Graphical User Interfaces Interaction Styles Graphical User Interfaces

Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) GUIs WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers) NERD (Navigation, Evaluation, Refinement & Demonstration) GUIs are graphical interfaces. Most computer interfaces are GUI based.

GUI Interaction Styles Typed-Command Languages (Not really GUI) Data & Scientific Visualization Visual Databases Video Animation Virtual Reality Multimedia-Hypermedia Touchscreens Speech Synthesis Natural Language

Typed-Command Languages Interaction Styles Typed-Command Languages

Typed-Command Languages UNIX, DOS, SQL Advantages Provides powerful, brief and rapid HCI. Great for power users Disadvantage Extensive training to learn all of the commands. Large number of errors due to typos

Design Guides Choose meaningful, specific, distinctive names. Command format should be consistent. Examples: ls –l , head -10 x.txt, etc. Allow easy correction of typing errors. UNIX uses arrow keys Allow users to create macros, shortcuts

Data and Scientific Visualization Interaction Styles Data and Scientific Visualization

Data and Scientific Visualization Interfaces that use graphics to represent data. Models real world data (sometimes in real time) Creates visual representation of physical phenomenon Examples: Medical Imaging of the human body (full body scans) Fluid flow (air over an airplane’s wing) Weather patterns 3D Imaging of Molecules, DNA, etc.

Interaction Styles Visual Databases

Visual Databases Represent data (usually textual) in a visual format. Multimedia databases are visual databases. Examples: A collection of images in a museum under a common interface. Scatter plots, graphs, Treemaps (U of Maryland)

What’s The Difference? Data & Scientific Visualization Typically represents real time physical phenomenon Created as real world changes Visual Databases Not changing at the time visualization is created. Usually a historical point of view. Historical meaning not right now.

Interaction Styles Video

Video Captures the real world in the form of digital video. Disadvantages: Formats: mpeg, avi, Quicktime, etc. Size Advantages: Good for some training environments Gives the real perspective on the world Entertaining

Interaction Styles Animation

Animation Where visual databases and scientific visualization meet. Cartoon like representations of characters and their world. Common uses: Training simulation. Entertainment Education

Animation vs. Video Animation is made up, fictional. Video is real, reality. Both are used for the same purposes. When to use video vs. animation? Depends: can you get real video? Do you have animation software?

Interaction Styles Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality Allows people to immerse into interface. Advantages: Great for training. Good simulation environment Disadvantages: Expensive, at the moment Dangerous to your health if it is too real

Multimedia-Hypermedia Interaction Styles Multimedia-Hypermedia

Multimedia-Hypermedia World Wide Web Advantages: Accessibility is growing We all know and use the web Access from almost anywhere Disadvantages: So easy to develop, design is compromised.

Interaction Styles Touchscreens

Touchscreens Your finger is the pointer/mouse. Advantages: More people have fingers than those with a mouse. Durable in harsh environments and public areas. Disadvantages: Arm fatigue can be an issue when typing is needed. Screen space is not always appropriate

Touchscreens Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) are touchscreen devices.

Interaction Styles Speech Synthesis

Speech Synthesis Audible sounds and words from the computer. Advantages: Visually and physically disabled users It is natural to listen Disadvantages: Synthetic voices can be annoying for some users

Agent User Interfaces

Interaction Styles Natural Language

Natural Language HCI is accomplished using natural language. This could be spoken or typed natural language. HCI is close to Human-Human Interaction.

Natural Language Advantages: Disadvantages: It is natural to interact natural Requires less training Disadvantages: Speech recognition is good, but not really good.

Interaction Style Selection

How To Select Interaction Style? Typed-Command Languages (Not really GUI) Data & Scientific Visualization Visual Databases Video Animation Virtual Reality Multimedia-Hypermedia Touchscreens Speech Synthesis Natural Language

Interaction Style Selection User Centered Design Do the users like cartoons, video? Visually and/or physically disabled? What interaction style are the users use to using? Environment Public access Internet access Classroom access Infrastructure

Interaction Style Selection Money How much do they want to spend?

Example Client: Local school district. Goal: Provide students with up to date information on school events. How do you proceed?

Example Client: Local school district. Goal: Educate students on racial tensions in America in the 20th Century, for their school district’s region. How do you proceed?

Example Client: Google. Goal: Provide employees with 401K updates. How do you proceed?

Example Client: FOX Sports. Goal: Provide online viewers with up to date stats on currently running games. How do you proceed?