Abstract: Many interactive tasks in graphical user interfaces involve finding an item in a list but with the item not currently in sight. The two main ways of bringing the item into view are scrolling of one-dimensional lists and expansion of a level in a hierarchical list. Examples include selecting items in hierarchical menus and navigating through “tree” browsers to find files, folders, commands, or e-mail messages. System designers are often responsible for the structure and layout of these components, yet prior research provides conflicting results on how different structures and layouts affect user performance. For example, empirical research disagrees on whether the time to acquire targets in a scrolling list increases linearly or logarithmically with the length of the list; similarly, experiments have produced conflicting results for the comparative efficacy of “broad and shallow” versus “narrow and deep” hierarchical structures. In this article we continue in the human–computer interaction traditi...

Abstract: As display technology continues to improve, there will be an increasing diversity in the available display form factors and scales. Empirical evaluation of how display attributes affect user perceptions and performance can help designers understand the strengths and weaknesses of different display forms, provide guidance for effectively designing multiple display environments, and offer initial evidence for developing theories of ubiquitous display. Although previous research has shown user performance benefits when tiling multiple monitors to increase the number of pixels, little research has analyzed the performance and behavioral impacts of the form factors of much larger, high-resolution displays. This article presents two experiments in which user performance was evaluated on a high-resolution (96 DPI), high pixel-count (approximately 32 million pixels) display for single-user scenarios in both flat and curved forms. We show that for geospatial visual analytics tasks there is a benefit to la...

Abstract: Multi-display environments (MDEs) are now becoming common, and are becoming more complex, with more displays and more types of display in the environment. One crucial requirement specific to MDEs is that users must be able to move objects from one display to another; this cross-display movement is a frequent and fundamental part of interaction in any application that spans two or more display surfaces. Although many cross-display movement techniques exist, the differences between MDEs—the number, location, and mixed orientation of displays, and the characteristics of the task they are being designed for—require that interaction techniques be chosen carefully to match the constraints of the particular environment. As a way to facilitate interaction design in MDEs, we present a taxonomy that classifies cross-display object movement techniques according to three dimensions: the referential domain that determines how displays are selected, the relationship of the input space to the display configurat...

Abstract: There is great potential in enabling users to interact with digital information by integrating it with everyday physical objects. However, developing these interfaces requires programmers to acquire and abstract physical input. This is difficult, is time-consuming, and requires a high level of technical expertise in fields very different from user interface development—especially in the case of computer vision. Based on structured interviews with researchers, a literature review, and our own experience building physical interfaces, we created Papier-Mâche, a toolkit for integrating physical and digital interactions. Its library supports computer vision, electronic tags, and barcodes. Papier-Mâche introduces high-level abstractions for working with these input technologies that facilitate technology portability. We evaluated this toolkit through a laboratory study and longitudinal use in course and research projects, finding the input abstractions, technology portability, and monitoring facilities...

Abstract: A pragmatic approach to interaction modeling is presented by which a designer can describe how the user gets tasks done with a newly developing system. The notation proposed allows an interaction designer to make explicit both how user actions cause visible or noticeable changes in the state of the machine and how the user is expected to use this feedback to generate the next action. Interaction Unit (IU) scenarios are constructed where each IU specifies one step in the cycle of interaction. Each IU specifies the visible system state that leads the user to take some action. In addition, the IU makes explicit the state of the goal stack at the start and end of the unit and the mental processes (recall, recognition, or affordance) required. In this way one can describe the intimate connection between goal, action, and the environment in user–machine interaction. To demonstrate the completeness of IU scenario analysis, IU models are presented for some well-known problems in interaction design: hidde...

Abstract: Inspired by our automotive and product design customers using large displays in design centers, visualization studios, and meeting rooms around the world, we have been exploring the use and potential of large display installations for almost a decade. Our research has touched on many aspects of this rich design space, from individual tools to complete systems, and has generally moved through the life cycle of a design artifact: from the creation phase, through communication and collaboration, to presentation and dissemination. As we attempt to preserve creative flow through the phases, we introduce social structures and constraints that drive the design of possible point solutions in the larger context of a digital design studio trail environment built in the lab. Although many of the interactions presented are viable across several design phases, this article focuses primarily on facilitating collaboration. We conclude with critical lessons learned of both what avenues have been fruitful and whi...

