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Learning Consistent, Interactive, and Meaningful Task‐Action Mappings: A Computational Model
Author(s) -
Howes Andrew,
Young Richard M.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
cognitive science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.498
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1551-6709
pISSN - 0364-0213
DOI - 10.1207/s15516709cog2003_1
Subject(s) - computer science , task (project management) , human–computer interaction , action (physics) , soar , set (abstract data type) , simple (philosophy) , word (group theory) , field (mathematics) , artificial intelligence , programming language , philosophy , linguistics , physics , mathematics , management , epistemology , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics , economics
Within the field of human‐computer interaction, the study of the interaction between people and computers has revealed many phenomena. For example, highly interactive devices, such as the Apple Macintosh, are often easier to learn and use than keyboard‐based devices such as Unix. Similarly, consistent interfaces are easier to learn and use than inconsistent ones. This article describes an integrated cognitive model designed to exhibit a range of these phenomena while learning task‐action mappings: action sequences for achieving simple goals, such as opening a file in a word processor. The model, called TAL, is of a user who is familiar with the basic operations of a keyboard and mouse, but unfamiliar with the particular menu structures, words, and actions required to use the device. The model is constructed in Soar and employs a single set of architectural mechanisms. It exhibits behavior that captures human preference for consistent, interactive, and meaningful task‐action mappings.