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Synthesis-oriented situational analysis in user interface design

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Human-Computer Interaction (EWHCI 1993)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 753))

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Abstract

Analytic evaluation is a term describing a class of techniques for examining a representation of a user interface design, and discovering design flaws and/or predicting user task performance. In our work with analytic evaluation, we have observed limitations on the effectiveness and efficiency of analytic techniques for formative evaluation supporting the iterative design and re-design cycle. Here we support those observations with arguments based on theoretical limitations of the models underlying these techniques. By way of comparison we discuss desirable characteristics for an alternative approach. In our search for such an alternative, we have developed the Task Mapping Model, a substantively different approach to analysis for supporting the user interface design. We briefly describe the Task Mapping Model and give some examples illustrating its desirable characteristics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 24061, Blacksburg, VA

    Kevin A. Mayo & H. Rex Hartson

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  1. Kevin A. Mayo
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  2. H. Rex Hartson
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Leonard J. Bass Juri Gornostaev Claus Unger

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© 1993 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Mayo, K.A., Hartson, H.R. (1993). Synthesis-oriented situational analysis in user interface design. In: Bass, L.J., Gornostaev, J., Unger, C. (eds) Human-Computer Interaction. EWHCI 1993. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 753. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-57433-6_39

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-57433-6_39

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-57433-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48152-2

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