UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE
		 COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH COLLOQUIUM

			      presents

		   Asli Adisen & Dr. Trevor Barker
       "Report on the Development of a Psychological User Model"

			  *Lecture Theatre E351*
		       Hatfield, College Lane Campus
			       3 - 4 pm

	       Coffee/tea and biscuits will be available.

		    Everyone is Welcome to Attend


Abstract:

This talk relates to the development of a psychological user model
based on the visual and verbal skills of computer users. Such skills
are important factors in mental models that are employed when
interacting with complex computer applications.

In a laboratory based study with 50 computer users, performances on a
range of verbal and visual skills were compared to scores on the
Wholist-Analytic and Verbaliser-Imager dimensions of Riding's Cognitive
Styles Analysis (CSA).  The failure to find significant relationships
has implications for our understanding of the nature of individual
cognitive style and computer use.

A factor analysis conducted on the data gathered from the visual and
verbal skills test was able to identify important components of the
necessary skills for inclusion in a psychological user model likely to
be a useful description of computer users.  A user model based on the
components identified is presented and the next stage of the research,
the application of the model in an adaptive system, is discussed.

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Hertfordshire Computer Science Research Colloquium
http://homepages.feis.herts.ac.uk/~nehaniv/colloq