Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-93). Also available via the Internet.

Hypermedia systems are designed to allow links, or connections, to be made between different media objects. Key issues tackled in early hypermedia systems included developing tools to help guide users through the material and tools to help authors maintain the material that they create. The open approach to hypermedia emerged, where links were separated from the content of documents, allowing a more modular approach to hypermedia services. The ease of integration of tools in these open systems promoted the creation of many different types of navigational aids, designed to help users of the systems to access and maintain the information contained within them. The openness and modular nature of such systems creates its own problems however. Users will often have to interact with a number of disparate interfaces to manipulate the navigational information. A new approach is presented which provides an open framework for these interfaces, allowing for a co-ordinated strategy and the modular addition of tools to help manage the screen interface and reduce the complexity of the interaction for users. A second approach to the problem is to provide the different hypermedia information within a unifying visualisation. A novel framework is presented which allows more open access to the underlying navigational information of hypermedia systems. Visualisation tools can be connected to this framework in a modular fashion to provide flexible visualisations of the underlying information. By generating a number of different visualisations, the openness and flexibility of the visualisation framework approach is demonstrated.

It is widely acknowledged that enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems suffer from complex user interfaces. The complexity of these user interfaces negatively affects the usability of these systems. Current research has shown that a need exists to improve the overall usability of ERP systems. This research proposes the use of adaptive user interfaces (AUIs) as a means of improving the overall usability of ERP systems. Research has shown that AUIs are capable of improving system usability by reducing user interface complexity and improving the overall user experience. The primary objective of this research was to determine how AUIs could be designed to improve the usability of ERP systems. An adaptation taxonomy, ERP system architecture (incorporating an AUI), a set of AUI components and a set of usability heuristics for ERP systems were proposed to support the design, development and evaluation of AUIs for ERP systems. The proposed adaptation taxonomy provides support for three types of adaptation: content adaptation, presentation adaptation and navigation adaptation. The proposed ERP system architecture is a three-tiered system architecture, consisting of a Presentation Layer (incorporating an AUI), an Application Layer and a Database Layer. The proposed set of AUI components comprise a user model, a task model and a dialog model. The set of proposed usability heuristics aims to identify usability issues of ERP systems within the areas of Navigation, Presentation, Task Support, Learnability and Customisation. An AUI prototype was developed based on selected adaptive techniques from the proposed adaptation taxonomy and selected components from the proposed system architecture. All of the proposed AUI components were implemented. The AUI prototype was developed for an existing ERP system, namely SAP Business One (SBO). This prototype was designed, in order to resolve the usability issues of SBO identified through the use of the proposed set of heuristics. The development of the AUI prototype was made possible through the use of a software development kit (SDK) provided with SBO. The AUI prototype made use of content adaptation, presentation adaptation and navigation adaptation in order to address the identified usability issues. An empirical evaluation was conducted on the AUI prototype to determine whether it provided any usability benefits over the standard SBO system. The results from the empirical evaluation revealed that the AUI presented usability benefits with regard to learnability and satisfaction. Users who used the AUI prototype were able to learn how to use the ERP system a lot quicker and were more satisfied than users of the standard SBO system. The successful implementation of the AUI prototype provided practical evidence that the proposed adaptation taxonomy and the proposed system architecture can be implemented. This research has provided empirical evidence that the use of AUIs can improve the usability of ERP systems. Future research has outlined several possibilities to utilise and enhance the proposed adaptation taxonomy, the ERP system architecture and ERP heuristics, for the purpose of furthering research within the area of AUIs for ERP systems.

User satisfaction and library use are multidimensional concepts. The scope of every library as a service institution is to provide satisfaction to its users and to strive continuously for their betterment. The aim of this study is, therefore, to determine the satisfaction of users with library services at the circulation desk at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), Ibika Campus. The specific objectives of the study are as follows: To determine the levels of satisfaction of users, especially at the circulation desk; to determine the reasons for any dissatisfaction expressed by the users; to determine the use of databases by the users, and to determine how the Ibika Campus library is rated in general. In this study, a survey was used to determine the levels of satisfaction of users with library services. Questionnaires were distributed to hundred and twenty users, and ninety users responded to these. From the findings, it was clear that most of the respondents were in general satisfied with the library services at WSU, Ibika Campus. Dissatisfaction was expressed by approximately twenty percent of the respondents, because of various reasons which include library opening hours, noise level, temperature, photocopying facilities, the accuracy of the searches, including the use of OPAC. There were also some suggestions from the respondents that entail more staffing, training, expansion of the library building, twenty-four hour reading room facilities and more cubicles for senior students and staff. The expansion of the library building may reduce the noise level because there will be more space, and that will limit group discussions inside the library. Group discussions will be done outside the library in the suggested twenty-four hours reading room. In one of the recommendations, it is suggested that library management should provide ongoing training for all library staff. This will result in enhancement of services. The training will assist the circulation staff to possess excellent interpersonal skills together with a strong service orientation. Lastly, further research needs to be done on library satisfaction in terms of the problems that have been identified, for example, extension of the library building.

