An Expert System to Support the Design of Human-Computer Interfaces
Cecília Sosa Arias Peixoto, Tiago Cinto · InTech eBooks · 2011
The concept of human-computer interfaces (HCI) has been undergoing changes over the years. Currently the demand is for user interfaces for ubiquitous computing. In this context, one of the basic requirements is the development of interfaces with high usability that meet different modes of interaction depending on users, environments and tasks to be performed. In this context it was developed an expert system (GuideExpert) to help design humancomputer interfaces. The expert system embeds HCI design knowledge of several authors in this field. As the quantities of recommendations are huge, GuideExpert allows searching the guidelines in a much more friendly and fast manner. It also allows eliciting a series of guidelines for evaluating already implemented interfaces. GuideExpert was evaluated in three Brazilian universities. Due to professors and students engagement, it was possible to correct issues found, both in the implementation and in the guidelines, and to identify the need to develop a more detailed process of HCI requirements elicitation in order for the expert system results become more accurate. The expert system was also used in the development of intelligent adaptive interfaces for a data mining tool, aiming to provide friendly and appropriate user interfaces to the person using the tool. To meet this goal, the interfaces are able to evaluate and change their decisions at runtime. In this context some models of interaction are modeled in order to fit the profile of those who use them. One of them (for novice users) is finalized and is presented in this chapter; the other two are under development.