Designing Attention-Centric Notification Systems Five HCI Challenges Scott McCrickard Center for Human-Computer Interaction & Department of Computer Science

Designing Attention-Centric Designing Attention-Centric Notification SystemsNotification Systems

Five HCI ChallengesFive HCI Challenges

Scott McCrickardScott McCrickard

Center for Human-Computer Interaction &Center for Human-Computer Interaction &Department of Computer ScienceDepartment of Computer Science

Virginia TechVirginia [email protected] http://www.cs.vt.edu/[email protected] http://www.cs.vt.edu/~mccricks

Technological realities of multiple, ubiquitous Technological realities of multiple, ubiquitous information delivery streams for user information delivery streams for user notification often beg improved interface notification often beg improved interface usability and human-computer interaction.usability and human-computer interaction.

Many new HCI approaches hint at promising Many new HCI approaches hint at promising notification solutions, but the HCI field notification solutions, but the HCI field faces faces five important challengesfive important challenges that can be that can be assisted by applied research from the assisted by applied research from the cognitive systems community…cognitive systems community…

overviewoverviewoverviewoverview

convenient access to basic research and convenient access to basic research and guidelinesguidelines

requirements engineering methods for requirements engineering methods for notification interfacesnotification interfaces

better and more usable predictive modeling for better and more usable predictive modeling for preattentive and dual-task interfacespreattentive and dual-task interfaces

standard empirical evaluation procedures for standard empirical evaluation procedures for notification system interfacesnotification system interfaces

conceptual frameworks for organizing reusable conceptual frameworks for organizing reusable design and software componentsdesign and software components

overviewoverviewoverviewoverview

1111

2222

3333

4444

5555

early design effortsearly design effortsearly design effortsearly design efforts

backgroundbackgroundbackgroundbackground

challengeschallengeschallengeschallenges

the IRCthe IRCthe IRCthe IRC

guidelineguidelineaccessaccess


requirementsrequirementsengineeringengineering


info design studiesinfo design studiesinfo design studiesinfo design studies

future workfuture workfuture workfuture work

system developmentsystem developmentsystem developmentsystem developmentclaims reuse in designclaims reuse in designclaims reuse in designclaims reuse in design

agendaagendaagendaagenda

current effortscurrent effortscurrent effortscurrent efforts

predictivepredictivemodelingmodelingpredictivepredictivemodelingmodeling

usabilityusabilityevaluationevaluationusabilityusability

evaluationevaluationcomponentcomponent

classificationclassificationcomponentcomponent

classificationclassification

method creationmethod creationmethod creationmethod creation

Small, “corner of the desktop” or Small, “corner of the desktop” or “peripheral” utilities “peripheral” utilities notification systemsnotification systems

System goal = System goal = awarenessawareness of information of information throughout the day, rather than throughout the day, rather than concentrated task-related usageconcentrated task-related usage

Typical information of interest:Typical information of interest: News, sports, stocks, weatherNews, sports, stocks, weather Email & other messagingEmail & other messaging Groupwork coordinationGroupwork coordination System monitors/alertsSystem monitors/alerts

backgroundbackgroundbackgroundbackground challengeschallengeschallengeschallenges future workfuture workfuture workfuture work

early design effortsearly design effortsearly design effortsearly design efforts the IRCthe IRCthe IRCthe IRCinfo design studiesinfo design studiesinfo design studiesinfo design studies current effortscurrent effortscurrent effortscurrent efforts

Usage characteristics:Usage characteristics: System is monitored while a primary task is continued System is monitored while a primary task is continued

(document editing, web browsing…)(document editing, web browsing…) Preserving primary task performancePreserving primary task performance Avoiding unwanted distraction and frustrationAvoiding unwanted distraction and frustration

Secondary information content may cause users to Secondary information content may cause users to switch primary tasks or perform tasks differently, switch primary tasks or perform tasks differently, access additional details, etcaccess additional details, etc Facilitating rapid and appropriate reactionFacilitating rapid and appropriate reaction Distinguishing importance of informationDistinguishing importance of information

Users may want to recall information later, relate Users may want to recall information later, relate patterns or trends, or use for planningpatterns or trends, or use for planning Supporting information visualization and comprehensionSupporting information visualization and comprehension

Design Design implications?implications?



challengeschallengeschallengeschallenges

Primary task degradation?Primary task degradation? Awareness gains?Awareness gains? Response selection?Response selection?



vs.

