Using Multiple Dialog Modes in a User-System Interface to Accomodate Different Levels of User Experience: An Experimental Study

摘要

This dissertation investigated a normative theory that says computer users have different dialog needs depending on their level of experience in using a computer. It was developed from the human factors and user-system interface research built upon differences in expert and novice problem solving strategies, memory, and learning. Experts want to control the interaction with a computer as with a command language whereas novices want to be led through their interaction as with menus and prompts. Since most computer interfaces only provide one dialog mode, some portion of a population having a wide range of user experience is not having a wide range of user experience is not having their user-system interface needs met. This research hypothesizes that the answer to satisfy the needs of a mixed population to have multiple dialog modes that the user is free to choose form and switch between as required. The hypotheses that experts and novices would perform better and be more satisfied with multiple dialog modes than with just one mode were tested empirically in a controlled laboratory setting. Both novice and expert computer users used one of three types of user-system interfaces (menu, command language, or both modes) to perform the same data task.