joel laumans

As computer-use grows, users are continually juggling with larger amounts of data and working through more complex information spaces. User interfaces have been designed to serve as a buffer between users and computer systems; translating complicated system operations into more understandable human operations. The underlying concept of adaptive user interfaces, is to create a system that can learn from its users, ultimately, to improve the user experience for them.

Before looking into exactly what adaptive user interfaces (AUIs) are, a short explanation of the different types of user interfaces will be provided. I have categorized them into four different groups: static UIs, adaptable UIs, adaptive UIs, and intelligent UIs (see Figure 1).

The first UIs were static, “the system designer built the interface and the user had to learn how to use it.” (Schneider-Hufschmidt, Kühme et al.) This ‘one-size-fits-all’ concept of UIs is far from optimal for individual users because it does not take into consideration differences amongst users (such as different user preferences, user goals, or even computer literacy). Adaptable UIs address this problem by designing UIs with a degree of flexibility, allowing users to personalize or customize their interface by modifying specific parameters. Popular online examples of these interfaces are social networks and portal websites; which often allow the user to personalize their interface by changing what content is displayed, how it is displayed, or where it is displayed. “However, the interface is still entirely passive. It is left to the user to set the preferences. This assumes that users realize that the preferences exist, that they understand them and have the time and inclination to alter them.”

Similar to adaptable UIs, adaptive UIs are designed to create a more personalized experience through creating a flexible interface that monitors the dialogue between the user and the system, and then adapts to the user’s needs or goals. Although the goal of both adaptable and adaptive UIs is the same (to create a more optimal UI through providing a more personalized experience) the main difference is the active style of the adaptive interface. Adaptive UIs can also be seen as the next step towards true intelligent UIs, whilst adaptive UIs are designed to support users and improve the user experience, intelligent UIs are more closely related to the field of artificial intelligence, focusing on the performance of the system to substitute human process.

Recent research suggests that there is a strong interest for adaptive UIs because of their ability to create a more optimal experience without the drawbacks of an adaptable UI. Unfortunately, “there is limited knowledge as to which adaptation methods and techniques are appropriate for different users and for different interaction contexts [...] due to the lack of reusable empirical findings.” (Paramythis A.) The purpose of my research is to bridge the gaps between the existing research, by providing a clear understanding of adaptive UIs in an overview of the different contexts in which they should be used.