CAD usage in an architectural office: from observations to active assistance

Bhavnani, Suresh K.; Flemming, Ulrich; Forsythe, Diana E.; Garrett, James H.; Shaw, D. G.; Tsai, Albert

doi:10.1016/0926-5805(96)00149-5

Cited by 22 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…These studies include the observation of real-world users [3,9,12], cognitive analysis of their interactions [1,4,5,6,7], the analysis of functionalities provided by complex computer applications [6],…”

Section: Strategies That Generalizementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have shown that despite training and many years of experience, many users with basic command knowledge do not progress to an efficient use of applications [3,6,9,10,12]. Recent research has led us to believe that the efficient use of computer applications requires strategic knowledge in addition to tool knowledge [1,5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our cognitive analyses of real-world usage revealed that some strategies are more efficient than others in terms of performance variables such as task time, errors, and ease of modifying content [1,3,7]. Furthermore, our analysis of complex computer applications led to the identification of three efficient strategies which generalize across computer applications [6,7].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Designs conducive to the use of efficient strategies

Bhavnani

2000

Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Designing Interactive Systems: Processes, Practices, Methods, and Techniques

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Studies on the widespread inefficient use of complex computer applications have suggested that users need to learn efficient strategies in addition to learning how to use tools. This paper argues that our growing understanding of strategic knowledge can be used to guide designers develop systems which are conducive to the use of efficient strategies. The paper first describes ten general strategies which appear to be useful across three computer application domains. Next, the paper discusses the functionalities required to execute the ten strategies, and what makes them conducive to strategy use. An analysis of six major computer applications in three domains reveals that these functionalities are not consistently offered, and how their absence directly affects the performance of complex tasks. The analysis leads to questions related to the generality of the results, the problem of featurism, and how strategy-conducive systems could facilitate the transfer of knowledge across applications. The paper concludes by briefly describing how we intend to use the strategy framework to develop analysis methods for designers and trainers. KeywordsStrategy, strategic knowledge, efficiency, design, training. INTRODUCTIONAdvances in interaction design such as direct manipulation, and its widespread acceptance, have greatly contributed to the ease with which users begin to use computer applications. Increasingly, users are able to explore and begin to use applications they have never used before, often with little or no training.However, the knowledge to use direct manipulation tools does not seem to aid users to perform complex tasks efficiently. Several studies have shown that despite training and many years of experience, many users with basic command knowledge do not progress to an efficient use of applications [3,6,9,10,12]. Recent research has led us to believe that the efficient use of computer applications requires strategic knowledge in addition to tool knowledge [1,5,6]. The analysis of strategic knowledge has helped identify a set of strategies which are generally useful across computer applications. For example, computer users can perform many iterative tasks efficiently by using strategies which exploit the aggregation of objects [6] provided by common applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, and computer-aided drafting (CAD) systems. This paper explores how our understanding of general strategies can be used to guide designers to check if their designs are conducive to the use of efficient strategies.The paper begins by presenting ten general strategies which appear to be useful across three computer domains: word processors, spreadsheets, and CAD systems. Next, the paper describes how these strategies are dependent on specific functionalities being present in an application, and the design issues relevant to making them conducive to strategy use. An analysis of six major applications in the above three domains reveals that even major applications do not consistently provide important function...

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Section: Strategies That Generalizementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Designs conducive to the use of efficient strategies

Bhavnani

2000

Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Designing Interactive Systems: Processes, Practices, Methods, and Techniques

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“…Evidence for learning from peers has been obtained in several studies (Bhavnani et al, 1996) including some recent work (Peres et al, 2004) finding that people who use keyboard shortcuts are more likely to work with and/or around others who use KICs. Given these findings, it is conceivable that observing others using efficient techniques may affect a user's CBA and thus influence their selection rules.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although much of the previous work in expertise has provided important descriptions of expertise, the findings are equivocal regarding the processes associated with achieving this level of performance. The process of obtaining expert performance with software programs is no exception, particularly when efficiency is included in the definition of expert performance (Bhavnani et al, 1996;Carroll & Rosson, 1987). This is important as one of the hallmarks of expert levels of performance is often efficient performance, i.e., performing tasks with the least amount of effort and time necessary.…”

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confidence: 99%

Peer-Mediated Leap to Efficiency: Cost-Benefit Analysis in the Selection of Efficient Strategies

Tamborello

Peres

Fleetwood

2006

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual

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There is ample evidence that computer users often do not progress from novice to expert levels of performance, particularly when efficiency is included in the definition of performance. This paper describes a theoretical argument that one of the pieces missing in the understanding of this process is an accurate assessment of how people calculate a cost/benefit analysis (CBA) of learning and using new techniques and strategies. While there are many explanations for why people often do not use accurate methods of calculating this ratio, there is little discussion describing why some people do. We suggest that an important and predictable influence on whether an individual uses an accurate CBA is the observation of others using efficient techniques. We propose that with a more full understanding of the CBA calculation process, it will be possible to predict when users will and will not utilize a more efficient technique.Expertise and the achievement of expert performance is a broad field. Although much of the previous work in expertise has provided important descriptions of expertise, the findings are equivocal regarding the processes associated with achieving this level of performance.

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Separating the knowledge layers: Cognitive analysis of search knowledge through hierarchical goal decompositions

Bhavnani

Bates

2002

Proc of Assoc for Info

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Hierarchical goal decompositions have proved to be a useful method to make explicit the knowledge required by users to perform tasks in a wide range of applications such as computeraided drafting (CAD) systems. This analysis method progressively decomposes a given task starting from the task layer on the top of the decomposition, to the keystroke layer at the bottom. The analysis enables a close inspection of the knowledge required to perform the task at each layer of the decomposition. In this paper we show how the method of hierarchical goal decomposition can be used to understand more precisely the knowledge that is required to perform information search tasks. The analysis pinpoints: (1) the critical strategies in the intermediate layers of knowledge that are known by experts searchers; (2) why such knowledge is difficult to acquire by novice searchers; (3) how the analysis provides testable predictions of behavior based on the acquisition of different types of knowledge. We conclude by discussing the advantages provided by hierarchical goal decompositions, and how such an approach can lead to the design of systems and training.

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CAD usage in an architectural office: from observations to active assistance

Cited by 22 publications

References 6 publications

Designs conducive to the use of efficient strategies

Designs conducive to the use of efficient strategies

Peer-Mediated Leap to Efficiency: Cost-Benefit Analysis in the Selection of Efficient Strategies

Separating the knowledge layers: Cognitive analysis of search knowledge through hierarchical goal decompositions

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