Can Computers Create Usable Interfaces by themselves?

Slide 1: Can Computers Create Usable Interfaces by themselves? Eran Toch

Slide 2: Three things 1. Usability 2. Dynamic systems challenge 3. User interface optimization

Slide 3: <1> Usability

Slide 4: It is hard to explain good usability It is easy to demonstrate bad usability

Slide 5: Too many choices

Slide 6: Alien Semantics

Slide 7: Too many distractions

Slide 8: Unconventional Interaction

Slide 9: Bad Usability has Consequences

Slide 10: Palm Beach County Ballot Design Florida 2000

Slide 11: How do we enforce usability?

Slide 12: Manual Evaluation

Slide 13: <2> Dynamic systems challenge

Slide 14: Static Systems

Slide 15: I want to buy a book from Barnes and Noble, and to pay with any currency User Agent Web Services Pool

Slide 16: Book name Start BookFinderProcess Book info BNPriceProcess Book price CurrencyConverter Process Output price End Ontology

Slide 17: • Dynamic systems: – Composition satisfies query + quality – Modifications during runtime  No static structure that enables usability analysis  Currently, user interfaces are created directly from the service model

Slide 18: The usability challenge The System Model The User Interface

Slide 19: The System Model The User Interface

Slide 20: <3> Usability Optimization

Slide 21: The Challenge: 1. Semantics 2. Navigation

Slide 22: has Published Semantics: Creator Item is – Properties ISBN Book has – Generalization – Title Intersection BNPriceProcess – Union – Instances Price has Currency – Cardinality instances $ ₪ €

Slide 23: Demo: Liquid Interface With Leonid Goifman and Amir Lahav

Slide 28: Navigation System Model Naïve Optimized Task Model Task Model

Slide 29: How do we optimize?

Slide 30: Design Patterns A pattern describes an optimal solution to a common problem within a specific context. Christopher Alexander The Timeless Way of Building Architecture 1970’ A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction Gang of Four (GoF) Object Oriented Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software Software Design 1995’ Other Areas: Many Authors HCI, Organizational Behavior, 2007’ Education, Concurent Programming…

Slide 31: Yahoo Design Patterns Library http://developer.yahoo.com/ypatterns/

Slide 32: UIPatterns Patterns Library http://ui-patterns.com/

Slide 33: Example: Flat and Narrow Tree • large information hierarchies quickly lead to disorientation. • Therefore, task collections should be organized in flat and narrow trees. Source: \"A Pattern Approach to Interaction Design\" (PAID) by Jan Borchers

Slide 34: Example: Go Back to a Safe Place Provide a way to go back to a checkpoint of the user's choice. The \"Home\" button The “undo\" feature and the “Back” Source: COMMON GROUND: A Pattern Language for Human-Computer Interface Design by Jenifer Tidwell

Slide 35: What can we do with patterns? 1. Model the pattern 2. Recognize the task model appliance with the pattern 3. Grade the appliance 4. Alter the task model such that we maximize the grade

Slide 36: Task Model P1 P2 Opt Task Model P3 ￩ max ￪￥ i Pi (TaskModel ) w ￫ Pi

Slide 37: More Questions • Is there an optimal solution? – Patterns are in conflict – Is the solution computable? • What are the boundaries of mathematical model of usability? • Can analyzing conflicts between patterns teach us something?

Slide 38: Thank You. More info: http://www.technion.ac.il/erant