Inspecting User Interface Quality in Web GIS Applications

1
Inspecting User Interface Quality in Web GIS
Applications
UNICAMP State University of Campinas IC Institute
of Computing

• Juliano Schimiguel
• M. Cecília C. Baranauskas
• Claudia Bauzer Medeiros
• November-2004

2
Outline

• The Context of the Work
• Interface Quality for Web GIS Applications
• Goal and Contributions
• User Interface Analysis of Web GIS Applications
  using ISO 9241
• Case Study
• Conclusions

3
The Context of the Work

• The diversity of Web GIS application users
  demands investigation in the quality of
  human-computer interaction
• Interface quality involves several factors
• quality of the interface design process
• quality of the product
• usage experience

4
Goal

• Investigating the use of ISO 9241 standard, to
  inspect the interface quality of Web GIS
  applications
• Case Study with some Web GIS applications

5
ISO 9241

• It consists of 17 parts, under the general
  heading of Ergonomic Requirements for Office Work
  with Visual Display Terminals (VDTs)

6
ISO 9241 Parts

1. General Introduction
2. Guidance on Task Requirements
3. Visual Display Requirements
4. Keyboard Requirements
5. Workstation Layout and Postural Requirements
6. Guidance on the Work Environment
7. Requirements for Display with Reflections
8. Requirements for Displayed Colours

1. Requirements for Non-keyboard Input Devices
2. Dialogue Principles
3. Guidance on Usability
4. Presentation of Information
5. User Guidance
6. Menu Dialogues
7. Command Dialogues
8. Direct Manipulation Dialogues
9. Form Filling Dialogue

451/1321 Norms
7
Case Study

• We chose applications with emphasis on
  agricultural systems
• FUNCEME, SIMEPAR and Agritempo
• The Static Maps Server category is more
  frequently found
• The Maps Generator category allows more
  interaction possibilities than the Static Maps
  Server

8
FUNCEME Static Maps Server
SIMEPAR Static Maps Server
Agritempo Map Generator
9
Analysis Overview
10
Analysis Overview
11
Analysis Overview
12
Preliminary Results

• Results suggest that the evaluated applications
  have more problems related to ISO 9241-10
  (Dialogue Principles)
• task adequateness, controllability, user
  expectations conformity, customization
  adequateness, learning adequateness, etc
• ISO 9241-14 (Menu Dialogues), which is related to
  menu organization and dialogue structure

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ISO 9241-10 Dialogue Principles
10-3.6.2 Errors should be explained to help the
user to correct them
Violation (Agritempo)
14
ISO 9241-10 Dialogue Principles
10-3.6.2 Errors should be explained to help the
user to correct them
Agreement (FUNCEME)
15
ISO 9241-12 Presentation of Information
12-7.5.1 Colors as auxiliary codification
colors should never be used as the only means of
codification
Violation (SIMEPAR)
16
ISO 9241-12 Presentation of Information
12-7.5.1 Colors as auxiliary codification
colors should never be used as the only means of
codification
Agreement (Agritempo)
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ISO 9241-13 User Guidance
13-5.3.2 Phrases do enhance the users control
perception
Violation (FUNCEME)
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ISO 9241-13 User Guidance
13-5.3.2 Phrases do enhance the users control
perception
Agreement (Agritempo)
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ISO 9241-14 Menu Dialogues
14-6.1.5 A menu map should clearly represent the
menus system structure and should be available
when necessary
Violation (SIMEPAR)
20
ISO 9241-14 Menu Dialogues
14-6.1.5 A menu map should clearly represent the
menus system structure and should be available
when necessary
Agreement (Agritempo)
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Discussion

• The evaluated applications strongly violate norm
  9241-10, which deals with dialogue principles
• This suggests that these applications have
  deficiencies in factors related to task execution
  and controllability
• Some norms do not fit in the Web GIS applications
  context e.g
• Norm 10-3.6.5 Error situations may be deferred
• In some situations, it is necessary to support
  immediate decisions on the considered problem

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Conclusions

• This kind of analysis has shown usefulness and
  should be adopted by application designers
• to help them finding out potential problems in
  user interaction
• Characterized as an important tool for those who
  would like to search certification for their
  products
• We have verified that the interface evaluation of
  web applications in general need some additional
  criteria and rules
• We are now developing research work in this
  direction

23
Acknowledgment

• Organizer Committee of GEOINFO2004

Contact Information
Juliano Schimiguel juliano.schimiguel_at_ic.unicamp.b
r http//www.ic.unicamp.br/ra000496/ LIS
Laboratory of Information Systems http//www.lis.i
c.unicamp.br/ ComunIHC Community in
Human-Computer Interaction of Campinas, SP and
Region http//www.comunihc.unicamp.br/