But how to generalize knowledge?But how to generalize knowledge?

A possible solution:A possible solution: Three Three abstractabstract user goals involving human user goals involving human

information processing for notification systems :information processing for notification systems : Interruption (I)Interruption (I) – redirection of attentional focus – redirection of attentional focus ReactionReaction (R) – instantaneous stimulus response (R) – instantaneous stimulus response Comprehension (C)Comprehension (C) – long term memory interaction – long term memory interaction

User goals may necessitate specific levels of User goals may necessitate specific levels of each critical parameter (high – low?)each critical parameter (high – low?)

Interface information design options can Interface information design options can facilitate certain parameter ranges best facilitate certain parameter ranges best





InterruptionInterruption

ReactionReaction ComprehensionComprehension

lowlow highhigh

highhigh

highhigh





lowlow highhigh

highhigh

highhigh

User’s GoalUser’s Goal

Low interruption & comprehension,Low interruption & comprehension,High reactionHigh reaction





lowlow highhigh

highhigh

highhigh

User’s GoalUser’s Goal

TickerTicker

In-placeIn-placeanimationanimationIn-placeIn-placeanimationanimation ……generalized empirical generalized empirical

study resultsstudy results

Interface development & usability Interface development & usability engineering of:engineering of: In-vehicle information systems In-vehicle information systems (IVIS)(IVIS)

Secondary information display Secondary information display Interaction for selection and manipulationInteraction for selection and manipulation

Systems supporting activity awareness of Systems supporting activity awareness of group project collaborationgroup project collaboration efforts efforts Large screen status displays in classroomsLarge screen status displays in classrooms

Other real world interfaces & Other real world interfaces & ubiquitous ubiquitous computingcomputing solutions solutions Balancing multi-task user goals with aestheticsBalancing multi-task user goals with aesthetics



Designing notification system interfaces Designing notification system interfaces continues to present difficult, continues to present difficult, multidisciplinary challengesmultidisciplinary challenges

Our HCI development efforts can benefit Our HCI development efforts can benefit from work in five areasfrom work in five areas1- Guideline access1- Guideline access2- Requirements engineering2- Requirements engineering3- Predictive modeling3- Predictive modeling4- Usability evaluation methods4- Usability evaluation methods5- Classification methods for reusable 5- Classification methods for reusable

componentscomponents



Experiment psychology & human factors Experiment psychology & human factors research produces lots of great attention research produces lots of great attention management basic research, management basic research, BUT--BUT-- How & where can interfaces developers of notification How & where can interfaces developers of notification

systems access “digestible” summaries?systems access “digestible” summaries? How are applicable information design guidelines & How are applicable information design guidelines &

theories delivered to the practicing development theories delivered to the practicing development community?community?

What are known effects of exemplar systems?What are known effects of exemplar systems?











The HCI development community must have The HCI development community must have convenient access to basic research and guidelines convenient access to basic research and guidelines for attention-centric notification design.for attention-centric notification design.

challengechallengechallengechallenge

and how can this be improved?and how can this be improved?

Usability engineers often lead software Usability engineers often lead software development efforts, assessing and development efforts, assessing and documenting user requirements, documenting user requirements, BUTBUT, for , for notification systems design–notification systems design– Is this activity well guided by cognitive psychology Is this activity well guided by cognitive psychology

expertise?expertise? If needs analysis processes were better informed, If needs analysis processes were better informed,

wouldn’t later designs be better and cheaper?wouldn’t later designs be better and cheaper?











Processes and frameworks should be available for Processes and frameworks should be available for requirements engineering and development of requirements engineering and development of interaction specifications for software engineers.interaction specifications for software engineers.












Better and more usable predictive modeling for Better and more usable predictive modeling for preattentive and dual-task interfaces is needed.preattentive and dual-task interfaces is needed.


