GUIDES: a tool for rapid prototyping of user-computer interfaces

ABSTRACT

A major challenge for software engineers in the coming years is to develop systems which users can learn quickly and operate effectively. The user-computer interface is a major factor in determining whether a software system can be readily mastered by the general user population. Rapid prototyping is a software methodology that allows the interface designer to iteratively design and evaluate the learnability and effectiveness of several user interfaces with the intended users. This iterative approach to evaluation and modification of the user interface can be done early in the system development cycle, and therefore, it can be accomplished without costly software modifications to the application. We present here a tool, the Graphical User Interface DEsign System (GUIDES), for rapid prototyping of dynamic user-computer interfaces, and describe how it can be used to increase software productivity.

REFERENCES

• 1: Robert W. Bailey, Human Performance Engineering: A Guide for System Designers, Prentice Hall Professional Technical Reference, 1982
• 2: Stuart K. Card , Allen Newell , Thomas P. Moran, The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Mahwah, NJ, 1983
• 3: James D. Foley , Andries Van Dam, Fundamentals of interactive computer graphics, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1982
• 4: Alan S. Neal , Roger M. Simons, Playback: A method for evaluating the usability of software and its documentation, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, p.78-82, December 12-15, 1983, Boston, Massachusetts, United States [doi>10.1145/800045.801585]
• 5: Carlton, P. D, Murphy, E. D., Fisher, S. G., and Twiddy, R., Human Factors Analysis of the Automated Data Operations Control System (DOCS) (A81-I-I1200-03) , Computer Sciences Corporation, Silver Spring, Maryland, CSC/TM-83/6054, 1983.
• 6: Reese, J., Twiddy, R., and Buchanan, L., Graphical User Interface Design System (GUIDES) FUNCTIONAL DESIGN (DRAFT), Computer Sciences Corporation, Silver Spring, Maryland, November 1983.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.6 SIMULATION AND MODELING

General Terms:
Design, Management, Theory