Case Study: Expert Evaluations of Complex UIs - Cross-Cultural Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience Design - page 56

SA analysis
Actors, audience, paradigm.
All of the objects involved in the interaction pertain to the leading paradigm of
“window, icon, menu, pointing device” (WIMP). The paradigm is constituted by the
menu bar, toolbars, main window containing the image, dialog windows, icons, and
pointer. The paradigm is bound to the GUI metaphor. GIMP is intended for ama-
teur/semiprofessionals and programmers. This distinction is manifested implicitly by
the channel of distribution (open-source) and explicitly in the marketing documenta-
tion (in GIMP it is by stating, that “[i]n the free software world, there is generally no
distinction between users and developers” (GNU Project, 2009)). The menu paradigm
is constructed by combining noun-verb or verb-noun items, which seems deliberate
(only one model should be chosen). GIMP shares the same user group as Adobe
Photoshop (photographers and advertising designers).
Symbols.
The users are addressed by symbols related to the user domain. In this case, GIMP's
icon of a stylized dog head connotes playfulness, fun, and ease of use. The icon is
not used on the splash screen, however, in favor of a planet picture. The toolbars and
other screens show larger and more colorful button icons and larger dialog windows
that are easily reached by the pointer. The icon symbols used in the menus, e.g., in
the “Tools” menu, make no distinction between nouns (e.g., Pencil, Eraser, Text) and
verbs (e.g., Zoom, Measure, Heal), which could be helpful. Also, the symbols are
created by different methods (e.g., the Pencil tool has an iconic representation of a
pen but the Zoom tool icon is created by metonymy with its action and uses a zooming
lens; others are connected only loosely, as in the case of Swap Colors).
Syntax.
The system processes are constituted by the same UI language components analyzed
above for Adobe Photoshop. In GIMP, there is only a difference in the rhetorical tropes
(e.g., visual explanation, when the “perspective tool” icon shows a square pulled in the
direction of arrows), and interaction games (these are the complete functions enabling
us to accomplish our goal, e.g., “correct image perspective”).
Rhetorical tropes.
Perhaps the most prominent of the rhetorical tropes in this context is the metaphor.
As is the case of syntax, the same set of metaphors is shared with Adobe Photoshop.
Interaction phases.
The interaction phases are similar to those mentioned above in the Adobe Photoshop
analysis. Also, the interaction sentence level is similar. However, the middle phase
(where the user works on the picture) seems to be more consistent with beginning and
end. This is because the user keeps working in the image window and is not distracted
by other windows or palettes. Considering the example from the transcripts, the action
is modified after the system's feedback (when adjusting the perspective the system