Evaluation of visual balance for automated layout

ABSTRACT

Layout refers to the process of determining the size and position of the visual objects in an information presentation. We introduce the WeightMap, a bitmap representation of the visual weight of a presentation. In addition, we present algorithms that use WeightMaps to allow an automated layout system to evaluate the effectiveness of its layouts. Our approach is based on the concepts of visual weight and visual balance, which are fundamental to the visual arts. The objects in the layout are each assigned a visual weight, and a WeightMap is created that encodes the visual weight of the layout. Image-processing techniques, including pyramids and edge detection, are then used to efficiently analyze the WeightMap for balance. In addition, derivatives of the sums of the rows and columns are used to generate suggestions for how to improve the layout.

REFERENCES

• 1: Greg J. Badros , Alan Borning , Peter J. Stuckey, The Cassowary linear arithmetic constraint solving algorithm, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), v.8 n.4, p.267-306, December 2001 [doi>10.1145/504704.504705]
• 2: Alan Borning , Robert Duisberg, Constraint-based tools for building user interfaces, ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG), v.5 n.4, p.345-374, Oct. 1986 [doi>10.1145/27623.29354]
• 3: T. Comber and J. Maltby. Investigating layout complexity. In Proc. Graphics Interface '88, pages 192--197, June 1988.
• 4: T. Comber and J. Maltby. Evaluating usability of screen design with layout complexity. In Proc. OZCHI '95 (CHISIG Ann. Conf. on Human-Computer Interact.), pages 175--178, 1995.
• 5: S. K. Feiner, A grid-based approach to automating display layout, Proceedings on Graphics interface '88, p.192-197, December 1989, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• 6: W. Graf. Constraint-based graphical layout of multimodal presentations. In T. Catarci, M. F. Costabile, and S. Levialdi, editors, Proc. AVI '92 (Advanced Visual Interfaces), pages 365--385. World Scientific, May 27--29 1992.
• 7: Berthold K. Horn, Robot Vision, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 1986
• 8: Scott E. Hudson , Shamim P. Mohamed, Interactive specification of flexible user interface displays, ACM Transactions on Information Systems (TOIS), v.8 n.3, p.269-288, July 1990 [doi>10.1145/98188.98201]
• 9: Scott E. Hudson , Ian Smith, Ultra-lightweight constraints, Proceedings of the 9th annual ACM symposium on User interface software and technology, p.147-155, November 06-08, 1996, Seattle, Washington, United States [doi>10.1145/237091.237112]
• 10: A. Hurlburt. The Grid. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, Melborne, Australia, 1978.
• 11: Charles Jacobs , Wilmot Li , Evan Schrier , David Bargeron , David Salesin, Adaptive grid-based document layout, ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG), v.22 n.3, July 2003
• 12: Robin Jeffries , James R. Miller , Cathleen Wharton , Kathy Uyeda, User interface evaluation in the real world: a comparison of four techniques, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Reaching through technology, p.119-124, April 27-May 02, 1991, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States [doi>10.1145/108844.108862]
• 13: Java foundation classes: Now and the future. Whitepaper, http://java.sun.com/products/jfc/whitepaper.html.
• 14: S. Kochhar, J. Marks, and M. Friedell. Interaction paradigms for human-computer cooperation in graphical-object modeling. In Proc. Graphics Interface '91, pages 180--191, June 1991.
• 15: S. Lok and S. Feiner. A survey of automated layout techniques for information presentations. In Proc. SmartGraphics Symposium '01, pages 61--68, Mar. 2001.
• 16: B. Martinez and J. Block. Visual Forces, an Introduction to Design. Prentice-Hall, New York, 1998.
• 17: J. McCormack, P. Asente, R. Swick, and D. Converse. X Toolkit Intrinsics---C Language Interface. Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, MA, USA, 1985.
• 18: Kathleen R. McKeown , Shih-Fu Chang , James Cimino , Steven Feiner , Carol Friedman , Luis Gravano , Vasileios Hatzivassiloglou , Steven Johnson , Desmond A. Jordan , Judith L. Klavans , André Kushniruk , Vimla Patel , Simone Teufel, PERSIVAL, a system for personalized search and summarization over multimedia healthcare information, Proceedings of the 1st ACM/IEEE-CS joint conference on Digital libraries, p.331-340, January 2001, Roanoke, Virginia, United States [doi>10.1145/379437.379722]
• 19: CORPORATE Microsoft, Microsoft Visual C++ MFC library reference, part 2, Microsoft Press, Redmond, WA, 1997
• 20: J. Müller-Brockmann. Grid Systems in Graphic Design. Arthur Niggli Publishers, Niederteufen, Switzerland, 1981.
• 21: Brad A. Myers , Richard G. McDaniel , David S. Kosbie, Marquise: creating complete user interfaces by demonstration, Proceedings of the INTERCHI '93 conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.293-300, May 1993, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• 22: Brad A. Myers , Dario Giuse , Andrew Mickish , Brad Vander Zanden , David Kosbie , Richard McDaniel , James Landay , Matthews Golderg , Rajan Pathasarathy, The garnet user interface development environment, Conference companion on Human factors in computing systems, p.457-458, April 24-28, 1994, Boston, Massachusetts, United States [doi>10.1145/259963.260472]
• 23: John K. Ousterhout, Tcl and the Tk toolkit, Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1994
• 24: A. Sears, Layout Appropriateness: A Metric for Evaluating User Interface Widget Layout, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, v.19 n.7, p.707-719, July 1993 [doi>10.1109/32.238571]
• 25: Andrew Sears , Arnold M. Lund, Creating Effective User Interfaces, IEEE Software, v.14 n.4, p.21-24, July 1997 [doi>10.1109/MS.1997.595887]
• 26: T. S. Tullis. A computer-based tool for evaluating alphanumeric displays. In Proc. IFIP INTERACT'84: Human-Computer Interaction, pages 719--723, 1984.
• 27: Brad Vander Zanden , Brad A. Myers, Automatic, look-and-feel independent dialog creation for graphical user interfaces, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Empowering people, p.27-34, April 01-05, 1990, Seattle, Washington, United States [doi>10.1145/97243.97248]
• 28: L. Weitzman , Kent Wittenburg, Automatic presentation of multimedia documents using relational grammars, Proceedings of the second ACM international conference on Multimedia, p.443-451, October 15-20, 1994, San Francisco, California, United States [doi>10.1145/192593.192718]
• 29: M. X. Zhou and S. Ma. Toward applying machine learning to design rule acquisition for automated graphics generation. In Proc. 2000 AAAI Spring Symp. on Smart Graphics, pages 16--23, Stanford, CA, March 20--22 1999.

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: Screen design (e.g., text, graphics, color)

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.1 Applications and Expert Systems
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.6 Methodology and Techniques
          Subjects: Graphics data structures and data types
  I.4 IMAGE PROCESSING AND COMPUTER VISION
        I.4.10 Image Representation
            Subjects: Hierarchical

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Human Factors

Keywords:
automated layout, visual balance