1 Inspecting User Interface Quality in Web GIS Applications Juliano Schimiguel M. Cecília C. Baranauskas Claudia Bauzer Medeiros November-2004 UNICAMP State University of Campinas IC Institute of Computing

2 Outline The Context of the Work The Context of the Work Interface Quality for Web GIS Applications Interface Quality for Web GIS Applications Goal and Contributions Goal and Contributions User Interface Analysis of Web GIS Applications using ISO 9241 User Interface Analysis of Web GIS Applications using ISO 9241 Case Study Case Study Conclusions Conclusions

3 The Context of the Work The diversity of Web GIS application users demands investigation in the quality of human-computer interaction The diversity of Web GIS application users demands investigation in the quality of human-computer interaction Interface quality involves several factors Interface quality involves several factors quality of the interface design process quality of the interface design process quality of the product quality of the product usage experience usage experience

4 Goal Investigating the use of ISO 9241 standard, to inspect the interface quality of Web GIS applications Investigating the use of ISO 9241 standard, to inspect the interface quality of Web GIS applications Case Study with some Web GIS applications Case Study with some Web GIS applications

5 ISO 9241 It consists of 17 parts, under the general heading of Ergonomic Requirements for Office Work with Visual Display Terminals (VDTs) It consists of 17 parts, under the general heading of Ergonomic Requirements for Office Work with Visual Display Terminals (VDTs)

6 ISO 9241 Parts 1. General Introduction 2. Guidance on Task Requirements 3. Visual Display Requirements 4. Keyboard Requirements 5. Workstation Layout and Postural Requirements 6. Guidance on the Work Environment 7. Requirements for Display with Reflections 8. Requirements for Displayed Colours 9. Requirements for Non- keyboard Input Devices 10. Dialogue Principles 11. Guidance on Usability 12. Presentation of Information 13. User Guidance 14. Menu Dialogues 15. Command Dialogues 16. Direct Manipulation Dialogues 17. Form Filling Dialogue 451/1321 Norms

7 Case Study We chose applications with emphasis on agricultural systems We chose applications with emphasis on agricultural systems FUNCEME, SIMEPAR and Agritempo FUNCEME, SIMEPAR and Agritempo The Static Maps Server category is more frequently found The Static Maps Server category is more frequently found The Maps Generator category allows more interaction possibilities than the Static Maps Server The Maps Generator category allows more interaction possibilities than the Static Maps Server

8 FUNCEME Static Maps Server SIMEPAR Static Maps Server Agritempo Map Generator

9 Analysis Overview

10 Analysis Overview

11 Analysis Overview

12 Preliminary Results Results suggest that the evaluated applications have more problems related to ISO (Dialogue Principles) Results suggest that the evaluated applications have more problems related to ISO (Dialogue Principles) task adequateness, controllability, user expectations conformity, customization adequateness, learning adequateness, etc task adequateness, controllability, user expectations conformity, customization adequateness, learning adequateness, etc ISO (Menu Dialogues), which is related to menu organization and dialogue structure ISO (Menu Dialogues), which is related to menu organization and dialogue structure

13 ISO : Dialogue Principles : Errors should be explained to help the user to correct them Violation (Agritempo)

14 ISO : Dialogue Principles : Errors should be explained to help the user to correct them Agreement (FUNCEME)

15 ISO : Presentation of Information : Colors as auxiliary codification – colors should never be used as the only means of codification Violation (SIMEPAR)

16 ISO : Presentation of Information : Colors as auxiliary codification – colors should never be used as the only means of codification Agreement (Agritempo)

17 ISO : User Guidance : Phrases do enhance the users control perception Violation (FUNCEME)

18 ISO : User Guidance : Phrases do enhance the users control perception Agreement (Agritempo)

19 ISO : Menu Dialogues : A menu map should clearly represent the menus system structure and should be available when necessary Violation (SIMEPAR)

20 ISO : Menu Dialogues : A menu map should clearly represent the menus system structure and should be available when necessary Agreement (Agritempo)

21 Discussion The evaluated applications strongly violate norm , which deals with dialogue principles The evaluated applications strongly violate norm , which deals with dialogue principles This suggests that these applications have deficiencies in factors related to task execution and controllability This suggests that these applications have deficiencies in factors related to task execution and controllability Some norms do not fit in the Web GIS applications context; e.g Some norms do not fit in the Web GIS applications context; e.g Norm : Error situations may be deferred Norm : Error situations may be deferred In some situations, it is necessary to support immediate decisions on the considered problem In some situations, it is necessary to support immediate decisions on the considered problem

22 Conclusions This kind of analysis has shown usefulness and should be adopted by application designers This kind of analysis has shown usefulness and should be adopted by application designers to help them finding out potential problems in user interaction to help them finding out potential problems in user interaction Characterized as an important tool for those who would like to search certification for their products Characterized as an important tool for those who would like to search certification for their products We have verified that the interface evaluation of web applications in general need some additional criteria and rules We have verified that the interface evaluation of web applications in general need some additional criteria and rules We are now developing research work in this direction We are now developing research work in this direction

23 Acknowledgment Organizer Committee of GEOINFO2004 Contact Information Juliano Schimiguel LIS Laboratory of Information Systems ComunIHC Community in Human-Computer Interaction of Campinas, SP and Region