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Roy Pinder

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Publications by Roy Pinder (bibliography)

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1986
 
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Kiss, George and Pinder, Roy (1986): The Use of Complexity Theory in Evaluating Interfaces. In: Harrison, Michael D. and Monk, Andrew (eds.) Proceedings of the Second Conference of the British Computer Society Human Computer Interaction Specialist Group - People and Computers II August 23-26, 1986, University of York, UK. pp. 447-463.

The paper argues the case for using the techniques of computational complexity theory in the evaluation of user interfaces. Taking a task-oriented attitude, we interpret user effort as the computational work done by the user in terms of interface operations in carrying out tasks. Computational work is in turn identified with the size complexity of the algorithm through which the task is accomplished at the interface. We show how design decisions about primitives and tools determine the complexity of algorithms available to the user to carry out tasks. An illustration of the approach is given for direct manipulation graphics interfaces. The discussion indicates how the approach gives a reasonable interpretation to concepts like ease of use and tradeoff decisions.

© All rights reserved Kiss and Pinder and/or Cambridge University Press

 
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28 Apr 2003: Added

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Jun 19

... there are no simple 'right' answers for most web design questions (at least not for the important ones). What works is good, integrated design that fills a need--carefully thought out, well executed, and tested.

-- Steve Krug, Don't Make Me Think, p. 136

 
 

Featured chapter

Read the fascinating history of Wearable Computing, told by its father, Steve Mann

Read Steve's chapter !

 
 

Latest books

The Social Design of Technical Systems: Building technologies for communities
by Brian Whitworth and Adnan Ahmad

 
Start reading

The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction, 2nd Ed.
by Mads Soegaard and Rikke Friis Dam

 
Start reading
 
 

Help us help you!