Agent-based Interfaces

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Agent-based Interfaces
0422902 Hasuk Kerai 0409543 Ismael Ali

• Group 3
• Topic 2
• IM2044
• Usability engineering

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What is an Agent?

• In the human world, agents are people who work on
  someone's behalf, e.g. estate agent, library and
  travel agent.
• Software agents act on behalf of users within the
  electronic world, e.g. email agents, web crawlers
  and virus agents.

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Type User Agents

• Agents which are adaptive, learning,
  self-customising pieces of software.
• Mail User Agents- Purpose is to filter spam and
  other unwanted mail, using special software
  programmed by a user. Agents can intelligently
  activate when mail is received and also perform
  certain user actions such as deletion.

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Type Guide Agents

• Agents that act as tutors or guides,
  supplementing users knowledge with their own.
• Microsoft Wizards- Purpose to help users through
  a task. Also to provide better solutions in
  overcoming tasks.

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Type Autonomous Agents

• Agents that are able to work on behalf of the
  user without the need for interaction.
• Background services- Purpose is to be used
  without intervention from the user. Background
  services and also automatic updates use this type
  of agent.

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Type Symbiotic and Cooperative Agents

• Agents that assist the current task by providing
  alternative views and additional information.
• Spell Checking- Purpose to observe user input,
  and suggest correct spelling and alternative
  words.

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Type Anthropomorphic Agents

• Agents used to imitate humans.
• Gaming- Purpose to act as a human when playing
  games which require more then one user.

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Questions