Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!rutgers!ucsd!nosc!tetra!embick From: embick@tetra.NOSC.MIL (Edward M. Embick) Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng Subject: Re: Technological overcomplexity in 1523 Summary: Assume a novice (dumb) user at start Keywords: cognitive engineering, design, comnplexity, history of technology Message-ID: <694@tetra.NOSC.MIL> Date: 4 Aug 88 17:44:32 GMT References: <585@sdics.ucsd.EDU> <17596@glacier.STANFORD.EDU> <587@sdics.ucsd.EDU> <1383@hp-sdd.HP.COM> <693@tetra.NOSC.MIL> <1391@hp-sdd.HP.COM> Reply-To: embick@tetra.nosc.mil.UUCP (Edward M. Embick) Followup-To: comp.cog-eng Distribution: all Organization: Computer Sciences Corporation, San Diego Lines: 41 In article <1391@hp-sdd.HP.COM> nick@hp-sdd.UUCP (Nick Flor) writes: >In article <693@tetra.NOSC.MIL> embick@tetra.nosc.mil.UUCP (Edward M. Embick) writes: >>The ideal approach is to have an underlying design that adjusts the level >>of prompts, etc. > >You've introduced a potentially annoying variable into your tool -- >time. Your system must learn the user before it can perform efficiently >and in a less complex manner. ^^^^^^^^^^^^ > >A tool must do what the user asks of it, not what it thinks the user wants >it to do. > The premise I proposed is that the system will assume (yes, I know what assuming can lead to) the user is a novice at the start. Depending upon the type system, a "standard" user profile (or a choice of profiles to determine user type) is established as the template for system interface. Profiles could determine the command/menu/prompt terminology. e.g. An accountant may be comfortable referring to files, accounts, records, and fields, whereas a journalist may prefer stories, paragraphs, lines and words. Obviously the mapping of different terminologies wouldn't necessarily be one to one. In fact, over a period of time the system might ask the user for preferred naming of objects. I am also suggesting that the system not presume or preempt the user's actions. Rather, the system allow the user to easily define macro actions and also to break down system novice level macro actions into primitives. This would allow the user to, over time, shape the behavior of the system to efficiently perform the user's tasks in a manner easily comprehended by others in the same environment performing like activities. Some people are detail oriented, and given the choice, prefer to see and be control of all activity in a system. Others want to just have to push the button. The system should accomodate both without making one or the other have misgivings about the human/machine interface. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ed Embick (If God wanted me to write legibly, He wouldn't have invented email) Computer Sciences Corporation ___ ___ ___ 4045 Hancock St. MILNET: embick@tetra.nosc.mil / / / San Diego, CA 92110 \___ ___/ \___ (619) 225-8401 x287