20100926 - Karlson, Interface & Interaction Design for one-handed Mobile Computing [touchscreen mobile phone]

Interface and interaction design for onehanded mobile computing by Karlson, Amy Kathleen, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, 2007 , 282 pages; AAT 3297319 My Interest: 1) How she developed the Design Guidelines & Interaction Techniques. 2) How she tested/evaluated the Design Guideline – the 4 Applications. Action: To read specific parts of the Dissertation in future. Motivation Mobile phones are not only a ubiquitous social accessory, but rapid technology advances have transformed them into feature-rich, Internetenabled mobile PCs--a role once reserved for touchscreen-based personal digital assistants (PDAs). Although the most widespread phone styles in circulation feature the classic combination of numeric keypad and non-touchscreen display, larger touchscreen devices are gaining ground, as indicated by the fervor surrounding new devices such as Apple's iPhone and LG's Prada phone. Yet as devices evolve, users will remain constrained by the limits of their own visual, physical, and mental resources. Research Goal My research has focused on the specific limitation that mobile users often have only one hand available to operate a device, which can be especially problematic for touchscreen-based devices, since they are frequently designed for two-handed stylus operation. Considering the growing volumes of data that small devices can now store and connect to, as well as the expanding cultural role of mobile phones, improving usability in mobile computing has potentially enormous implications for user productivity, satisfaction and even safety. My own exploratory surveys have suggested that one-handed use of mobile devices is very common but that today's hardware and software designs do not support users in performing many tasks with only one hand. Motivated by these findings, the research goal of this dissertation is to contribute substantial knowledge in the form of empirically backed design guidelines and interaction techniques for improving one-handed usability and operation of mobile devices, with particular emphasis on those with touch-sensitive displays. The guidelines for one-handed mobile device design are the product of a series of studies conducted in pursuit of foundational knowledge in user behavior, preference, thumb capabilities and touchscreen-thumb interaction characteristics for singlehanded device use. Methodology I also demonstrate the application of these guidelines through the development and evaluation of four applications. Two involve designs for navigating among programs, one provides an interface for searching large data sets, and the last offers a generalized mechanism for controlling arbitrary touchscreen interfaces with a thumb. Each of these applications explores a different one-handed interaction technique and offers perspective on its viability for one-handed device use. Chapter 2 Foundations: Why Design for One-Handed Mobile Devices? 2.1 Related Work 2.1.1 Effects of Device Size on Design 2.1.2 Attention and Mobility 2.1.3 Impact of Form on Physical Resource Demands 2.1.4 Strategies for Reducing Hand Requirements 2.1.5 The Role of Audio in Mobile Interaction 2.2 Exploratory Study 1: Field Study 2.2.1 Method 2.2.2 Measures 2.2.3 Results 2.2.4 Discussion 2.3 Exploratory Study 2:Web Survey 2.3.1 Method 2.3.2 Measures 2.3.3 Results 2.3.4 Discussion 2.4 Conclusion Chapter 4 Applications: Touchscreen Design Strategies for One-Handed Mobile Computing 4.1 Overview 4.2 A Comparative Design Strategy 4.3 Related Work 4.7 AppLens and LaunchTile Formative Study 4.7.1 Participants 4.7.2 Measures 4.7.3 Materials 4.7.4 Tasks 4.7.5 Procedure 4.7.6 Results 4.8 Discussion 4.9 Conclusion Chapter 5 Applications: Search Strategies for One-Handed Mobile Computing 5.1 Motivation 5.2 Related Work 5.6 User Study 5.6.1 Participants 5.6.2 Method 5.6.3 Equipment 5.6.4 Tasks 5.6.5 Measures 5.6.6 Procedure 5.7 Study Results 5.7.1 Task Times 5.7.2 Percent Correct 5.7.3 Satisfaction 5.7.4 User comments 5.7.5 Usability Observations 5.8 Discussion 5.9 Conclusion Chapter 6 Applications: A Technique for Generalized One-Handed Interaction with Touchscreen Interfaces 6.1 Related Work 6.4 Study 1: Direct Interaction vs. Peripheral Hardware 6.4.1 Independent Variables 6.4.2 Tasks 6.4.3 Hypotheses 6.4.4 Implementation and Apparatus 6.4.5 Method 6.4.6 Participants 6.4.7 Procedure 6.5 Study 1: Results 6.5.1 Task Times 6.5.2 Error Rate 6.5.3 Satisfaction 6.5.4 Preference 6.5.5 Discussion 6.6 Study 2: ThumbSpace vs. Shift for Palm-Sized Touchscreen Devices 6.6.1 Independent Variables 6.6.2 Implementation and Apparatus 6.6.3 Tasks 6.6.4 Method 6.6.5 Participants 6.6.6 Procedure 6.7 Study 2: Results 6.7.1 Task Times 6.7.2 Error Rate 6.7.3 Input Choice 6.7.4 Satisfaction 6.7.5 Preference 6.8 Discussion

