Cognitive model data analysis for the evaluation of human computer interaction

Abstract

In industry and consumer electronic, more and more operative tasks are changing to supervisory control and management tasks. This leads to more complex and dynamic user interfaces (e.g. integrated control interfaces, infotainment systems in cars). Because of the integrated functionality and the complex data structures, these interfaces require more cognitive information processing. Usability of such interfaces can be evaluated by using cognitive modeling to investigate cognitive processes and their underlying structures. So far the explanatory power of cognitive models is limited due to the lack of fine-grained simulation data analysis. Having realized this drawback we developed SimTrA (Simulation Trace Analyzer) to simplify the analysis of cognitive models. The tool automatically processes and analyzes data from cognitive models and allows the comparison of simulated data with empirical eye movement data. This paper describes the approach and its implementation. The practicability of SimTrA is demonstrated with an example in the domain of process control. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.