Predicting user error for ambient systems by integrating model-based UI development and cognitive modeling
Marc Halbrügge, Michael Quade, Klaus-Peter Engelbrecht, Sebastian Möller, Şahin Albayrak · 2016
With the move to ubiquitous computing, user interfaces (UI) are no longer bound to specific devices. While this problem can be tackled using the model-based UI development (MBUID) process, the usability of the device-specific interfaces is still an open question. We are presenting a combined system that integrates MBUID with a cognitive modeling framework in order to provide usability predictions at development time. Because of their potential impact, our focus within usability problems lies on user errors. These are captured in a cognitive model that capitalizes on meta-information provided by the MBUID system such as the abstract role of a UI element within a task sequence (e.g., input, output, command). The free parameters of the cognitive model were constrained using data from two previous studies. A validation experiment featuring a new application and UI yielded an unexpected error pattern that was nonetheless consistent with the model predictions.