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PSY 8320(Ecological Interface Design)
The goal of this class is to examine fundamental issues in display and interface design. The Cognitive Systems Engineering (CSE) / Ecological Interface Design (EID) approach is a triadic one: Building effective interfaces depends upon three system components: the domain (the work to be done), the agents (humans or machines doing the work), and the interface (displays and controls). All three components contribute a set of independent, but mutually interacting set of constraints; overall levels of system performance will be determined by the extent to which the three sets of constraints are well-matched. More specifically, the effectiveness of interaction will ultimately depend upon the quality of very specific sets of mappings between the constraints introduced by these three components. These mappings will be effective when three fundamental principles of interface design have been achieved: direct perception, direct manipulation, and visual momentum. Direct perception results when the interface provides representations that reflect the constraint space (or problem space) of the domain: the possibilities for actions and the limitations on action (affordances). Direct manipulation results when the interface provides resources that allow the agent to enter control input directly, through the manipulation of these representations. Visual momentum results when the interface supports smooth, coordinated cognitive and perceptual transitions between screens, within screens, and within displays. The general interface design strategy is dependent upon the nature of the constraints introduced by the domain. At one end of a continuum are domains where these constraints are determined by the laws of nature (e.g., process control); at the other end of this continuum are domains where these constraints are determined by the intentions of agents (e.g., information retrieval). The most effective design strategy for law-driven domains is to develop abstract geometrical forms that reflect the inherent properties of the domain. For example, configural display design focuses on the nature of meaning within a task context, seeking representations that provide one-to-one mappings to constraints (at all levels of the abstraction hierarchy) within a work domain. This approach has an intuitive link to Gibson’s ecological optics which argues that skilled performance is possible when the geometry of optical flow fields is specific to properties of surfaces and movements of an observer. The most effective design strategy for intent-driven domains is to develop spatial metaphors (e.g., the desktop metaphor) that relate the requirements for interaction to more familiar objects and activities, thereby leveraging pre-existing concepts and knowledge. About half of the course time is devoted to examining the concepts and principles outlined above. About a quarter of the course time is devoted to examining existing interfaces and analyzing the extent to which these principles have (or have not) been applied. The remaining course time is devoted to the novel application of these concepts and principles (by the student) to other work domain settings. © Kevin B. Bennett, all rights reserved phone: 937-775-2444 |
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