Wayfinding: an approach using signposting techniques

Abstract

Abstract One of the major problems that affects a person's ability to make effective use of an interactive program is the level at which its manipulation affects the intellectual process necessary to solve his current problem. For example, in a computer-aided circuit design system, the user often has to spend so much time manipulating the system or thinking about how he will manipulate the system next, that he is unable to direct his full attention to the actual design of his circuit.

Without the use of the computer, the mundane numerical calculations that need to be performed in order to do the design, interfere with the engineering design process. By assisting with these mundane. calculations and thus enabling the engineer to consider many more possible designs, the engineer should be able to fully concentrate on the design goals. Instead, however, he must sacrifice some of his mental effort to manipulating the system.

Programs which are developed to assist the user in doing highly innovative tasks (Benest and Fidler 1981) must be designed so that they provide an 'aura' that enables the user to realize almost subconsciously what is expected of him. Such a system would therefore be simple and straightforward to learn, simple and straightforward to use, promote confidence and exhibit an unhurried work environment. These laudable aims have been investigated during the development of the passive filter design program FIDES, which serves to provide a graphical demonstration of the man–machine interface techniques discussed in this paper.