A cognitive meta-analysis of design approaches to interruptions in intelligent environments

ABSTRACT

Minimizing interruptions to users is a crucial and acknowledged precondition for the adoption of new intelligent technologies such as ubiquitous and proactive computing. This paper takes a step toward achieving a consensus among the numerous existing approaches addressing the challenge posed by interruptions. We start by explicating why interruptions are considered important. We then reveal similarities and differences among the approaches from a cognitive viewpoint. It appears that the approaches draw from different assumptions about human cognition. Some of the approaches contain inconsistencies. The cognitive analysis also inspires directions for future work.

REFERENCES

• 1: Eric Horvitz, Principles of mixed-initiative user interfaces, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: the CHI is the limit, p.159-166, May 15-20, 1999, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States [doi>10.1145/302979.303030]
• 2: Stephen S. Intille, Change Blind Information Display for Ubiquitous Computing Environments, Proceedings of the 4th international conference on Ubiquitous Computing, p.91-106, September 29-October 01, 2002, Göteborg, Sweden
• 3: Hiroshi Ishii , Brygg Ullmer, Tangible bits: towards seamless interfaces between people, bits and atoms, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.234-241, March 22-27, 1997, Atlanta, Georgia, United States [doi>10.1145/258549.258715]
• 4: Scenarios for Ambient Intelligence in 2010. Information Society Technology Advisory Group (ISTAG), European Union, Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).
• 5: Logan, G. D. Toward an instance theory of automatisation. Psychological Review 95, 4. 492--527.
• 6: McFarlane D. C., and Latorella K. A. The scope and importance of human interruption in human-computer interaction design, Human-Computer Interaction 17, 1 (2002), 1--61.
• 7: Nitin Sawhney , Chris Schmandt, Nomadic radio: speech and audio interaction for contextual messaging in nomadic environments, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), v.7 n.3, p.353-383, Sept. 2000 [doi>10.1145/355324.355327]
• 8: David Tennenhouse, Proactive computing, Communications of the ACM, v.43 n.5, p.43-50, May 2000 [doi>10.1145/332833.332837]
• 9: Peter Tolmie , James Pycock , Tim Diggins , Allan MacLean , Alain Karsenty, Unremarkable computing, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Changing our world, changing ourselves, April 20-25, 2002, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA [doi>10.1145/503376.503448]
• 10: B. Ullmer , H. Ishii, Emerging frameworks for tangible user interfaces, IBM Systems Journal, v.39 n.3-4, p.915-931, July 2000
• 11: Roel Vertegaal, Introduction, Communications of the ACM, v.46 n.3, March 2003 [doi>10.1145/636772.636794]
• 12: R. Want , T. Pering , D. Tennenhouse, Comparing autonomic and proactive computing, IBM Systems Journal, v.42 n.1, p.129-135, January 2003
• 13: Weiser, M. The computer for the 21st century. Scientific American 265, 3 (1991), 66--73.

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: Theory and methods

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors, Theory

Keywords:
cognitive psychology, context-aware computing, intelligent environment, interruptions