A Method for Task-related Information Analysis

Abstract

A fundamental yet neglected part of human computer interaction is design of the presentation interface. Although guidelines offer advice about the display ergonomics, and standards are being prepared for interface presentation (ISO 1994), there is little help for designers in HCI methods when it comes to analysing and specifying information displays. Task analysis methods, (Johnson 1985, Johnson et al. 1988) do not explicitly define users’ information requirements; however, task models produced by such methods do describe objects which may become the subject matter of the presentation interface. Structured system development methods, such as SSADM, (Downs et al. 1991) give data models such as entity relationship diagrams but only general heuristics for screen design. Clearly there is a need for methodical guidance to define users’ information requirements in the context of task analysis, synthesise this with data modelling, and then produce specifications for the presentation interface.