Software Environment for Research on Evolving User Interfaces Juan Quiroz , Anil Shankar, Sergiu M. Dascalu, Sushil J. Louis Department of Computer Science and Engineering University of Nevada, Reno USA

Outline Motivation Background Evolution environment Improving research productivity Transitioning from research to end-user tool

Motivation

Background

Evolution environment

Improving research productivity

Transitioning from research to end-user tool

Motivation User interface design is a complex, expensive, time consuming process Iterative process Users and contexts of use are numerous Streamline and improve UI design

User interface design is a complex, expensive, time consuming process

Iterative process

Users and contexts of use are numerous

Streamline and improve UI design

IGA for UI Evolution IGA to explore the space of UIs Creativity and insight Evolution is guided by both the user preferences and coded guideline metrics

IGA to explore the space of UIs

Creativity and insight

Evolution is guided by both the user preferences and coded guideline metrics

Genetic Algorithms Population based search technique Natural selection Survival of the fittest

Population based search technique

Natural selection

Survival of the fittest

Interactive Genetic Algorithms (IGAs)

Implementation Details Python GUI – wxPython Target language – XUL

Python

GUI – wxPython

Target language – XUL

XUL User Interfaces XML User Interface Language Mark-up language for UIs Buttons, textboxes, sliders menubars, toolbars <button label=“Hello World” /> Poor XUL rendering support in python

XML User Interface Language

Mark-up language for UIs

Buttons, textboxes, sliders

menubars, toolbars

<button label=“Hello World” />

Poor XUL rendering support in python

Investing Time on Development vs. Research Experimentation

Investing Time on Development

vs.

Research Experimentation

Research Environment Improvements wxPython integration Experiment runs manager Data manager

wxPython integration

Experiment runs manager

Data manager

wxPython Integration

Experiment Runs Manager

Data Manager

Future Productivity Improvements GUI definition in wxGlade or NetBeans Integration of user interface definition in the environment Higher level user interface specification Code generation User interface editing

GUI definition in wxGlade or NetBeans

Integration of user interface definition in the environment

Higher level user interface specification

Code generation

User interface editing

Transitioning from Research to End-User Tool Users Researchers UI designers Environment Modes End-user mode Researcher mode

Users

Researchers

UI designers

Environment Modes

End-user mode

Researcher mode

User Modes End-user mode Minimalist interface Reduce technical jargon “Variety” “Creativity” Subset of functionality of researcher mode Researcher mode Advanced configuration

End-user mode

Minimalist interface

Reduce technical jargon

“Variety”

“Creativity”

Subset of functionality of researcher mode

Researcher mode

Advanced configuration

√ Extended help 14 √ Run batch mode 13 √ √ Edit evolved UI 12 √ √ Redo evolution step 11 √ √ Undo evolution step 10 √ √ Select best and worst UI 9 √ √ Save IGA state 8 √ √ Open IGA state 7 √ √ Stop IGA 6 √ √ Start IGA 5 √ Customize low level IGA details 4 √ √ Customize high level IGA details 3 √ Load user interface definition 2 √ √ Define user interface 1 Researcher Mode End-User Mode Use Case

Summary UI evolution Investing time on environment development Improves productivity Less error prone Reduces tedious tasks Transition from end-user to research tool

UI evolution

Investing time on environment development

Improves productivity

Less error prone

Reduces tedious tasks

Transition from end-user to research tool

Questions? www.cse.unr.edu/~quiroz [email_address]

www.cse.unr.edu/~quiroz

[email_address]