Multiple metaphor environments: designing for diversity.

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Software Engineering
• Interaction Design

Background:

• Existing interactive systems often lack adaptability to diverse users, platforms, and contexts.
• The need for flexible and context-aware computing environments is growing.
• Current HCI design paradigms may not fully address the challenge of diverse interaction requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a framework for engineering Multiple Metaphor Environments (MME).
• To provide principles, guidelines, and techniques for designing adaptive interactive systems.
• To enable interactive systems to cope with diversity in users, platforms, and contexts.

Main Methods:

• Developing a theoretical foundation for MME based on communication theory and philosophy of language.
• Formulating engineering principles, process-oriented guidelines, and design techniques for MME.
• Utilizing case studies to illustrate MME properties and design practices.

Main Results:

• A proposition for the engineering of interactive systems with alternative interactive embodiments.
• A conceptual model for MME grounded in mapping between machine-oriented and user-oriented languages.
• Exemplars of novel insights and design practices for MME specification.

Conclusions:

• MME offers a viable approach to designing interactive systems that accommodate diversity.
• The proposed engineering principles and techniques facilitate the creation of adaptable user experiences.
• Further research and application of MME can lead to more inclusive and versatile interactive technologies.