Information Technology Reference
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investigated. Its originality is to attribute a semantic to point 0 and to the form of the
diagram obtained by the characterization of a plastic UI in this space: the greater the
distance to the centre, the more subtle the plasticity, making it potentially complex
to implement. Our problem space is organized into sectors according to the external
or internal properties under consideration.
11.5.1.
User viewpoint: external properties
External properties are organized into four sectors according to: the nature of the
domain-dependent UI with which the user interacts; the change of context at the
origin of the adaptation; the changes instigated in the UI; and the control given to
the user regarding to the adaptation process (see Figure 11.9).
Domain-dependent UI
: in general, the UIs that are considered for plasticity are
simple, such as forms. The problem space makes a clear distinction, in terms of
complexity, between the adaptation of form-based and command lines UIs and the
adaptation of direct manipulation and post-WIMP UIs. This axis is concerned with
UI remodeling. The second axis refers to UI distribution. It distinguishes the
adaptation of centralized versus distributed UIs, the distribution being coarse
grained (inter-task) versus
fine grained (intra-task). Coarse grain means that a task is
entirely carried out on a given platform. Conversely, fine grain implies that a same
task requires the use of several interaction devices (for example in Ubiloop where
part of the UI is on the PC and the other part is on an interactive table).
Context
: in line with the definition of context of use, three axes make up this
sector. The user dimension specifies whether the adaptation is done in relation to an
archetypal model of the targeted user versus
the effective interaction the user or,
even more generally, his activity. The platform distinguishes simple configurations
composed of a single entity (e.g. a PC) versus homogeneous (e.g. two PCs) or
heterogeneous platform assemblies (e.g. a PC and an interactive table, as in
Ubiloop). The environment, which goes beyond open environments (e.g. a street),
and closed spaces (e.g. an office), covers some potential complexity related to users'
mobility.
Effects of the adaptation
: the occurrence analyses the moment when the
adaptation happens. With coarse grain, it can intervene between two sessions. It can
also occur between two user tasks or even, with smaller grain, between two physical
actions on interaction devices. The task dimension defines the range of the
adaptation in terms of the user's task: is it limited to the user's task?
