Command use and interface design

ABSTRACT

Designing a human interface to a computer system is more art than science. Systematic research on the human interface to computer systems, when it is performed, is generally an after-the-fact evaluation of an almost finished product. This sort of evaluation is often too specific to a particular product to provide general prescriptions for future interface design and often occurs too late to have a substantial impact on product development. Rarely do research and evaluation provide guidance throughout the development cycle. We propose that an examination of people's natural use of already existing computer systems, using research methods adopted from studies of social behavior (e.g., Kraut & Johnston, 1982; Hooff, 1982) will provide a richer source of information for guiding development. A multivariate examination of naturally occurring human-computer interaction may provide insights into its complex structure in ways that are denied to more experimentally oriented, human-factors research.

REFERENCES

• 1: Christopher W. Fraser, Syntax-directed editing of general data structures, Proceedings of the ACM SIGPLAN SIGOA symposium on Text manipulation, p.17-21, June 08-10, 1981, Portland, Oregon, United States
• 2: Furnas, G. W., Landauer, T. K., Gomez, L. M., & Dumais, S. T. Statistical semantics: Analysis of the potential performance of keyword information systems. Technical Memorandum 82-11221-6. Bell Laboratories. February 8, 1982.
• 3: Hooff, van, J. Categories and sequences of behavior: Methods of description and analysis. In K. Scherer & P. Ekman (Eds.), Handbook of methods in nonverbal behavior research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982.
• 4: Knuth, D. E. An empirical study of FORTRAN programs. Software Practice and Experience. 1971, 1-2, 105-133.
• 5: Kraut, R. E. & Johnston, R. E. Social and emotional messages of smiling: An ethological approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1979, 37, 1539-1553.
• 6: Norman, D, A. The trouble about UNIX. Datamation, 1981, 27 (12), 139-150.
• 7: Zipf, G. K. Human behavior and the principle of least effort. Cambridge, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1949.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
          Subjects: Interaction styles (e.g., commands, menus, forms, direct manipulation)

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.4 OPERATING SYSTEMS
      D.4.0 General

          Nouns: UNIX

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

General Terms:
Human Factors, Management