Oct 22 - Dissertations...Mobile Learning, E-Learning Effectiveness, Learner Satisfaction, Online Learning Usability, Mobile Application Usability

Keywords searched:
1 Mobile Learning
2 E-Learning Effectiveness
3 Learner Satisfaction
4 Online Learning Usability
5 Mobile Application Usability
6 E-Learning (to be continued...)

Dissertations were searched and downloaded using ProQuest.

Abitt, Jason T. The Development of an Evaluation Framework for a Web-Based Course Management System in Higher Education. [Dissertation, PhD] University of Idaho. May 2005.

Colbry, Kathleen Tamara Luchini. Design Guidelines for Developing Scaffolded, Handheld Software to Support Learners during Science Inquiry. [Dissertation, PhD (Computer Science & Engineering)] The University of Michigan. 2005.

Elshair, Hanan M. The Strategies Used By Students To Read Educational Websites and Their Relation to Website Usability and Text Design. [dissertation, Doctor of Education] University of Pittsburgh. 2002.

Esch, Thomas J. E-Learning Effectiveness: An Examination of Online Training Methods for Training End-Users of New Technology Systems. [Dissertation, PhD in Business Administration] Touro University International. April 2003.

Ezzedine, Shadi Najib. Design Guidelines for Wireless Distributed Learning at Royal Roads University. [Thesis, M.A. in Distributed Learning] Royal Roads University. Nov 18, 2003.

Friend, Jean Rose. Website Usefulness for Third Agers: A Case Study of Older Adults and Senior Related Websites. [Dissertation, PhD] University of Virginia. Jan 2001.

Gamble, Angela L. The Effectiveness of E-Learning in a Multicultural Environment. [Dissertation, PhD] Capella University. Jan 2009.

Goode, Christina M. Evaluating the Quality, Usability, and Potential Effectiveness of Online Learning Modules: A Case Study of Teaching with Technology Grant Recipients at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. [Dissertation, Doctor of Education] The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dec 2003.

Harmons, Eric M. A Usability Study of A Post-Conference Online Self-Assessment Program for Healthcare Professionals. [Thesis, M.A.] Texas Woman's University, Denton, Texas. Aug 2005.

Karlson, Amy Kathleen. Interface and Interaction Design for One-Handed Mobile Computing. [Dissertation, PhD] University of Maryland, College Park. 2007.

Lai, Horng-Ji. Evaluation of WWW On-Line Courseware Usability. [Dissertation, PhD] University of Idaho. May 2004.

Lavoie, Marie-Claude. Enabling Contextual MLearning: Design Recommendations for a Context-Appropriate User Interface Enabling Mobile Learning. [Thesis, M.A. (Educational Technology)] Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Jan 2007.

Lee, Kwang Bok. The Design and Development of User Interfaces for Small Screen Computers. [Thesis, PhD] Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York. June 2003.

Mendoza, Valerie Nicole Duran. Usability of Technology: The Causes and Levels of Frustration Over Time. [Thesis, M.Sc.] The University of Texas at El Paso. July 2005.

Morales-Morell, Anibal. Usability Aspects of A Location-Aware ToDo List Application. [Thesis, M.Sc. in Computer Engineering] University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. 2000.

O'Dell, Toni. Generational Differences in Satisfaction with E-Learning in A Corporate-Learning Environment. [Dissertation, Doctor of Education] University of Houston. May 2009.

Pestina, Simona. Development Frameworks for Mobile/Wireless User Interface: A Comparative Study. [Thesis, Master of Computer Science] Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. March 2002.

Platt, Jeffrey Lynn. The Efficacy of An Electronic Performance Support System as a Training Tool for Online Faculty. [Dissertation, PhD] Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. 2008.