Programme - Friday

Cultural representations in web design: differences in emotions and values

Authors: Claire Dormann

Summary: Understanding cultural characteristics of web sites is becoming increasingly important. Based on Hofstede’s theories, we investigated differences in emotional expressions and values between homepages from countries with different cultural orientations.

Interaction design for countries with a traditional culture: a comparative study of income levels and cultural values

Authors: Georg Strøm

Summary: This paper describes an empirical study of cultural differences between a low-income traditional country and a high-income developed country, and how the identified differences are applicable in other low-income countries.

Researching culture and usability - a conceptual model of usability

Authors: Gabrielle Ford, Paula Kotzé

Summary: This paper presents a conceptual model of usability for doing research related to culture and usability, as well as strategies to control the variables of the conceptual model.

Towards customized user interface skins: investigating user personality and skin colour

Authors: Batul Saati, May Salem, Willem-Paul Brinkman

Summary: Presents the findings of two exploratory pilot studies that suggest that designers could develop customized user interface skins based on personality data obtained from recorded user interaction behaviour.

Frequency-based detection of task switches

Authors: Rahul Nair, Stephen Voida, Elizabeth Mynatt

Summary: This paper presents a novel method of detecting user task switches using the frequency of interaction with windows on a desktop computer. Results of a user study are also presented.

The use of item response theory in the development and application of a user model for automatic feedback: a case study

Authors: Mariana Lilley, Trevor Barker

Summary: In the study reported here we were able to show that a user model based on learners' proficiency levels was effective when applied to the generation of personalised feedback.

Designing the learning interface using cognitive styles

Authors: Elizabeth Uruchurtu, Lachlan MacKinnon, Roger Rist

Summary: We investigate the relationship between cognitive styles and learning outcomes. A clear relationship is determined between interface affect and learning performance, but no relationship to cognitive style is found.

Audio-visual data skimming for e-learning applications

Authors: Wolfgang Hürst, Tobias Lauer, Georg Götz

Summary: An interface design is proposed which extends common media player interfaces by offering a new way for interactive, synchronised audio-visual data browsing, allowing for skimming at variable speed and granularity levels.

Evaluating egocentric selection techniques in a tabletop virtual environment for urban planning

Authors: Peter Vandoren, Maarten Cardinaels, Mieke Haesen, Chris Raymaekers, Karin Coninx

Summary: This paper presents the results of a usability study, which compares a hybrid 2D/3D object selection technique to the ray cast selection technique in a tabletop virtual environment for urban planning.

A tale of two hierarchies: the surprising impact of age on hypertext browsing

Authors: Sharon McDonald, Mark Hindmarch

Summary: This study examined individual differences and the depth vs. breadth issue in hypertext navigation. Age was the primary significant factor. Older participants performed better with narrow deep hierarchies than younger participants.

Enhancing web accessibility for the visually impaired using RSS

Authors: Philip Strain, Graham McAllister, Ravi Kuber, Wai Yu, Emma Murphy

Summary: This paper details a plug-in developed for Mozilla Firefox to enhance access to the internet for the visually-impaired using RSS.

Colour interfaces for colour blind users

Authors: Luke Jefferson, Richard Harvey

Summary: This paper proposes a colour mapping procedure to improve colour information accessibility for colour blind computer users.

Capability, acceptability and aspiration for: collecting accessibility data with prototypes

Authors: Brendan Cassidy, Gilbert Cockton, Chris Bloor, Lynne Coventry

Summary: Argues for a focus on capabilities, acceptability and aspiration when collecting accessibility data, gives details of an ATM test rig and reports early results of a study using the rig.

Evaluation of computer access solutions for students with quadriplegia and athetoid

Authors: Louisa Wong, David Man

Summary: This paper compares efficacies of pointer interfaces for students with special needs. The methodology may help rehabilitation professionals to evaluate the most appropriate device for this group of end-users.