The main aim of this paper is to analyse the user interface of current school information system and to redesign new interface based on user testing results. The assumption for reaching this goal is the necessary knowledge of principles of designing modern user interfaces. The benefit consists in creating a whole new structure of navigation system and in the redesigning layouts. The beginning part of this work presents value of usability user interface and who is designing and testing it. The following part describes principles of modern user interfaces. Conclusion part of this paper presents a case study, which describes the problems of current user interface of the ISIS and the new solution of user interface ISIS and its navigation system.

Prototyping is generally acknowledged as an effective method for generating cost-effective, preliminary designs of various products including web and mobile user interfaces. Out of the existing types of prototyping, paper prototyping is known for being the most cost-effective of them all, as well as the most constrained for the realistic user experience elements it can render. High-Fidelity prototypes on the other hand offer a richer experience to the user, at the high cost of developing sophisticated software/hardware-based demonstrations. Although both of these types of prototypes continue to be widely and successfully used in product and interface design, there is no evidence of a cost-effective technique that would elicit user’s feedback which as rich as high-fidelity prototypes but without implementation effort. This study proposes an innovative prototyping technique called “Paper in Screen” (Bolchini, Pulido, Faiola, 2009) which enables designers to cheaply and rapidly prototype a mobile application in its key components (interface design and mobile device integration) without the need for implementing a high-fidelity prototype. A study was performed with 10 user experience professionals to evaluate their perception of the technique’s effectiveness, from which a number of benefits and drawbacks of the “Paper in Screen” were learned. The obtained results point to areas of future research in mobile prototyping.

