Newsgroups: comp.infosystems.gis
Date:         Wed, 19 Aug 1992 17:36:15 PDT
              <GIS-L@UBVM.BITNET>
From:         Andy Bouffard <esri!england!andyb@UUNET.UU.NET>
Subject:      Re: GIS Interfaces: we do agree
X-To:         uunet!UBVM.cc.buffalo.edu!GIS-L@uunet.UU.NET

I'll jump in here, if I may...

May I suggest a user interface that is multi-layered,
not just for GIS but for potentially all systems.

From what I have been reading of late, there seems
to be a concensus that there are different levels
of "sophistication" when it comes to users.  Some users
are power users, others are more of the occasional or novice
user type.  Why shouldn't systems be designed in such a way
that they cater to both of these levels, in addition
to any in between.

I think the goal of any system (user interface) should be
to educate users so, without too much effort, they have migrated
from novice user to power user, thus increasing their productivity.
I further feel that the role of a user interface should
be to try and teach users to become more efficient with the system
in question.

For example, lets say I want to display something on the
screen, be it a map, schematic, what have you.  Now there
is a "class" of operations here called "display".  Displaying
objects in my system may involve a variety of options concerning
symbolization, placement, scale, angle, the object itself, etc.

A user interface to this system should allow the user to decide
what level of interface sophistication they wish.  For example,
the novice user will probably choose a higher order GUI interface
for selecting display options for displaying objects in the system.
This may manifest itself in a "functional" dialog box, providing
easy access to all display commands and their available options.
If the user is interested in a little more sophistication and
tighter control over the commands involved in displaying then
he/she could invoke the next level of interface that could, for
example, provide a single dialog box for each display command,
providing in that dialog widgets for setting parameters important
for that command.  Finally, repeatedly using this "command" level
dialog box, the user begins to learn the options (command line
parameters) for the specific command, so that the next time he/she
uses the command, it is faster to type in the parameters at the
command prompt.  The user is well on the way to becoming a "power"
user (if you hold the assumption, as I do, that power users don't
use menus and dialog boxes, they type faster then they point and click).

A user interface, then, should strive to improve the competence
and speed of the user over time as well as provide several levels
of interface support in order to cater to different levels of
user sophistication.  User interface tools should also be provided to
enable users and developers to expand on this system and implement
their own sets/combinations of "functional" and "command" level dialogs,
by combining existing sets of widgets with their own.  This provides
for the multitude of application needs throughout GIS and other
disciplines.

____________________________________________________________________

Andy Bouffard                               abouffard@esri.com
Research and Development                    (714) 793-2853 : voice
ESRI - Redlands                             (714) 793-5953 : fax
380 New York St.
Redlands, CA 92373                          Opinions are my own.
____________________________________________________________________
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU