This survey elicited experts' perceptions of factors affecting development and use of interactive technologies. Responses from 196 respondents were categorized as hardware/technology, software/programs, acceptance/adoption, accessibility/ease of use, and instruction/learning/communication issues. Based on this categorization, a model of…

Describes human-computer interface needs for empowering environments in computer usage in which the machine handles the routine mechanics of problem solving while the user concentrates on its higher order meanings. A closed-loop model of interaction is described, interface as illusion is discussed, and metaphors for human-computer interaction are…

The first of two articles discusses virtual reality (VR) and online databases; the second one reports on an interview with Thomas A. Furness III, who defines VR and explains work at the Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HIT). Sidebars contain a glossary of VR terms and a conversation with Toni Emerson, the HIT lab's librarian. (LRW)

Reexamines human factors of human-machine systems from an individual and organizational behavior standpoint, particularly as they relate to library automation. Attitudes about automation, the successful introduction of change, the impact of automation on organizational structure, the impact on humans, and leadership within the human-machine system…

Discusses elements involved in the visual design of the computer-learner interface. Topics discussed include the need for consistency in screen layout; information representation, including accuracy in images and visual cuing strategies; and menu selection interfaces, or command representations, including their placement on the screen. (11…

This seventh in a series on performance technology discusses the means an organization uses to support human performance. Five basic elements are described: (1) the opportunity an individual has to perform as the organization desires; (2) technology, including human-machine roles; (3) materials and supplies; (4) the flow of useful information; and…

Discusses issues relating to reading text on computer screens and considers how to optimize screen presentation of text, particularly for academic journals. Topics discussed include reading as a physical and cognitive skill; classifying text according to reader-relevant criteria; and the design implications of these factors for electronic journal…

Discusses electronic commerce and presents the concept of Web assistants, human assistants working in an electronic Web shop. Presents results of a usability study of a prototype adaptive Web assistant system that show users were enthusiastic about the concept of Web assistants and its implications. (Author/LRW)

Discusses a new, informational-based cybernetic conception of the early development of child consciousness. Suggests a solution to the fundamental problem of formulating and creating the optimal cognitive preconditions of successful child-computer interaction, and analyzes some negative aspects of using intelligent computer and communications…

Presents an efficient spoken-access approach for both Chinese text and Mandarin speech information retrieval. Highlights include human-computer interaction via voice input, speech query recognition at the syllable level, automatic term suggestion, relevance feedback techniques, and experiments that show an improvement in the effectiveness of…

This study of scholars' judgments of information quality and cognitive authority when interacting with information on the World Wide Web is based on data from verbal protocols during the searches, search logs, and post-search interviews. Discusses predictive judgments made before scholars looked at Web pages and evaluative judgments made after.…

Focuses on methods of generating and evaluating hypertext. Highlights include historical landmarks; nonlinearity; literary hypertext; models of hypertext; manual, automatic, and semi-automatic generation of hypertext; mathematical models for hypertext evaluation, including computing coverage and correlation; human factors in evaluation; and…

Quality of e-learning systems is one of the important topics that the researchers are investigating in the last years. This paper refines the concept of quality of e-learning systems and proposes a new framework, called TICS (Technology, Interaction, Content, Services), which focuses on the most important aspects to be considered when designing or…

The author of this article believes that human survival depends upon the ability to develop and work with machines of high artificial intelligence. He lists uses of such machines, including terrestrial mining, outer space exploration, and other tasks too dangerous, too expensive, or too boring for human beings. (MA)

This paper discusses the complexity of explanation activity in human-human goal-directed dialogue and suggests that this complexity ought to be taken into account in the design of explanation in human-computer interaction. A general model of clarity in human-computer systems is proposed, incorporating explanation as one component. On the basis of…