Cette recherche a pour objet l’étude de la gestion de l’autonomie du VE et explore les comportements et expériences vécues des utilisateurs de véhicules thermiques (VT) et électriques (VE). Elle a permis l’acquisition de connaissances sur les usages situés du véhicule électrique et sur les besoins informationnels associés. Dans la première phase de notre étude, un cadre de référence a été établi à travers l’étude de la gestion de l’autonomie du VT. Quatre « styles de gestion de l’autonomie » ont été identifiés sur la base d’entretiens puis quantifiés grâce à un questionnaire. Ces styles correspondent au rapport cognitivo-affectif et au comportement lié au risque de panne automobile : certains en sont inquiets et anticipent leur recharge pour maîtriser l’incertitude et le risque, tandis que d’autres ne s’en inquiètent pas et attendent de recharger beaucoup plus tardivement. Trois classes de déterminants (individuels, artefactuels et contextuels), influençant l’adoption d’une pratique anticipative ou réactive, ont été précisées. La deuxième phase de l’étude a permis d’identifier les pratiques de gestion de l’autonomie mises en œuvre avec le VE au travers de deux semaines de prêts à neuf conducteurs. Les résultats, issus de journaux de bord et d’entretiens « resituant », ont mis en évidence le transfert des styles de gestion de l’autonomie du VT au VE et leur influence sur la prise de risque. Les résultats ont aussi mis en évidence une fréquence de rechargement quasi quotidienne pour beaucoup de conducteurs, une planification plus importante permettant la maîtrise de l’autonomie du VE, le contexte dans lequel apparaissent quelques trajets problématiques, et les sources de confort et inconfort émotionnel. L’étude des artefacts de la gestion de l’autonomie a permis d’établir une typologie des instruments pour gérer l’autonomie: les instruments prospectifs, réflexifs, réflexifs synthétiques et pragmatiques. Leurs rôles et modes d’appropriation ont été précisés, selon le contexte d’utilisation et les styles. L’élaboration de « systèmes d’instruments » par les conducteurs ainsi que des pratiques de tests leur permettent de maîtriser leur autonomie. L’étude de l’évolution temporelle des pratiques et des vécus a montré une évolution des risques pris avec le VE qui coïncide avec les styles de gestion de l’autonomie et un sentiment global de maitrise. Que ce soit sur le VT ou le VE, on observe que les styles peuvent évoluer vers une anticipation qui s’amoindrie avec le temps. Les tests effectués et l’appropriation des instruments participent à la diminution de cette anticipation. La troisième phase de l’étude s’est appuyée sur l’expérience vécue des neuf conducteurs qui ont participé individuellement à des séances de créativité projective, basée sur deux prototypes et permettant l’expression d’attentes en termes d’instruments et services à développer. Les résultats ont montré un nombre d’attentes plus élevé pour les instruments prospectifs et une influence positive des maquettes sur le nombre de besoins exprimés. Enfin, ces résultats et méthodes ont été discutés au regard des apports théoriques et pratiques qu’ils fournissent et des perspectives de recherche qu’ils préfigurent. / This research aims to study the electric vehicle range management and to explore the behavior and the lived experience of users of thermal vehicle (TV) and electric vehicle (EV). It has allowed the acquisition of knowledge about the situated use of electric vehicle and associated informational needs. In the first phase of our study, a framework has been established through the study of the thermal vehicle range management. We identified four styles of "range management" on the basis of interviews and quantified using a questionnaire. These styles fit the cognitive-affective relationship and the behavior related to the risk of breakdown: some drivers are worried and anticipate their recharge to control uncertainty and risk, while others does not care and expect to reload much later. Three classes of determinants (individual, artefactual and contextual), influencing the adoption of a proactive or reactive practice, were identified. The second phase of our study was dedicated to the identification of the range management practices through a two weeks EV loan to nine drivers. The results, based on diaries and resituated interviews, highlighted the transfer of range management styles from TV to EV and their influence on risk-taking. The results also revealed the establishment of an almost daily refueling frequency for most drivers, a greater anticipation to control the electric vehicle range, the context in which some problematic routes appear, and sources of emotional comfort and discomfort. The study of artefacts proposed for range management resulted in a typology of instruments: they were classified in prospective, reflective, reflective synthetic and pragmatic instruments. Their roles and appropriation have been specified according to the context of use and styles. The development of “instruments system” by drivers and practical tests allow them to control their autonomy. The study of temporal evolution of practices and experiences showed an evolution of the risks taken with the VE which coincides with range management styles and an overall feeling of control. With both TV and EV, we note that styles may evolve to a lower anticipation with time. The tests and appropriation of instruments contribute to reduce this anticipation. The third phase of our study was based on the experience of the nine drivers who participated individually in sessions of projective creativity, based on two prototypes and allowing the expression of expectations in terms of instruments and services development. Participants expressed more expectations for prospective instruments and the results showed a positive influence of prototypes models for the requirements expressed. These methods and results were finally discussed in terms of theoretical and practical contributions and research opportunities they foreshadow.

This thesis describes a system to implement a distributed multi-user process interface to allow the PDP-11/23 computer in the Electrical Engineering department at UCT to be used for process control. The use of this system is to be shared between postgraduate students for research and undergraduates for doing real-time control projects. The interface may be used concurrently by several users, and access is controlled in such a way as to prevent users' programs from interfering with one another. The process interface hardware used was a GEC Micro-Media system, which is a stand-alone process interface system communicating with a host (the PDP-11/23) via a serial line. Hardware to drive a 600-metre serial link at 9600 baud between the PDP-11/23 and the Media interface was designed and built. The software system on the host, written in RTL/2, holds-all data from the interface in a resident common data-base and continually updates it. Access to the interface by applications programs is done indirectly by reading and writing to the database, for which purpose a library of user interface routines is provided. To allow future expansion and modification of the Media interface, software (also written in RTL/2) for an LSI-11 minicomputer interfaced to the Media bus was developed which emulates the operation of the GEC proprietary Micro-Media software. A program to download this software into the LSI-11 was written. A suite of diagnostic programs enables testing of the system hardware and software at various levels. To ease testing, teaching, and applications programming, a general-purpose simulation package for the simulation of analogue systems was developed, as well as graphics routines for use with a Tektronix 4010 plotting terminal. A. real-time computing project for a class of undergraduates was run in 1983. This project made extensive use of the system and demonstrated its viability.

No description available.

Nadine Schmidt-Mänz vom Institut für Entscheidungstheorie u. Unternehmensforschung, Universität Karlsruhe, berichtete über „Suchverhalten im Web: Empirische Ergebnisse“. Rund 6000 Benutzer von Suchmaschinen füllten den von ihr hergestellten Online-Fragebogen aus. Einige ihrer Erkenntnisse: Als Suchmaschine wurde mit 91,3 % Google benutzt. Die Monopolstellung von Google war den Suchenden nicht bewußt. Einer der Schlüsse der Referentin: Es mangelt nicht an Suchmaschinen, sondern an der „Weiterentwicklung“ der Suchenden.