Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 1992-03 Designing a graphical user interface for a bilateral negotiation support system Sabene, Ralph Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/38555 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL - Monterey, California VTC AJ, A~ THESIS DESIGNING A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR A BILATERAL NEGOTIATION SUPPORT SYSTEM by Ralph Sabene March, 1992 Thesis Advisor: Tung X. Bui Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 92=w07627 CRItY CLSIFICTO OF THISPAG REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE id RLPORT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION lb RESTRICTIVE MARKINGS Uniclassified 'a SECURITY CLASSIFICATION AUTHORITY 3 DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY OF REPORT "L'DECLASSI FICATION/'DOWNGRADING SCHEDULE Approvyd for iiubli( rvleauv, distributun Isuniuni'vd 4 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBERMS 5 MONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMEE:SJ 6d NAME OF PERFORMING ORGANIZATION 6b OFFICE SYMBOIL 7a NAME OF MONITORING ORGANIZATION Naval Postgruduutte lchool (if applicable) Neavul J'ostgraduattc &-hool ___________________________ AS________ _________________ 6c ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) 7b ADDRESS (City, State, and ZIP Code) Mionterey, CA 93P4.1 61000 Munte.rvy, CA 93tp3-50II 8d NAME OF FUNDING,'SPC)NSOFiING BUOFFICE SYMBOL 9 PROCUREMENT INSTRUME tT IDENTIF ICATION NUMBER ORGANIZATION (if applicabe.) 8c ADDRESS (City, Start, andZiP Code) I U SOURCE OF FUNDING NUME'E R5 11. TITLE (include Sec urity Classification) Desiginmeg a Gre phical List'r lnuerfauc br u Ifilateral Nt'geaiauiLe1Sujpuirt Systemu 12 PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) aIISbeu 13d TYPE OF REPORT 13b, TIME COVERED 14 DATE O1' REPORT (year, month, day) 115 PAC E COUNTl N1Lr'wFn From To Miirdi I V92 71 16 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTATION Tlhe viewa4 expressed it this thesis Hre thos~e .iftt, author and do t rellect the otflicial policy or poisition oldthe D~epartment iii'Dletibi' or the C1.S (eovurlnment.- --- 17COSA71ICODES 18 SUBJECT TERMS (continue on reverse it necessary and identify by block number) FED GRU SUBGROUP Graphical Ls'r lnte'rhace; Biluteral Negotiatiun Support Syst'ni 19 ABST RACT (continue on revertse if necessary and identify by block number) Graphical User Interloces (CLII I are quickly becoming Use standard oecratinlg envirunmient tor mat siitware progruni., ugid ope.ruting systetias. Eabe of'use, rapid learning and the ability tA)retain complex Lask sequences and opurutions are some of the advantages, attributed tAtthib typt' oul interlace. When properly implemented the GUI can providesa natural interaction between the user and the computer, Iniilacceptance and cogntiinued use of'any program cMII be greatly enhanced by proper design of this Interface. It Isexpected that this trend toward visual repres-entution of's task'b object& and actiuns will lbe :nure fully developed and expanded in future yuurs. This thesis explored the princililies of iiti-i lisce design with paerticular attention given topthe specific characteristics associated With G1.1 debipti. Unique design cont-opt assoditi ed -Asit I, egetistion Suppoirt Systvinti were ali, ii oidered. These design techniq~ues and pirinciples were theno applied in the aiwuyts,, und desigii41 Ibe graphic'al user iiiterluve i'or a Bilateral Negotiation Support System based on multiple attribuie utility theory. The proprom WUb written its SI iicripsoft Visual hasic fitr use under the klicrosoft Windows 3.0 operating environment. 20 DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY OF ABSTRACT 21. ABSTRACT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION [JpCASSj(II0hi'i4r egM 11 M AMI ASAi'Ntoti0041 13 ~ 1SN nclassified 22& NAME OF RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL 22b TELEPHONE (include Are& code) 22c, OFFICE SYMBOL 1,111FlX, Rul I 4081646-2630 1 (Code AS'HI) DD FORM 1473, 84 MAR 013 APR edition mavy beiused until exhausted SECURITY CLSSFCAT7ION OF THIS PAGE All oither editions; ire obsolete U nehusoiried Approved for publi. release, distribution is unlimitedj. Designing a Graphical User Interface for a Bilateral Negotiation Support System by Ralph Sabene Lieutenant Commander, United States Naval Reserve B.S., Arizona State Universit\, 1978 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL March 1992 Author: ph Sabene Approved by: Tung X. Bui, Thesis Advisor Balasubramaniam Ramesh, Second Reader Department of Administrati Sciences ABSTRACT Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) are quickly becoming the standard operating environment for most software programs and operating systems. Ease of use, rapid learning and the ability to retain complex task sequences and operations are some of the advantages attributed to this type of interface. When properly implemented the GUI can provide a natural interaction between the user and the computer. Initial acceptance and continued use of any program can be greatly enhanced