Menu-Based User Interface Systems: Theory and Practice

The thesis discusses the menu selection technique, which is one of the most commonly used interaction techniques in Human-Computer Interfaces, and continues to flourish because of its simple interaction format and its adaptability to the many diverse applications. The ease of use of the technique, particularly by novices, contributes significantly to the widespread acceptance of menu-based user interface systems, despite their inherent disadvantages and drawbacks. Chapter One surveys the issues concerning the design and use of menu-based interfaces, and addresses particularly the navigational problems encountered by users of menu selection systems, identifying various navigational aids which help overcome these problems. The chapter concludes with a comparison between menu-based interfaces and other interface styles (command language, natural language and form-filling). Chapter Two describes the practical work of the thesis which consists of implementing a particularly demanding menu-based interface example involving multiple menu selections using four different dialogue specification systems. The implementation is discussed mainly from a menu system designer's view. Strategies to solve or address the multiple selection mechanism problem as well as some the navigational concepts discussed in chapter one are devised and used within each the four target systems. Also, some other related user interface design issues are reported in chapter two. The principal aim of the work is to investigate the difficulties a dialogue designer may face in attempting to implement a common type of menu-based interface using various delivery systems, all of which claim in varying degrees to support menu-based interactive styles. In the final chapter conclusions are drawn from the practical work concerning desirable menu support features in user interface implementation systems, and issues requiring further investigation are identified