Univ. Autónoma de Madrid1 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

A Framework for the Automatic A Framework for the Automatic Generation of Software TutoringGeneration of Software Tutoring

Javier ContrerasFrancisco Saiz

IICUniversidad Autónoma

MADRID (Spain)

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid2 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

IntroductionIntroduction

• Interactive Systems increasingly harder to use

• Help of quality is needed but we have– “the same text as before, in a Window”

– lacking capture of dynamics in HCI

• Tutoring better than traditional Help

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid3 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

Example 1: Current Help StyleExample 1: Current Help Style

• Dual Visualization Problem

• Difficult to remember all steps

• Parts and Widgets referred to may not be present in the actual interface

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid4 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

Present Tutoring DrawbacksPresent Tutoring Drawbacks

• Simulation with prefabricated examples– Working / Learning, two dissociated activities

– Time expensive

• Duplicates the work of the designer

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid5 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

TWIW: Teach me While I WorkTWIW: Teach me While I Work

• Built on top of Humanoid (Szekely et al.)– Benefits from the Model-Based Interface Design Paradigm

• Integrated in the application– Tutoring done with the real application

– Learning and Working can be done at the same time

• Variable degree of flexibility in face of user actions, according to the designer’s criteria

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid6 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

Ex. 2: User working under TWIW (1/3)Ex. 2: User working under TWIW (1/3)

1

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid7 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

Ex. 2: User working under TWIW (2/3)Ex. 2: User working under TWIW (2/3)

1 2

3

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid8 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

Ex. 2: User working under TWIW (3/3)Ex. 2: User working under TWIW (3/3)

4

• Tutoring Mode: free

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid9 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

The architecture of TWIW (1/2)The architecture of TWIW (1/2)

• Task Models

:activable:interaction

Atomic Task

Task Prototype

Composite Task

:name:description:active:tutoring-info

:subtasks

Tutoring-Info:pre-action:post-action:mode:filter

Interaction Prototype :where:behaviour:command:status

}

}

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid10 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

The architecture of TWIW (2/2)The architecture of TWIW (2/2)

• Task Manager• Matching• Tutoring Task

Mat

chin

g

TA1

TA3

TA2

TT

1

2

2

2

Tas

kM

anag

er

Event

Wait for Next Event

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid11 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

TME: Task Models EditorTME: Task Models Editor

1

2

3

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid12 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

ConclusionConclusion

• Advantages– Highly interactive tutoring

– Flexible tutoring style

– Easily adapted to other uses

• Future Work– Improvement of Task models

– Usability tests

Univ. Autónoma de Madrid13 CADUI'96 - 5-7 June 1996 - FUNDP Namur

Thank you for your attention!