Technique for Establishing Personnel Performance Standards (TEPPS) is a tool for use in man-machine system design and analysis. This is a guide to its application. It specifies the types of input data required, provides instructions and examples on how to proceed through the various steps in TEPPS' application, and includes guidelines for…

Research on man-machine communication was examined to gain insight into techniques for improving interactive programs through the enhancement of communicative style. The human-computer interaction is compared to a conversation, and specific recommendations for improving this interaction are enumerated. The suggestions are general in nature and are…

Describes an interactive data retrieval system which was designed and implemented for casual users and which incorporates a user-friendly interface, aids to train beginners in use of the system, versatility in output, and error recovery protocols. A 14-item reference list and two figures illustrating system operation and output are included. (JL)

A research project built an author-controlled computer-assisted instruction (CAI) system to study ease-of-use factors in student-system, author-system, and programer-system interfaces. Interfaces were designed and observed in use and systematically revised. Development of course material by authors, use by students, and administrative tasks were…

Four papers from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) Project on Human-Computer Interfaces are presented in this report. "Evaluation and Analysis of User's Activity Organization," by Liam Bannon, Allen Cypher, Steven Greenspan, and Melissa Monty, analyzes the activities performed by users of computer systems, develops a…

This summary of methods for improving the user-computer interface is based on a review of the pertinent literature. Requirements of the personal computer user are identified and contrasted with computer designer perspectives towards the user. The user's psychological needs are described, so that the design of the user-computer interface may be…

Different aspects of human-machine interaction are discussed in the five brief papers that comprise this report. The first paper, "Some Observations on Mental Models," discusses the role of a person's mental model in the interaction with systems. The second paper, "A Psychologist Views Human Processing: Human Errors and Other…

An attempt is made to provide a comprehensive guide to design of the dialogues between man and computer that take place at computer terminals. Particular topics include problems with conventional alphanumeric dialogues, dialogues with sound and graphics, pyschological characteristics of computer terminal users, problems of designing dialogues for…

The model presented identifies three basic needs which must be met in order to increase our understanding of the user interface in computerized information systems: empirical studies of users' attitudes; systematic summaries and critical analyses of these studies; and an interim set of guidelines for user interface design. (EJS)

Describes plans of 3-year experimental program organized jointly by two universities aiming to assess cost, efficiency, and subjective impact of an electronic journal system (uses computer to aid procedures whereby article is written, refereed, accepted, and published), and to explore and evaluate alternative forms of user communication. Sixteen…

The command language features of 11 on-line information retrieval systems are presented in terms of the functional needs of a searcher sitting at a terminal. Functional areas considered are: becoming familiar with the system, receiving help when in trouble, regulating usage, selecting a data base, formulating simple queries, expressing single…