Ben Bederson
Who was the director or manager of University of Maryland Human–Computer Interaction Lab from 2000 to 2006?
University of Maryland Human–Computer Interaction Lab The Human–Computer Interaction Lab ( HCIL ) at the University of Maryland , College Park is an academic research center specializing in the field of human-computer interaction ( HCI ) . Founded in 1983 by Ben Shneiderman , it is one of the oldest HCI labs of its kind . The HCIL conducts research on the design , implementation , and evaluation of computer interface technologies . Additional research focuses on the development of user interfaces and design methods . Primary activities of the HCIL include collaborative research , publication and the sponsorship of open houses , workshops and annual symposiums . Being interdisciplinary in nature , HCIL collaborates on a broader basis with several academic departments and schools , with faculty and students from Information Studies , Computer Science , Education , English , Business , and Psychology . Currently , the lab is jointly supported by the College of Information Studies ( iSchool ) and the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies ( UMIACS ) . Research affiliated with the HCIL has led to several digital design principles based on Schneidermans theory of direct manipulation . Early research contributions on hypertext , particularly hyperlinking , are popular UI design elements still widely used today . In 1989 , the lab developed high-precision touchscreen applications for small keyboards that are now widely used on smartphones . Information visualization research on dynamic queries in the early 1990s led to the commercial Spotfire product and treemapping strategies . Notable developments in HCI within the 21st century include interfaces for digital libraries , multimedia resources for learning communities , and zooming user interfaces ( ZUIs ) . Later contributions include technology design methodologies for children , mobile and pen-based computing , network analysis and visualization using NodeXL , and event analytics for electronic patient histories . Developments and research projects for each year are showcased at the labs annual HCIL Symposium . , the lab is directed by Niklas Elmqvist . Its previous directors are Ben Shneiderman ( 1983-2000 ) , Ben Bederson ( 2000-2006 ) , Allison Druin ( 2006–2011 ) , Jen Golbeck ( 2011-2015 ) , Mona Leigh Guha ( interim director 2015 ) , June Ahn ( 2015-2016 ) and Catherine Plaisant ( acting director 1996 ) . Contributions . Direct manipulation . Ben Shneidermans theory of direct manipulation led to innovations in digital interface design , many developed under the HCIL . Direct manipulation interactions , in contrast to other interaction styles , require that objects of interest are represented as distinguishable objects in the UI and are manipulated in a direct fashion . In other words , direct manipulation tools provide a user with a visually-intuitive method to manipulate that object . Direct manipulation is characterized by four main principles : continuous representation of the object of interest ; physical actions instead of complex syntax ; rapid , incremental , and reversible operations whose impact on the object of interest is immediately visible ; and layered or spiral approach to learning that permits usage with minimal knowledge . A famous example is the File Explorer , which is used to manage applications in the Microsoft Windows Operating System . In contrast to the command line interaction style , applications are abstractly represented as files , while groups of files are collected in folders . File abstractions , for instance , can be dragged and dropped into folders to manage and organize programs in an intuitive and visual manner . Touchscreens . From 1988 to 1991 , the HCIL worked on a series of projects regarding the use of touchscreens . These projects explored direct manipulation designs to improve the accuracy , precision , and usability of touchscreen technologies . At the time , touchscreen technology was imprecise and was generally limited to targets larger than the average finger . Originally , corresponding actions from the touch of a finger were performed immediately on the screen ( known as the first touch or land on strategy ) , which would frequently lead to wrong target selections and calibration issues . The lift-off strategy was developed as an alternative technique for selection ; this technique provides feedback for selection when a users finger is on the screen , and select that target when the finger is lifted . After implementing a cursor slightly above a users finger during selection , this effectively allowed a users finger to replace a computer mouse . The lift-off strategy is still used in many touchscreen devices today , including the Apple iPhone . In 1988 , HCIL partnered with companies Elographic and Microtouch to build a high-precision touchscreen by integrating stabilizing techniques with the lift-off strategy into their touchscreen drivers . From then on , high-precision technology in touchscreens was possible . Using a combination of hyperTIES and high-precision touchscreen technology , its believed that the HCIL developed the worlds first touchscreen museum kiosk . A large-scale test of touchscreens was conducted that spring for the Caesarea ( King Herods Dream ) Exhibit , a Smithsonian exhibit on archaeology . Development with touchscreens continued the following year with development of the Online Public Access Catalog for the Library of Congress . Using direct manipulation interfaces through touchscreens , HCIL worked on two projects from 1988 to 1989 : development of a home automation system in collaboration with American Voice and Robotics , and experimentation with toggles ( buttons , sliders , etc. ) on touchscreens . These projects introduced novel examples of how touchscreens can be used : selecting zones on maps , button type toggles , sliding toggles , and manipulation of calendar and time interfaces . In 2015 , HCILs sliding direct manipulation tool was cited as prior art in Apple Inc . v . Samsung Electronic Co. , Ltd , which contested the patents of the slide-to-unlock lock screen feature on Apple devices . Information visualization . HCIL developed three early applications of dynamic queries from 1991 to 1993 . These applications include a chemical table of elements , a real estate HomeFinder , and a cancer atlas . These queries incorporate direct manipulation through dynamic sliders with a range of dates and a dynamically updating map . Chris Ahlberg , a major contributor on HomeFinder , left the lab and created Spotfire several years later in 1996 . Events and outreach . HCIL collaborates with other departments , centers and labs on campus . It hosts academic and industrial visitors , and works closely with project sponsors . The HCIL has hosted its annual symposium every year since the labs inception . The symposium showcases developments , publications , and research projects for that year . Due to the 2019 Coronavirus Pandemic , HCILs 37th and 38th Annual Symposium were hosted virtually . Notable current and former members . - Ben Shneiderman , founding director ( 1983-2000 ) , ACM CHI Academy member , , member of the National Academy of Engineering , six honorary doctorates - Kent Norman , founding member , Directory of the Laboratory for Automation Psychology - Jenny Preece , lab member , ACM CHI Academy member , former Dean of the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland , 2005-2015 - Ben Bederson , lab member and former director , ACM CHI Academy member , known for foundational work in zoomable interfaces - Allison Druin , lab member and former director , ACM CHI Academy member , ACM CHI Social Impact Award winner , known for foundational work in participatory design with children and designing interactive technology for and with children , former lab director - Catherine Plaisant , associate director , ACM CHI Academy member , senior research scientist - Jen Golbeck , lab member , former lab director - Niklas Elmqvist , lab director from 2016 - Don Hopkins , former student and pie menu creator - Gary Marchionini , former lab member ( now at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill , since 1998 )