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Language Concepts for User Interface Design
A Virtual Seminar

16 - 30 June 2000

Presented by Dr Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, author of "Language and Communication:
Essential Concepts for User Interface and Documentation Design", Oxford
University Press, New York, 1999.

Introduction to the book
Despite extraordinary advancements in interface technologies and design,
computer users continue to experience moments of intense frustration when
trying to use applications. They are often perplexed and confused by the
meanings of words in menu options, on toolbars and buttons. Their
frustration may be intensified by 'help' facilities and manuals. Much of
this is attributable to the way that language is used to communicate with
users. The starting point for interface designers must be the realisation
that all users are, in a sense, language learners. Considering what appears
on the screen and in user documentation as a 'new language' for the user
makes one question beliefs and deeply held assumptions as to what users will
or will not understand.

The book covers fundamental concepts of communication, meaning and grammar,
and a range of specific concepts: variety, change, context, equivalence.
Languages for specific functions and purposes are examined in detail. The
effects of communication medium and type of interaction are also considered.
Practical examples relating to existing user interfaces and documentation
are given throughout. The final chapter shows how to introduce the changes
that are necessary to ensure that improvements are made: for instance,
reviewing designers' skills and training needs.

The virtual seminar
The two-week seminar is based on the content of the book. Participants will
be asked to read chapters from the book and to discuss a range of issues and
examples with the author and with one another in an online discussion forum.
The forum will include plenary areas as well as opportunities to explore
specific areas of mutual interest in specialist conferences, and to share
information about relevant literature. An important aspect of the seminar is
relating theoretical concepts to participants' experience of user interface
and documentation design.

Seminar outline
1.	Concepts and assumptions
	The communicative approach: language in action
	Relationship of language to sound, gesture, and vision
	Key concepts: language variety, change, and equivalence

2.	Themes for development and discussion
	Theme 1 - International communication in English
				Designing for non-native speakers of English
				Cross-cultural perspectives on borrowed
words
				Key issues in writing for translation

	Theme 2 - Exploring the role of context
				Relationship of context to learning
				Verbal context, visual context and metaphor
				The contexts of medium and interaction

	Theme 3 - Experimenting with explanations
				What is familiarity and simplicity?
				Explaining potentially dangerous actions
				Formal, informal, and jargon-free
explanations

3.	Practical and organisational issues
	Reviewing software designers' skills and training needs
	Understanding and involving users
	Equipping users for communication

Who will benefit?
	application designers and developers
	website designers
	educational software designers
	usability specialists and human factors specialists
	technical authors and information developers
	writers of training materials
	students of computer science and HCI
	students of technical writing
	academic, industrial, and commercial researchers
	technical managers

Time commitment from participants
8 hours per week

Fee
The cost, including a copy of the book associated with the virtual seminar,
will be £120 per person, less 10% discount if you book more than one place
on this or any of our other seminars or workshops.

Seminar presenter
After completing her first degree in French and applied linguistics, Dr
Agnes Kukulska-Hulme studied and worked in computing, and soon after
combined these fields in a research project on electronic foreign language
dictionaries. She was then appointed to a Lectureship in Computational
Linguistics and French, and over the next 10 years, gained experience of
educating students in the use of information and communication technologies
in the context of their studies of language, society and culture. Her
doctoral thesis analysed non-technical computer users' language difficulties
when faced with having to retrieve information from computer security
manuals and on-line help. She joined IET in 1996, and is currently working
on the design and evaluation of educational multimedia programs and
Web-based courses for open and distance learning.

To book a place
Please contact Brenda Parish: Email: [log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>  or Tel: 01908 653055.

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