User Interface Evaluation with Machine Learning Methods

user interface;usability evaluation;machine learning method;Industrial and Operations Engineering;Engineering;Industrial & Operations Engineering

Mao, YanxunYang, Xi (Jessie) ;

University of Michigan

关键词: user interface;    usability evaluation;    machine learning method;    Industrial and Operations Engineering;    Engineering;    Industrial & Operations Engineering;   

Others  :  https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/149942/myx_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

With the increasing complexity of user interfaces and the importance for usability evaluation, efficient methods for evaluating the usability of user interfaces are needed. Through this dissertation research, two computational models built with machine learning methods are introduced to evaluate user interface usability. This research consists of two phases. Phase I of the research implements the method of support vector machine to evaluate usability from static features of a user interface such as widget layout and dimensions. Phase II of the research implements the method of deep Q network to evaluate usability from dynamic features of a user interface such as interaction performance and task completion time. Based on the research results, a well-trained Phase I model can distinguish and classify user interfaces with common usability issues and is expected to recognize those issues when sufficient data is provided. Phase II model can simulate human-interface interaction and generate useful interaction performance data as the basis for usability analysis.The two phases of the research aim to overcome the limitations of traditional usability evaluation methods of being time-consuming and expensive, and thus have both practical and scientific values. From the practical perspective, this research aims to help evaluate and design user interfaces of computer- based information systems. For example, today’s application software development on computer based information system always integrates many functions or task components into one user interface page. This function integration needs to be carefully evaluated to avoid usability issues and the competitive field of software development requires an evaluation process with short cycles. Phase I and Phase II of the research provide an efficient but not necessarily comprehensive usability evaluation tool to meet some of the demands of the field. From the scientific perspective, this research aims to help researchers make quantifiable predictions and evaluations of user interfaces. Qualitative theories and models are important, but often insufficient for rigorous understanding and quantitative analysis. Therefore, this research work on computational model-based interface evaluation has important theoretical value in advancing the science of studying human behavior in complex human-machine-environment systems.