Follows the decision-making process for an embedded help solution to replace a help system that had trained users not to use it. Discusses solutions for implementing embedded help. Considers how to design a solution that not only lures users back to the user assistance, but also encourages users to learn more about the product. (SG)

Effective navigation is becoming more and more critical to the success of electronic commerce (E-commerce). It remains a challenge for educational technologists and Web designers to develop Web systems that can help customers find products or services without experiencing disorientation problems and cognitive overload. Many E-commerce Web sites…

Examines how HTML can be used to quickly and easily improve a Web site's typography. Discusses the importance of size control; using the "FACE" attribute; and color consideration. (AEF)

Two controlled experiments examined whether the animated zooming effect accompanying the opening or closing of a folder in the Apple Macintosh graphical user interface aids in the user's perception of which window corresponds to which folder. Results suggest users may become attuned to the informational content of the zooming effect with…

ArtShow is a digital image database that employs sophisticated features for interactive presentations of data. To demonstrate the program, an example database was prepared, based on the collection at the National Bank of Greece with names, comments and keywords in the Greek language. Discussion includes: the database platform and internal…

The design of systems, including digital libraries, is often inspired by what technology makes possible. In user-centered design, design emphasizes users, their tasks and needs. The majority of current digital libraries are not designed for children. For digital libraries to be popular with children, they need to be fun and easy-to-use. This paper…

Examines potential solutions to the problem of personal computer cabling and configuration and serial port performance, namely "FireWire" (P1394) and "Universal Serial Bus" (USB). Discusses interface design, technical capabilities, user friendliness, compatibility, costs, and future perspectives. (AEF)

Classifies sites on the World Wide Web according to purpose. Examines what metaphorical design has to offer Web site designers and details how principles of metaphorical design were applied to create a university Web site. Discusses technological limitations that influence design decisions and when metaphorical design might not suit a Web site.…

Compares six leading Web search engines (AltaVista, Excite, HotBot, Infoseek, Lycos, and Northern Light), looking at the breadth of their coverage, accuracy, and ease of use, and finds a clear favorite of the six. Includes tips that can improve search results. (AEF)

The concepts of usability and user-centered design (UCD) have grown in popularity over the past 20 years as measured by the number of research and mainstream articles devoted to their discussion. As with all new developments, however, there are always the questions of how things work in practice compared to theory. A survey of 83 software…

Reviews the background and features of digital multimedia instruction, and discusses the benefits and limitations. Applications and future trends are described, and the major areas of applications--education, training, and entertainment--are identified. (Author/AEF)

The rapid adoption of graphic user interface (GUI), as indicated by Microsoft's Windows95 and the Internet's increased use of graphics, is threatening information technology opportunities for people with disabilities. Recent legislation requires that schools provide access to computers and information technology, and producers of Mosaic are…

Describes the ViewFinder interface, designed at Indiana University as a client to a database server; it supports querying based on both visual and verbal clues. Presents results of usability analysis performed on ViewFinder with 18 users. High search success rates were achieved through both types of querying means; verbal clues were used more than…

Proposes a user-centered framework for intranet design based on an understanding of people, their typical problems, information behaviors, and situated contexts. Argues that by adopting such an approach, intranets can be designed which facilitate organizational information access and use. (Author/AEF)

Computer assisted language learning (CALL) packages offer the majority of students who are learning English as a foreign language the opportunity for individual instruction. To meet the needs of an individual student, an adaptive CALL environment must have a dynamic model of student performance, a means of varying the difficulty of the learning…