Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 3
Interaction Model of
Pen-and-Paper User Interfaces
The advent of novel types of user interfaces generates challenges that relate both
to the conceptual understanding and to the question of practical interface design. In
this chapter, we aim at providing answers to the following questions:
What is the essence of interaction with Pen-and-Paper User Interfaces?
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How to guide analysis?
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What aspects are to be considered when designing a Pen-and-Paper User Inter-
face? What principles and guidelines do apply?
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In essence these questions are answered for desktop interfaces (or GUIs), which
have been the dominant interface paradigm for several decades. However, the large
body of principles and guidelines established for desktop interfaces cannot be sim-
ply transferred to post-desktop user interfaces, of which Pen-and-Paper Interfaces
are one form. While some first models of post-desktop interfaces are currently
emerging, these do not take into account the specific characteristics of interact-
ing with pen and paper. Hence they provide only limited support for designers of
Pen-and-Paper User Interfaces.
This chapter provides the first theoretical model of interaction with Pen-and-
Paper User Interfaces. An interaction model is a set of principles, rules and proper-
ties that guide the design of an interface [8]; examples of interaction models are the
WIMP model and Direct Manipulation [133]. Our interaction model shows how to
design paper-based interfaces that offer complex functionality, but that are neverthe-
less easy to learn and easy to use, easy to integrate in established contexts of use, and
reliable despite the restrictions of pen and paper (e.g. limited feedback capabilities).
The model takes on an integral viewpoint on the ensemble of collaborating users,
of physical and digital artifacts, of work practices and of their interplay, which we
consider an ecology.
We strongly believe that successful Pen-and-Paper User Interfaces are those that
can be easily and seamlessly integrated into this ecology. This implies several re-
quirements. Similar to established paper-based practices, user interfaces should
heavily draw upon modularity and combination of tools. Taken on its own, each
tool provides rather simple functionality which however can be used for variety of
