde      inkludera  användaren  så  mycket  som  möjligt  för  att  säkerställa  att  tillförlitliga  data  samlas  in.  Ännu  en  slutsats  är  att  kunder  upplever  många  olika   svårigheter   i   dagens   tapetvalsprocess.   Återigen visar detta på att det finns potential för att utveckla nya system som kan förbättra dagens tapetbransch.