This thesis investigates the use of static, adaptive, adaptable and mixed-initiative approaches to the personalisation of content and graphical user interfaces (GUIs). This empirical study consisted of three experimental phases. The first examined the use of static, adaptive, adaptable and mixed-initiative approaches to web content. More specifically, it measured the usability (efficiency, frequency of error occurrence, effectiveness and satisfaction) of an e-commerce website. The experiment was conducted with 60 subjects and was tested empirically by four independent groups (15 subjects each). The second experiment examined the use of adaptive, adaptable and mixed-initiative approaches to GUIs. More specifically, it measured the usability (efficiency, frequency of error occurrence, effectiveness and satisfaction) in GUI control structures (menus). In addition, it investigated empirically the effects of content size on five different personalised menu types. In order to carry out this comparative investigation, two independent experiments were conducted, on small menus (17 items) and large ones (29 items) respectively. The experiment was conducted with 60 subjects and was tested empirically by four independent groups (15 subjects each). The third experiment was conducted with 40 subjects and was tested empirically by four dependent groups (5 subjects each). The aim of the third experiment was to mitigate the drawbacks of the adaptive, adaptable and mixedinitiative approaches, to improve their performance and to increase their usability by using multimodal auditory solutions (speech, earcons and auditory icons). The results indicate that the size of content affects the usability of personalised approaches. In other words, as the size of content increases, so does the need of the adaptive and mixed-initiative approaches, whereas that of the adaptable approach decreases. A set of empirically derived guidelines were also produced to assist designers with the use of adaptive, adaptable and mixed-initiative approaches to web content and GUI control structure.

This thesis investigates the use of static, adaptive, adaptable and mixed-initiative approaches to the personalisation of content and graphical user interfaces (GUIs). This empirical study consisted of three experimental phases. The first examined the use of static, adaptive, adaptable and mixed-initiative approaches to web content. More specifically, it measured the usability (efficiency, frequency of error occurrence, effectiveness and satisfaction) of an e-commerce website. The experiment was conducted with 60 subjects and was tested empirically by four independent groups (15 subjects each). The second experiment examined the use of adaptive, adaptable and mixed-initiative approaches to GUIs. More specifically, it measured the usability (efficiency, frequency of error occurrence, effectiveness and satisfaction) in GUI control structures (menus). In addition, it investigated empirically the effects of content size on five different personalised menu types. In order to carry out this comparative investigation, two independent experiments were conducted, on small menus (17 items) and large ones (29 items) respectively. The experiment was conducted with 60 subjects and was tested empirically by four independent groups (15 subjects each). The third experiment was conducted with 40 subjects and was tested empirically by four dependent groups (5 subjects each). The aim of the third experiment was to mitigate the drawbacks of the adaptive, adaptable and mixedinitiative approaches, to improve their performance and to increase their usability by using multimodal auditory solutions (speech, earcons and auditory icons). The results indicate that the size of content affects the usability of personalised approaches. In other words, as the size of content increases, so does the need of the adaptive and mixed-initiative approaches, whereas that of the adaptable approach decreases. A set of empirically derived guidelines were also produced to assist designers with the use of adaptive, adaptable and mixed-initiative approaches to web content and GUI control structure.

Σκοπός της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η δημιουργία συστήματος που θα διευρύνει τις δυνατότητες των εξ’ αποστάσεως εργαστηρίων προσανατολισμένα σε θέματα ψηφιακής επεξεργασίας σήματος και εικόνας. Η υλοποίηση πραγματοποιήθηκε με το LabVIEW v 8.6 και ονομάστηκε R-DSP Server. Αξιοποιώντας τις δυνατότητες που προσφέρει ο R-DSP Server οι χρήστες μπορούν να αναπτύξουν τα δικά τους γραφικά περιβάλλοντα (Graphical User Interfaces -GUIs) τα οποία ονομάζονται προσαρμοζόμενα γραφικά περιβάλλοντα (Customized GUIs,) για τον απομακρυσμένο έλεγχο DSP εφαρμογών. Για την εύκολη και γρήγορη ανάπτυξη τέτοιων γραφικών εφαρμογών στο περιβάλλων του LabVIEW, αναπτύχθηκε μια σειρά εργαλείων που ονομάστηκε R-DSP LabVIEW Toolkit. Η εργασία ολοκληρώνεται με την παρουσίαση της λειτουργιάς του R-DSP Server αλλά και της χρήσης του R-DSP Toolkit. / The purpose of this work is to present an approach which could expand the features of Remote Laboratories focused on embedded Digital Signal Processing (DSP) systems. The proposed approach is based on a system which is designed and developed with LabVIEW and is called R-DSP Server. Exploiting this system, users are able to develop their own Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs), named Customized GUIs, for the remote control and validation of real-time DSP applications. These GUIs are tailored to the needs of each DSP application and can be implemented in any programming language. The rapid design of Customized GUIs using LabVIEW for the communication with the R-DSP Server is achieved using an implemented set of functions, called R-DSP LabVIEW Toolkit.