APPLICSIM: um sistema de apoio à aplicação do método de inspeção semiótica

Abstract

The increasing use of interactive systems by users with different levels of knowledge and needs have lead designers to be more concerned not only about the quality of their products but also how their interfaces fulfill users expectations. To tackle this issue, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) field provides concepts, properties and several interactive systems evaluation methods. One of these methods is the Semiotic Inspection Method (SIM), which is based on the Semiotic Engineering theory of HCI that focuses on the systems communicability property. In this work we present the research and development of a SIM on-line application tool, the ApplicSIM (Application Tool of the Semiotic Inspection Method). This tool is based on Semiotic Engineering theory concepts and aims at: supporting the application of SIMs steps, allowing the registration of signs and breakdowns, their evidence an of metacommunication messages, as well as the final communicability assessment by the evaluator. Therefore, this tool supports evaluators in their activities of interpreting the collected data, generating of the designers meta-message and in their final assessment of the systems communicability. We also present the results of preliminary evaluation that have positive indicators on how the tool can support users in applying SIM and help to identify aspects that can be improved in ApplicSIM. Therefore, this presents the research and the application of methods and models based on Semiotics Engineering to implement a collaborative on-line system to support SIM application.