Abstract
This thesis discusses user modeling in adaptive interfaces in detail;
presents a taxonomy of user modeling; identifies the dominant issues;
describes an application amenable to adaptation; and investigates, through
human factors experiments, the viability of adaptive systems.
The term "user modeling" is examined first. A framework for characterizing
adaptive interfaces is proposed, first through the presentation of
two possible system architectures, and then through a taxonomy which
classifies modeling into three types. The literature on fundamental issues
in adaptive interfaces is then surveyed, but little is found in the way of
empirical studies. In particular, the most fundamental issue - whether or not
adaptive user modeling is a viable alternative to non-adaptive systems -
remained unanswered.
Repetitively accessed data bases, an application area amenable to
personalization, are defined and examined through case studies. A
personalized telephone directory system, built on an alphabetically-ordered
menu interface, is constructed following guidelines derived from this
work. The directory system is used as a test bed for examining the viability
of adaptive interfaces. The results suggest that adaptive systems - at least
in the personalized directory - can be far superior to non-adaptive
interfaces, thus refuting many of the arguments found in the literature
against personalization.
Notes
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