Abstract: This article presents the results of two experimental laboratory studies that establish relationships between displays and people's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward self, others, and social situations. Experiment I investigates how participants (N = 40) engaging in a trivia game respond when their answers and performance feedback evaluations are made public via either a large shared display or each person's laptop display. Using a 2 (answer display: shared vs. personal) × 2 (feedback display: shared vs. personal) between-participants, nested design, we find that participants exhibit differential levels of social anxiety, enjoyment, willingness to change answers, and attributions of coparticipant competence. Participants whose answers are shown on the shared display exhibit greater social anxiety but are attributed with greater competence by their peers. Viewing information on the shared display induces a greater degree of change in answers. Precisely because all information is public throughout the experiment, we are able to isolate the effects of sharing screens as opposed to sharing information. Experiment II (N = 40) builds from Experiment I by employing similar display configurations within an explicitly persuasive context. In a 2 (display: shared vs. personal) × 2 (context: common vs. personal) × 2 (content presentation style: common vs. interpersonal), mixed experimental design we produce systematic differences in the persuasiveness of information, people's engagement with content, and sense of social distance from each other. Through both experiments strong consistency effects are evident: enjoyment, engagement, and persuasiveness are all diminished where incongruencies are part of the experimental conditions. So too these mismatches increase the sense of social distance from others in the setting. We discuss the implications for future research and design of display ecologies and situated media.

Abstract: The purpose of this chapter is to describe the use of caricatured contrasting scenarios (Bodker, 2000) and how they can be used to consider potential designs for disruptive technologies. The disruptive technology in this case is Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) software in workplace settings. The particular workplace is the Magistrates Court of the Australian Capital Territory.----- Caricatured contrasting scenarios are ideally suited to exploring how ASR might be implemented in a particular setting because they allow potential implementations to be “sketched” quickly and with little effort. This sketching of potential interactions and the emphasis of both positive and negative outcomes allows the benefits and pitfalls of design decisions to become apparent.----- A brief description of the Court is given, describing the reasons for choosing the Court for this case study. The work of the Court is framed as taking place in two modes: Front of house, where the courtroom itself is, and backstage, where documents are processed and the business of the court is recorded and encoded into various systems.----- Caricatured contrasting scenarios describing the introduction of ASR to the front of house are presented and then analysed. These scenarios show that the introduction of ASR to the court would be highly problematic.----- The final section describes how ASR could be re-imagined in order to make it useful for the court. A final scenario is presented that describes how this re-imagined ASR could be integrated into both the front of house and backstage of the court in a way that could strengthen both processes.

Abstract: Until recently, most of our computing was carried out in environments with a single display. In contrast, modern computing environments are evolving into multi-display environments. Simple dual-mon...

Abstract: This article describes research into online electronic payment systems, focusing on the aspects of payment systems that are critical for their acceptance by end users. Based on our earlier research and a diary study of payments with an online payment system and with online banking systems of a reputable bank, we proposed a set of 12 interaction design guidelines. The guidelines have been applied during the implementation and redesign of a new payment system. An extensive experimental comparison of the original version of the system with the one designed according to the design guidelines has provided confirmation of the relevance and adequacy of these guidelines for designing online payment systems.

Abstract: Synchronous gestures are patterns of sensed user or users' activity, spanning a distributed system that take on a new meaning when they occur together in time. Synchronous gestures draw inspiration from real-world social rituals such as toasting by tapping two drinking glasses together. In this article, we explore several interactions based on synchronous gestures, including bumping devices together, drawing corresponding pen gestures on touch-sensitive displays, simultaneously pressing a button on multiple smart-phones, or placing one or more devices on the sensing surface of a tabletop computer. These interactions focus on wireless composition of physically colocated devices, where users perceive one another and coordinate their actions through social protocol. We demonstrate how synchronous gestures may be phrased together with surrounding interactions. Such connection-action phrases afford a rich syntax of cross-device commands, operands, and one-to-one or one-to-many associations with a flex...