The Commentator Information System: Understanding Journalists’ Needs to Overcome Cognitive Load and Navigation Issues
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AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Marie-Anne Midy for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science presented on October 1, 2007. Title: The Commentator Information System: Understanding Journalists’ needs to Overcome Cognitive Load and Navigation Issues. Abstract approved: ______________________________________________________ Carlos Jensen Nowadays, sports events are a significant part of the every-day entertainment with local, national, and international championships. A lot of money is invested by broadcasting companies to attract new and more viewers, acquire broadcasting rights, or send entire crews on site to cover such events. Journalists are among the few who go on site. To perform their job and make appealing live commentaries, journalists need a lot of information about athletes, past and live results, records, etc. The Commentator Information System (CIS) is the on-site tool used by journalists for these purposes, and made available by the organizers. The CIS is an LCD touch-screen device that allows users to retrieve sports data by selecting specific buttons on the interface: final or heat results, intermediate times, weather conditions, medal standings, etc. There is one CIS per event; hence the system can cover dozens of different disciplines (e.g. during the Olympic Games) at the same time. There has been research conducted on how to improve TV and online viewers’ experience during sports events but nothing, as of today, about improving journalists’ work environment. Moreover, their work conditions are very stressful; if they make mistakes in their statements, it can have negative consequences on their career. Thus, the CIS has to be reliable from both a system and usability perspective. Through this study I found important navigation issues and some missing information concerns. I observed that journalists rely heavily on their own notes and not much on the CIS. I discovered, users do make mistakes and have difficulties multitasking under this type of pressure. Finally, I noticed some gender differences in the task performances when users have to find information in the CIS. ©Copyright by Marie-Anne Midy October 1, 2007 All Rights Reserved The Commentator Information System: Understanding Journalists’ needs to Overcome Cognitive Load and Navigation Issues. by Marie-Anne Midy A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Presented October 1, 2007 Commencement June 2008 Master of Science thesis of Marie-Anne Midy presented on October 1, 2007 APPROVED: Major Professor, representing Computer Science Director of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Dean of the Graduate School I understand that my thesis will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University libraries. My signature below authorizes release of my thesis to any reader upon request. Marie-Anne Midy, Author ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Carlos Jensen, for his feedback and guidance through my research. Thank you also for the freedom I had over the past years, it helped me realizing how important some decisions and their consequences on my work could be. Thank you for the opportunities you gave me by being able to travel and meet new people from the sports and HCI fields. And thank you for your help while writing my first paper. Most of the theoretical analysis was a team work; thank you Yunrim for the time you spent with me on the transcripts. Also thank you to all the students who contributed to implement the CIS; your ideas, insights and time were valuable. My time in Sweden was precious; thank you Oscar for the time you spent and for your contacts. I would not have been able to find major results without your help. Alain, Rüdiger and Ernest, thank you for your help and comments. I would like to thank my committee members: Dr. Margaret Burnett, Dr. Ron Metoyer and Dr. Shoichi Kimura for their feedback and contribution to my thesis. Finally, I would like to thank my parents for their support; Elisabeth and Eric for their understanding. Thank you to those who changed their schedule according to mine, I really appreciated it. To c.m. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 1 2. Related work............................................................................................................................ 3 2.1. Target audience.............................................................................................................. 3 2.2. Sports excitement detection ........................................................................................... 4 2.3. Technologies for additional on-screen information......................................................... 5 2.3.1. Tracking cameras................................................................................................... 5 2.3.2. Ubiquitous sensors ................................................................................................ 7 2.3.3. Handheld devices .................................................................................................. 8 2.3.4. Interactive games................................................................................................... 9 2.4. Viewing preferences .....................................................................................................10 2.5. Available information to different audiences.................................................................11 2.6. Gender differences .......................................................................................................13 2.7. IT infrastructure.............................................................................................................14 Summary....................................................................................................................................17 3. Background ...........................................................................................................................19 3.1. Work conditions ............................................................................................................20 3.2. The CIS functioning ......................................................................................................21 3.3. The CIS interface..........................................................................................................23 Summary....................................................................................................................................25 4. Scope / Hypothesis ...............................................................................................................26 4.1. Does the system meet users’ needs? ..........................................................................26 4.1.1. Is there an information overload? ........................................................................26 4.1.2. Are there any navigation issues?.........................................................................27 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 4.1.3. Is there enough information? ...............................................................................27 4.2. When do users make mistakes? ..................................................................................28 4.3. How do the users deal with these mistakes? ...............................................................28 4.4. How to customize the interface for a better usability?..................................................29 Summary....................................................................................................................................29 5. Design analysis .....................................................................................................................31 5.1. Screens mockups .........................................................................................................32 5.1.1. Methodology.........................................................................................................33 5.1.2. Results .................................................................................................................34 5.2. Screens mapping..........................................................................................................38 5.2.1. Methodology.........................................................................................................38 5.2.2. Results .................................................................................................................38 5.3. Analytical evaluation: predictive models.......................................................................40 5.3.1. Hick’s law .............................................................................................................41 5.3.1.1. Methodology................................................................................................41 5.3.1.2. Results.........................................................................................................41 5.3.2. Fitts’ law ...............................................................................................................43 5.3.2.1. Methodology................................................................................................43 5.3.2.2. Results.........................................................................................................44