Romanian Journal of Human - Computer Interaction Vol.10, No.1, 2017 ISSN 1843-4460
	Contents Specific-Domain Usability Heuristics: Are they really necessary? Cristhy Jimenez, Pablo Lozada, Pablo Rosas   1 - 24 ObDroid: An Android permanent monitoring application using the observer pattern Mihai Hornariu, Alexandru Butean   25 - 38 The Activity Taxonomy [ATx] as an Evaluation Framework for Modeling Elements in HCI Maria L. Villegas, César A Collazos, William J. Giraldo, Juan M. González   39 - 60 Questionnaire Analysis for Improvement of Student’s Interaction in Tesys e-Learning Platform Marian Cristian Mihaescu, Paul Stefan Popescu, Costel Marian Ionascu   61 - 74 Hermenophore tools, a new perspective on text analysis Ștefan Trăușan-Matu   75 - 88 Abstracts Specific-Domain Usability Heuristics: Are they really necessary? Cristhy Jimenez1,2, Pablo Lozada3, Pablo Rosas3 1Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso 2Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo E-mail: cjimenez@unach.edu.ec 3Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo E-mail: {plozada , prosas}@espoch.edu.ec Abstract: The quality of interactive systems is defined by several attributes. One of the main quality attributes is Usability. Evaluating the usability of interactive systems can help to ensure that applications will be satisfactorily accepted by users. One of the most commonly used evaluation methods is heuristic evaluation. In this method, the set of heuristics can significantly influence its performance. Although, the Nielsen's heuristics have been widely applied, the development of new specific-domain usability heuristics is increasing nowadays. The real need for providing new specific heuristics is the question that we pretend to solve through this work. This paper synthetize the results of a literature review conducted to analyze the progress in the development and use of usability heuristics for both, determining heuristics that could serve as basis for developing new ones, but also identifying activities that could be collected to establish a methodology to develop specific-domain usability heuristics. The review included studies from journals published between 2008 and 2015. It was possible to summarize the current knowledge concerning usability heuristics and identify gaps and new knowledge about this topic. Results showed the need for developing specific-domain usability heuristics and also served as basis to formalize a methodology which was named PROMETHEUS. Keywords: Software Evaluation, Usability, Usability Heuristics, Usability Evaluation Methods, Literature Review. Cite this paper as: Jimenez, C., Lozada, P., Rosas, P. Specific-Domain Usability Heuristics: Are they really necessary? Revista Romana de Interactiune Om-Calculator 10(1), 1-24, 2017. View full article   ObDroid: An Android permanent monitoring application using the observer pattern Mihai Hornariu1, Alexandru Butean2 1Babes-Bolyai University; Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science 1 M. Kogălniceanu Street, Cluj-Napoca, 400084, Romania E-mail: hornariu.mihai@yahoo.com 2University “Lucian Blaga” of Sibiu; Faculty of Engineering 10, Victoriei Bd., Sibiu, 550024, Romania E-mail: alexandru.butean@ulbsibiu.ro Abstract: Nowadays, mobile devices are the most important gadgets from our lives. We use smartphones and tablets for many activities: communication, instant messaging, emails, multimedia content sharing, social networks, e-banking procedures, etc. The fact that we are already used with their advantages makes them indispensable in our daily activities. In this paper, we present a solution, an experimental application based on the observer pattern, a method to permanently monitor the main activities (calls, messages, location) using an Android device. The interaction between the analyzed device and the observer is possible using an intermediary server that makes the connection between a hidden service and the monitoring platform. Using a tool with monitoring capabilities can be extremely useful in many cases such as industrial use for employees, the family purpose for parental control, personal security as an anti-theft solution. Keywords: Mobile devices; Android; observer pattern. Cite this paper as: Hornariu, M., Butean, A. ObDroid: An Android permanent monitoring application using the observer pattern. Revista Romana de Interactiune Om-Calculator 10(1), 25-38, 2017. View full article   The Activity Taxonomy [ATx] as an Evaluation Framework for Modeling Elements in HCI Maria L. Villegas1, César A. Collazos2, William J. Giraldo1, Juan M. González3 1University of Quindio Carrera 15 calle 12 norte, Armenia-Quindío - Colombia E-mail: {mlvillegas, wjgiraldo}@uniquindio.edu.co 2University of Cauca FIET Sector Tulcán, Popayán-Cauca, Colombia