by proper design of this interface It is expected that this trend toward visual representation of a task's objects and actions will be mofe full\ developed and expandeJ in future years. This thesis explored the principles of interface desig'i with particular attention given to the specific characteristics associated with GU1 desi." Unique design concepts associated with Negotiation Support Systems were also considered. These design techniques and principles were then applied in the analysis and design of the graphical user interface for a Bilateral Negotiation Support System based on multiple attribute utility theory. The program was written in Microsoft Visual Basic for use under the Microsoft Windows 3.0 operating environment. Accession For NT1I I In ': T , Ut; ' 2: :' " 7 : . o..II r it . .~ ,t . TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ..................................... I A. PURPOSE OF THESIS ............................ 1 B. BACKGROUND ................................ I 1. Bilateral Negotiation Support Systems (NSS) ................ 1 2. Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) .................... 2 C. LITERATURE REVIEW AND METHODOLOGY. ............. 3 D. SCOPE AND DIRECTION .......................... 4 II. INTERFACE DESIGN OF NEGOTIATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS ........ 5 A. GENERAL INTERFACE DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND ISSUES ... 5 1. Types of Interfaces ............................ 5 2. Graphical User Interface ......................... 7 a. Principles of Graphic Design ................... 9 (1) O rganize ..................... ...... 9 (2) Economize ........................... 9 (3) Communicate ......................... 10 b. Hardware Elements ......................... 10 c. Software Elements ......................... 11 iv B. GUI DESIGN FOR NEGOTIATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS........ 12 III. DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A BILATERAL NSS.......... 15 A. GUI SPECIFICATIONS............................... 15 1. Concurrency.................................... 15 a. Temporal................................... 15 b. Spatial..................................... 15 2. Content....................................... 16 a. Task-oriented................................ 16 b. Social -emotional.............................. 16 3. Patt........................................... 16 4. Channel....................................... 16 B. METHODOLOGY ................................... 17 C. INDIVIDUAL SCREEN DESIGN......................... 18 1. Main Bilateral NSS Screen........................... 18 2. File Menu Screens................................ 19 a. Start New Session Screen........................ 19 b. Open Prior Session Screen....................... 20 C. Save Current Session and Save Current Session As Screens 21 3. Help Menu Screens............................... 22 a. Index Screen................................ 22 b. About... Screen.............................. 23 V 4. Main Selection Menu Screen. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. 24 5. Issue Parameters Screen .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ..... 25 6. Name or Party Screen .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. 26 7. Issue Prionties Selection Screen .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 27 8. Issue Priorities (Direct Entry) Screen. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27 9. Utility Values Screen .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 28 10. Negotiation Results Screen .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ..... 29 11. Display Graph- Screen. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ..... 30 IV. SUMMARY AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. .. .. .... 3 A. SUMMARY .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .. 32 B. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 32 APPENDIX A - FUZZY PREFERENCES IN BILATERAL NEGOTIATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS..................................... 33 APPENDIX B - DOD STANDARD 7935A END USER MANUAL GUIDELINES......................................... 41 APPENDIX C - BILATERAL NSS USER MANUAL................... 51 LIST OF REFERENCES...................................... 66 vi INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST................................. 67 vii I. INTRODUCTION A. PURPOSE OF THESIS The purpose of this thesis is to design and implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) based program for a Bilateral Negotiation Support System (NSS) (Bui & Sivasankaran, 1991). The program is written to operate on a Microsoft Windows/DOS operating, system microcomputer. It is expected that graphical user interfaces, when properly implemented. can provide a user friendly and natural interaction between the user and the decision support system program. Initial acceptance and continued use of any program can be greatly enhanced by proper design of the interface. B. BACKGROUND 1. Bilateral Negotiation Support Systems (NSS) The