New methodologies and techniques for evaluating user performance in advanced 3D virtual interfaces

The trend in computer interfaces is rapidly moving towards non-physical virtual interfaces. Virtual interfaces are highly interactive and promote a degree of presence or a sense of being in the virtual environment. This means that users should experience a higher situation awareness, particularly where a spatially immersive environment is used. This brings with it exciting possibilities for providing intuitive and flexible interaction with advanced computer systems. Developers of these new style interfaces frequently make claims that virtual interfaces are much better than more conventional interfaces. However, the development of virtual interfaces is still very much in its infancy. Designers of such systems have almost unbounded freedom in the way they design the interface and this has the potential to introduce undesirable user interface attributes. The design process must incorporate a robust human factors based evaluation process. Unfortunately, without the user evaluation it will be difficult or impossible to determine the effectiveness of the interface. User performance measurement and selection of metrics will be crucial in establishing benchmarks so that comparisons can be made and interfaces developed more effectively. Special attention must be given to the way user performance with virtual interfaces is measured. Traditional human computer interaction evaluation techniques are unable to deal with virtual interfaces. The paper reports on a methodology that has been used to measure the usability and situation awareness of a virtual interface.