E-mail: ccollazo@unicauca.edu.co 3Benemerita Autonomous University of Puebla Av. San Claudio y 14 Sur Edificio 104a - 208. Ciudad Universitaria-Puebla, México E-mail: juan.gonzalez @cs.buap.mx Abstract: This paper focuses on presenting the use of an Activity Taxonomy as an Evaluation Framework of modeling elements that are recently used to capture activity specifications in the context of the HCI. The aims of the evaluation are: to validate the categories of an Activity Taxonomy for Interactive Systems and to analyze the level of understanding of engineers and students, who practice the development of interactive systems, about the modeling elements evaluated. The results of the evaluation are aimed to show which of the notational elements under evaluation have the features to properly represent the activity in the specification of interactive systems. Some of the conclusions of the study reveal that most of the notations do not differentiate the representation of the activity for the business and system levels of abstraction. There is also evidence that is necessary the incorporation of HCI topics, such as task modeling, in training of computer engineering, in order to reinforce the knowledge that students have in these subjects. Keywords: human-computer interaction modeling, activity modeling, activity taxonomy, evaluation. Cite this paper as: Villegas, M.L., Collazos, C.A., Giraldo, W.J., González, J.M. The Activity Taxonomy [ATx] as an Evaluation Framework for Modeling Elements in HCI. Revista Romana de Interactiune Om-Calculator 10(1), 39-60, 2017. View full article   Questionnaire Analysis for Improvement of Student’s Interaction in Tesys e-Learning Platform Marian Cristian Mihăescu1, Paul Stefan Popescu1, Costel Marian Ionascu2 1Faculty of Automation, Computers and Electronics, University of Craiova Bvd. Decebal, Nr. 107, 200440, Craiova, Dolj, Romania E-mail: mihaescu@software.ucv.ro; stefan.popescu@software.ucv.ro 2Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Craiova Str. A.I. Cuza, Nr. 13, 200585, Craiova, Dolj, Romania E-mail: icostelm@yahoo.com Abstract: This paper presents an extension of a previously conducted study that aims to reveal usability problems of specific functionalities. The current study also uses Tesys e-Learning platform as our study environment, therefore we made several improvements on the survey and extended the audience of the study. The main problem with the first study was the small number of students that filled the questionnaire. The current study uses a survey that was available for all the students enrolled in two long distance programs. We used the newly designed questionnaire to find how students perceive the ease of use and usefulness of a large number of features available to students. Experimental results show a good general acceptance of technology due to the general average grade of answers and detailed interpretation of results for statistical Wilcoxon test. Several limitations in perceived usability were observed in functionalities like finding chapters, finding homework or understanding question’s text when groups were divided based on reported number of hours that were spent online. Redesigning the interface for these specific functionalities and reevaluation of usability may have further a great impact in a better acceptance of Tesys e-Learning platform. Keywords: questionnaire evaluation, Wilcoxon test, perceived ease, e-Learning. Cite this paper as: Mihaescu, M.C., Popescu, P.S., Ionascu, C.M. Questionnaire Analysis for Improvement of Student’s Interaction in Tesys e-Learning Platform Revista Romana de Interactiune Om-Calculator 10(1), 61-74, 2017. View full article   Hermenophore tools, a new perspective on text analysis Ştefan Trăuşan-Matu1,2,3 1Politehnica University of Bucharest Splaiul Independen​t​ei nr. 313, Bucharest, Romania E-mail: stefan.trausan@upb.ro 2Romanian Academy Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence Calea 13 Septembrie nr. 13, Bucharest, Romania 3Academy of Romanian Scientists Splaiul Independen​t​ei nr. 54, Bucharest, Romania Abstract: This paper has as starting point the idea that we need a hermeneutic perspective on human-computer interaction and, in special, on analysing text discurse. Consequently, it is discussed and argued the need of considering hermenophore tools (that help generating a hermeneutic perspective) for supporting the analysis of texts for unveil their meaning. An example and discussion is provided for the case of metaphors identification. Keywords: hermeneutics, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, polyphonic model Cite this paper as: Trausan-Matu, S. Hermenophore tools, a new perspective on text analysis. Revista Romana de Interactiune Om-Calculator 10(1), 75-88, 2017. View full article