Current cognitive modeling systems hold great Current cognitive modeling systems hold great promise for improved usability engineering promise for improved usability engineering effort, effort, BUTBUT---- When will usability modeling systems be available for When will usability modeling systems be available for

usability engineers to train with and use in practice!usability engineers to train with and use in practice! When will modeling systems provide insight for dual-When will modeling systems provide insight for dual-

task situations?task situations? What can the HCI research “customers” do to help?What can the HCI research “customers” do to help?











Usability engineers need assistance in developing Usability engineers need assistance in developing standard empirical evaluation procedures for standard empirical evaluation procedures for notification system interfaces.notification system interfaces.


Lab-based interface usability evaluation Lab-based interface usability evaluation methods for notification systems are often methods for notification systems are often “custom” approaches that may not target “custom” approaches that may not target essential questions and limit generalizabilityessential questions and limit generalizability Can standard experimental platforms and methods be Can standard experimental platforms and methods be

adapted for interface evaluation?adapted for interface evaluation? How should existing usability evaluation methods, How should existing usability evaluation methods,

such as cognitive walkthroughs and heuristics, be such as cognitive walkthroughs and heuristics, be adapted for dual-task systems?adapted for dual-task systems?











Conceptual frameworks must be crafted to Conceptual frameworks must be crafted to assist in organizing reusable design and assist in organizing reusable design and software components—a necessity for design software components—a necessity for design efficiency and long-term progress.efficiency and long-term progress.


Designers want to be able to reuse design Designers want to be able to reuse design knowledge and components, knowledge and components, BUT --BUT -- how can the how can the effects on users be described without standard effects on users be described without standard notations? notations? What are meaningful categories of dual-task design What are meaningful categories of dual-task design

knowledge?—we proposed three parametersknowledge?—we proposed three parameters How can design effects on users be objectively How can design effects on users be objectively

expressed?expressed?

ClaimsClaims are concise expressions of the are concise expressions of the effects of a designed artifact on a usereffects of a designed artifact on a user Expresses pros & cons Expresses pros & cons (Sutcliffe & Carroll, 1999)(Sutcliffe & Carroll, 1999)

Relates to a usage scenarioRelates to a usage scenario

Ongoing research:Ongoing research: Can claims be a solution for design Can claims be a solution for design

knowledge reuse? knowledge reuse? How should claims for notification systems be How should claims for notification systems be

indexed, accessed, and used?indexed, accessed, and used?


system developmentsystem developmentsystem developmentsystem developmentclaims reuse in designclaims reuse in designclaims reuse in designclaims reuse in design method creationmethod creationmethod creationmethod creation

The The IRC frameworkIRC framework provides a possible basis for: provides a possible basis for: A requirements engineering processA requirements engineering process Referral of usability evaluation tools/techniquesReferral of usability evaluation tools/techniques Classification of design claimsClassification of design claims

Ongoing research:Ongoing research: Validation & automating proceduresValidation & automating procedures Grounding methods in theoryGrounding methods in theory





lowlow highhigh

highhigh

highhigh

Development efforts continue:Development efforts continue: In-vehicle information systemsIn-vehicle information systems Group work supportGroup work support Ubiquitous & real world interface systemsUbiquitous & real world interface systems

Special interest in broader efforts & multi-Special interest in broader efforts & multi-disciplinary collaborations that create or disciplinary collaborations that create or exercise frameworks, systems, and exercise frameworks, systems, and models that respond to these challengesmodels that respond to these challenges



Designing Attention-Centric Designing Attention-Centric Notification SystemsNotification Systems

Five HCI ChallengesFive HCI Challenges

Scott McCrickardScott McCrickard

Center for Human-Computer Interaction &Center for Human-Computer Interaction &Department of Computer ScienceDepartment of Computer Science

Virginia TechVirginia [email protected] http://www.cs.vt.edu/[email protected] http://www.cs.vt.edu/~mccricks

Documents

Designing Attention-Centric Notification Systems Five HCI Challenges Scott McCrickard Center for Human-Computer Interaction & Department of Computer Science