Improving Usability in Information Services:
User Interface Evaluation Metrics and New Widgets
Last year we evaluated Platform Independent User Interface Builders to
design and build GUI applications with one set of source code that can
be compiled and run on multiple hardware and windowing environments.
This year we created several "next generation" GUI widgets which
constitute the
University of Maryland Widget Library (TM)
including the
range slider,
AlphaSlider,
secure toggles,
treemap, and
treeview widgets.
This widget library, which was documented with a new specification
notation, will be distributed to the Galaxy community. It was used to
create the FilmFinder application, an integrated environment for
finding films based on dynamic queries, a starfield display, and tight
coupling.
We created automated evaluation metrics that designers and programmers
can use to help ensure user interfaces adhere to the tenets of high
quality user interface design. These tenets include interface
consistency with respect to word use, object use, and standards
guidelines; proper positioning of objects for task performance,
comprehensibility, information density, and aesthetics; an appropriate
mix of GUI objects; user interaction logging for use patterns; etc.
This environment will aid in creating consistent and powerful GUI
applications plus adhering to design guidelines and established
recommendations.
Participants:
Web
Accessibility