Method for categorizing, describing and modeling types of system users

Abstract

A method of designing a user interface based on a list of user qualities and interactions of users. The method includes categorizing the users into groups based on at least one of user characteristics, performance characteristics, behavioral characteristics, and cognitive workload. The method further including designing the interface based upon the categorized groups and on goals for the user interface.

1 . A method of designing a user interface based on a list of user qualities and interactions of users, the method comprising: 
 categorizing the users into groups based on at least one of user characteristics, performance characteristics, behavioral characteristics, and cognitive workload; and    designing the interface based upon the categorized groups and on goals for the user interface.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the categorizing is based on at least the cognitive workload of the users that includes at least one of subjective measures techniques, performance-based measures techniques, and physiological measures techniques.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2  wherein the cognitive workload is based on subjective measures techniques that judge the user's subjective workload.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2  wherein the cognitive workload is based on performance-based measures techniques that measure a user's ability to perform a task and either a subsidiary paradigm or a loading task paradigm.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 2  wherein cognitive workload is based on physiological measures techniques that include examining physiological responses to task requirements.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the categorizing is based on at least the cognitive workload of the users that includes at least one of system demands, processing resources, and effort expenditure.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 describing user behavior information associated with each of the groups; and    modeling the behavior information of each group,    wherein the designing is further based on the modeled behavior information.    
   
   
       8 . A method of designing a user interface based on a list of user qualities and interactions of users that are categorized into groups based on goals for the user interface, the method comprising: 
 describing the user interactions and the user qualities of each of the groups; and    designing the interface based upon the described user interactions and user qualities.    
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein describing the user interactions of each group further comprises: 
 selecting at least one user from each group; and    obtaining additional behavioral information from the selected user.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the describing the user interactions and the user qualities is based on one of a plurality of GOMS analyses.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the describing the user interactions and the user qualities further comprises: 
 analyzing user goals for an interface.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the describing the user interactions and the user qualities further comprises: 
 analyzing actions a user performs with an interface.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 8  wherein the describing user interactions and the user qualities is based on a CPM-GOMS analysis.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 8  further comprising: 
 modeling the described user interactions and the user qualities of each group to aid in the design of the user interface.    
   
   
       15 . A method of designing a user interface based on a list of user qualities and user interactions of users that are categorized into groups based on goals for the user interface, the method comprising: 
 modeling user interactions and the user qualities of each group with qualitative models and quantitative models; and    designing the interface based upon the modeled user interactions and user qualities.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein modeling the described user interactions and the user qualities further comprises: 
 establishing objectives and constraints of the interface; and    gathering, analyzing, and validating system data of the interface.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein modeling the described user interactions and the user qualities further comprises: 
 conducting simulation experiments on the interface; and    analyzing and interpreting results of the simulation experiments.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the qualitative models describe how users behave or perform.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the quantitative models represent the behavior of each of the groups.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 15  further comprising: 
 listing the user qualities and the interactions of users based on goals for the user interface;    categorizing the users into groups based on at least one of the user qualities and the user interactions; and    describing the user interactions and the user qualities of each of the groups,    wherein modeling further comprises modeling the user qualities and user interactions based upon the goals for the interface.