1. Interaction Styles

2. Objectives for today Working in groups
Get a quick tour of interaction styles

3. Working in groups – getting started
Get to know each other
Have food/drink
Find out what you have in common
Make sure you have the same goals
Are you trying for an A or a C?
Be aware of everyone’s work styles
What times and places are best to meet?

4. Working in groups – constructive communication
Let everyone have their say
Different people have different communication styles
Try taking turns, going around the table, etc.
Capture ideas on paper, then discuss (criticize) the ideas, not the person
Find something nice to say (praise first)
Ask questions, propose alternatives; be cautious about definitive statements
Be open and honest

5. Working in groups – management tips
Put it in writing
Who is responsible for what; when is it due
Be aware that there are different ways to contribute
Team members can specialize

6. Design: A Broad Spectrum
System Design
Requirements
Information Design
Graphic Design
Interaction Design

7. Interaction Design Styles
Menu Selection
Form fill-in
Direct Manipulation
Command language
Natural Language

8. Menu Selection Users read a list of items
Select the item most appropriate
Observe the effect
Early on, the way most systems worked.
We had moved away from it a little (what’s coming) but it has made a revival with the web

9. Menu Selection

10. Menu Selection

11. Menu Selection

12. Menu Selection Advantages Shortens learning Reduces keystrokes
Structures decision making
Permits use of dialog management
Easy error handling
Disadvantages
Presents danger of many menus
May slow frequent users
Consumes screen space
Requires rapid display

13. Which projects in this room might benefit from Menus?

14. Command Language
For frequent users
Must learn the syntax and options

15. java command

16. Command Language Advantages Flexible Appeals to ‘power users’
Supports user initiative
Allows convenient creation of macros
Disadvantages
Poor error handling
Substantial training and memorization

17. Which projects in this room might benefit from Command Language?

18. Form Fill-in Used when data entry is required
Users see a display of related fields and enter data in each field as appropriate
Note: very common on the web

19. Form Fill-in

20. Form fill-in Advantages Simplifies data entry Requires modest training
Gives convenient assistance
Permits form management tools
Disadvantages
Consumes screen space

21. Which projects in this room might benefit from Forms?

22. Natural Language
Researchers have been working for years in the hope that computers can be made to respond to arbitrary sentences
Note: may work with or without speech recognition

26. Natural Language Advantages Relieves burden of learning syntax
May be “natural” in some settings, e.g., interaction over a telephone
Disadvantages
Requires clarification dialog
May require more keystrokes
May not show context
Is unpredictable

27. Which projects in this room might benefit from Natural Language?

28. Direct Manipulation
Create a visual representation of the world of action where users can directly make changes and see results

29. Direct Manipulation Search

30. Zillow
Online demo at

31. Direct Manipulation Advantages Visually presents task concepts
Allows easy learning
Allows easy retention
Can prevent errors
Encourages exploration
High subjective satisfaction
Disadvantages
Harder to program
Require graphics display and pointing device

32. Which projects in this room might benefit from Direct Manipulation?

33. Some comments
All these styles should be in your toolbox (well, maybe not NL)
They may be combined in a single app
Direct Manipulation with menus and forms is common
Different platforms / toolkits make particular styles more or less easy
We’ll talk about toolkits some next week