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Supporting Novice to Expert Transitions in User Interfaces

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This paper is by almost the same team as Dips and Ceilings, and is a review of the topic as a whole.

Introduction​

This paper reviews methods to support transitions from novice to expert user performance in graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Cockburn et al. address the persistent issue of users becoming "stuck" in suboptimal novice modes and explore ways to encourage progression to expert techniques. They review both human factors in skill acquisition and interface designs that support novice-to-expert development.

Target​

This study is relevant for UX designers, software developers, and researchers focused on usability and productivity improvement, especially in software with complex functionalities.

Key Insights​

  • The Novice-Expert Paradox:
    • GUIs are accessible to beginners but often inhibit progression to expert levels.
    • Features like keyboard shortcuts are underutilized due to production biases, where users rely on known methods over exploring more efficient alternatives.
  • Four Domains of Performance Improvement:
    • Intramodal Improvement: Skill improvement within a single method, often through repetition.
    • Intermodal Improvement: Transitioning from one interaction method (e.g., mouse navigation) to a more efficient method (e.g., hotkeys).
    • Vocabulary Extension: Expanding users' knowledge of available functions to increase task efficiency.
    • Task Mapping: Assisting users in developing efficient strategies for complex tasks.
  • Importance of Human Factors:
    • Skill acquisition follows a progression from cognitive to autonomous stages, where different interface techniques may be optimal at different phases.
    • Motivation and feedback play a critical role, as users are often deterred from adopting new methods due to immediate performance dips.

Supporting Data​

  • Empirical Studies:
    • Observations of command usage in CAD and text editing showed limited command vocabulary among experienced users.
    • Experiments demonstrated that interfaces like "Skillometers" (feedback tools displaying potential time savings) can effectively encourage users to adopt expert methods like hotkeys.

Other Insights​

  • Rehearsal Methods: Techniques like marking menus and visual "skillometers" guide users through more complex interactions in ways that improve muscle memory and mental encoding.
  • Guidance Hypothesis: Visual aids that temporarily restrict novice actions to mimic expert techniques (e.g., “Blur” system for GUI-command line transitions) encourage smoother performance transitions.

Practical Applications​

  • Design for Progressive Disclosure: Interfaces should reveal advanced features gradually, allowing users to discover expert options as they become more comfortable.
  • Incorporate Rehearsal and Feedback: Tools like skillometers or adaptive guidance can reinforce expert methods without forcing them on users.
  • Balance Novice Accessibility with Expert Efficiency: Enable users to choose between modes based on their comfort level, reducing cognitive load while supporting skill development.

Reference​

Cockburn, A., Gutwin, C., Scarr, J., & Malacria, S. 2014. Supporting Novice to Expert Transitions in User Interfaces. ACM Computing Surveys, 47(2), Article 31, 36 pages.