A User Decision Model for the Evaluation of the Human Computer Interface

Abstract

This paper discusses a dynamic model of the user's interaction with the user computer interface. It addresses how the user's decision processes interact with different levels of complexity in the user interface. Cellular automata are used to model the interaction of user decision schema and user computer interfaces. The user's decision schema determine the navigation through the interface. Users with idiosyncratic decision schema can effectively navigate only simple interfaces while users with data analytic decision schema can navigate both simple and complex interfaces.

Design and Evaluation of Usable Systems

“…It eliminates DECISION STYLE ANALYSIS Decision style analysis consists of three components, a model of decision styles, a model of the system being analyzed, and a simulation in which the decision style model is applied in an iterative fashion to the system model. Previous work showed that the different real world behaviors of managers can be modeled (McGrew 1999(McGrew , 1998(McGrew , 1996. This work showed that a manager's behavior is consistent over time and situations, and described manager's decision styles.…”

“…The results showed that the idiosyncratic decision makers preferred low complexity user interfaces and performed sub-optimally in the game situation. The data analytic decision makers could use both simple and complex user interfaces and could performed optimally in the game situation (McGrew 2002,1999, Wolfram 1994.…”

“…The interaction of the manager's decision style with the change management processes was simulated using a two dimensional cellular automata (McGrew 1999). The cellular automata apply rules representing the different management decision styles repeatedly to the matrix representation of a change management process.…”

“…This paper discusses a case study of the design and evaluation of a change management system using a facilitated genetic algorithm (a parallel design method) and user decision style analysis (McGrew 2001(McGrew , 1999. The facilitated genetic algorithm reduces design cost and time and the decision style reduces risk of fielding an unusable system.…”