Method engineering: from data to model to practice

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the behavior of experts choosing among various methods to accomplish tasks. Given the results showing that methods are not chosen solely on the basis of keystroke efficiency, we recommend a technique to help designers assess whether they should offer multiple methods for some tasks, and if they should, how to make them so that they are chosen appropriately.

REFERENCES

• 1: Bellotti, V. (1990a)Applicability of HCl Techniques to Systems Interface Design Ph.D. Dissertation from the Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London.
• 2: Victoria Bellotti, A framework for assessing applicability of HCI techniques, Proceedings of the IFIP TC13 Third Interational Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, p.213-218, August 27-31, 1990
• 3: Stuart K. Card , Allen Newell , Thomas P. Moran, The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Mahwah, NJ, 1983
• 4: Clayton Lewis , Peter G. Polson , Cathleen Wharton , John Rieman, Testing a walkthrough methodology for theory-based design of walk-up-and-use interfaces, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Empowering people, p.235-242, April 01-05, 1990, Seattle, Washington, United States [doi>10.1145/97243.97279]
• 5: Nilsen, E., Jong, H., Olson, J. S., and Poison, P. G. (1991) How experts choose among methods to perform tasks" Keystroke efficiency is not the sole basis of choice. Technical report, Cognitive Science and Machine intelligence Laboratory, The University of Michigan.
• 6: Nilsen, E., Olson, J. S., B iolsi, K., Rueter, H. R., and Mutter, S. (1991) The growth of skill in leaming and using software. Technical report, Cognitive Science and Machine Intelligence Laboratory, The University of Michigan.
• 7: Olson, J.S. and Nilsen, E. (1988). Analysis of the cognition involved in spreadsheet software interaction. Human Computer Interaction, 3, 309- 349.
• 8: Olson, J.S. and Olson, G.M. (1990) The growth of cognitive modeling in human computer interaction since GOMS. Human Computer interaction, 5, 221-265
• 9: R. M. Young , A. MacLean, Choosing between methods: analysing the user's decision space in terms of schemas and linear models, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.139-143, May 15-19, 1988, Washington, D.C., United States [doi>10.1145/57167.57190]

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
          Subjects: Human factors

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors, Management

Keywords:
design techniques, models of the user, user-interface design issues