Tukuchiy: a dynamic user interface generator to improve usability
International Journal of Web Information Systems
ISSN: 1744-0084
Article publication date: 20 June 2016
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a detailed description of Tukuchiy, a framework to dynamically generate adapted user interfaces. Tukuchiy is based on Runa-Kamachiy, a conceptual integration model that combines human–computer interaction (HCI) standards to create user interfaces with user-centered concepts usually addressed by adaptation.
Design/methodology/approach
The first step was the definition of three profiles: user, context and interface. These profiles contain information, such as user disabilities, location characteristics (e.g. illumination) and preferences (e.g. interface color or type of system help). The next step is to define the rules that ensure usability for different users. All of this information is used to create the Tukuchiy framework, which generates dynamic user interfaces, based on the specified rules. The last step is the validation through a prototype called Idukay. This prototype uses Tukuchiy to provide e-learning services. The functionality and usability of the system was evaluated by five experts.
Findings
To validate the approach, a prototype of Tukuchiy, called Idukay, was created. Idukay was evaluated by experts in education, computing and HCI, who based their evaluation in the system usability scale (SUS), a standard usability test. According to them, the prototype complies with the usability criteria addressed by Tukuchiy.
Research limitations/implications
This work was tested in an academic environment and was validated by different experts. Further tests in a production environment are required to fully validate the approach.
Originality/value
Tukuchiy generates adapted user interfaces based on user and context profiles. Tukuchiy uses HCI standards to ensure usability of interfaces that dynamically change during execution time. The interfaces generated by Tukuchiy adapt to context, functionality, disabilities (e.g. color blindness) and preferences (usage and presentation) of the user. Tukuchiy enforces specific HCI standards for color utilization, button size and grouping, etc., during execution.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Systems Engineering and Computing Masters program from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana for the funding provided for this project. The authors also thank people who assisted in the usability tests performed over Idukay: Diana Lancheros, Luis Carlos Díaz, Andrés de la Peña, Andrea Barraza and Patricia Gómez.
Citation
Barrera-León, L., Mejia-Molina, N., Carrillo-Ramos, A., Flórez-Valencia, L. and Pavlich-Mariscal, J.A. (2016), "Tukuchiy: a dynamic user interface generator to improve usability", International Journal of Web Information Systems, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 150-176. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWIS-09-2015-0028
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited