Paper Info
Title
Modeling The Intermittent User Of Word-Processing Technology
Abstract
There exists a large and growing population of noncomputer professionals utilizing wordprocessing software on personal computers. Noncomputer professional users of word processing technology are sometimes referred to as intermittent users. The purpose of this research was to understand the word processing characteristics and needs of this important group of users. We developed a model that describes their word processing performance and carried out two controlled experiments. We found that intermittent users behave like experts when executing a very small set of routine tasks but tend to be quite novice-like in most other tasks. Their editing behavior can be described as nonoptimal and relatively stable. Help systems and interface design are important factors of word processing technology that improve the performance of intermittent users. Our study indicates that intermittent users prefer and perform better with a menu-driven interface. In addition we found that even a rudimentary help system can be a great aid to the intermittent user.
Year
DOI
Venue
1991
10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(199104)42:3<185::AID-ASI5>3.0.CO;2-2
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE
Keywords
Field
DocType
microcomputers,interaction
Population,Computer software,Information technology,Computer science,Software,Human–computer interaction,User interface,Word processing,Interface design
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
42
3
0002-8231
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
7
1.17
0
Authors
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Radhika Santhanam177845.89
Susan Wiedenbeck21992154.36