The development of safety-critical systems (aircraft cockpits and reactor control rooms) is qualitatively different from that of other interactive systems. These differences impose burdens on design teams that must ensure the development of human-machine interfaces. Analyzes strengths and weaknesses of formal methods for the design of user…

Describes the Konstanz Hypertext System which offers a domain-specific developmental environment for the construction of large hypertexts. Highlights include the integration of external information, and three examples: resource discovery of online databases, management of electronic mail, and the compilation of an electronic journal issue.…

Examines intelligent software agents, presents nine design principles aimed specifically at the technology perspective (to personalize task performance and general principles), and discusses what librarians can do that software agents (agents defined as activity-aware software programs) cannot do. Describes an information ecology that integrates…

Examines HotJava and Java, World Wide Web technology for use on the Internet. HotJava, an interactive, animated Web browser, based on the object-oriented Java programming language, is different from HTML-based browsers such as Netscape. Its client/server design does not understand Internet protocols but can dynamically find what it needs to know.…

Describes the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) experimental Sourcerer project which is developing software to accept a user query, automatically identifying appropriate information resources, and facilitating connection to those sources for information retrieval. Discusses the use of the World Wide Web and the Unified Medical Language System.…

Protein Annotators' Assistant (PAA) is a software system which assists protein annotators in assigning functions to newly sequenced proteins. PAA employs a number of information retrieval techniques in a novel setting and is thus related to text categorization, where multiple categories may be suggested, except that in this case none of the…

Discusses the design of online scoring software for computer-based education supporting high psychometric and fairness standards. Describes a system from the point of view of graders and supervisors; the design of the underlying database; data integrity and confidentiality; and the advantages of database design and online grading. (PEN)

Identifies and describes methods of compiling datasets, search interfaces and etymological metaphors and mythologies of three of the first generation of automated indexing systems: archie, veronica, and robots and search engines. (Author/JKP)

Discusses online help systems in application software design and describes two experiments in which adult computer novices learned to use experimental graphics software by task-based exploration. Topics include operative help; function-oriented help; effects on learning performance; schemata; mental models; and implications for the design of…

Describes the development of a hypermedia environment model that evolved from a project at the University of Southampton. Examines the use of this interactive environment as a way of providing online resources to teachers and students of second language learning, and discusses the design process of this hypermedia model. (JMV)

Describes how multimedia products start as ideas and go through the stages of design, production, manufacturing, and marketing. Highlights include corporate consolidation, market distribution in 1997, encyclopedias and the growing Internet trend, direct marketers and sales, CD-ROM and DVD (digital video disk), costs, and future directions. (AEF)

Describes initial design considerations and implementation issues for a hypertext retrieval system for structured bibliographic data. Previous research on information retrieval and hypertext is reviewed; HyperLynx, a hypertext prototype information retrieval system that emphasized ease of use and browsing capabilities, is explained; and further…

Describes the use of concept mapping as a tool to gather data about student misconceptions. Student concept maps are used to inform the design/development of an innovative, simple-to-use, computer-based learning tool which may be incorporated into online courseware. The interactive grouping tool is designed to allow students to construct their own…

Providers of online information with a high visual content face an uncompromising dilemma--how to achieve fast delivery while maintaining good picture quality. As storage space or bandwidth increases, the demands placed on it by the user are always two steps ahead. Since limited bandwidth for communicating images looks like it may remain a problem…

Discusses local area networking and global telecommunications. Examines the advantages of networked systems; the importance of connecting classrooms to the Internet or commercial online systems; and how World Wide Web, hypermedia, and the development of browsing software may revolutionize teaching and learning. Terminology and tools used in…