In this talk, I will first give an overview of my dissertation work on fundamental aspects of personalized interaction in the context of automatically adapting command structures (e.g., menus and toolbars) to reduce software application complexity. I will highlight a new evaluation methodology for assessing the trade-offs of automatic adaptation and present a novel personalized interaction technique that reduces search time in visually complex interfaces. In general, I believe that personalization can be a powerful tool for lowering barriers to technology use and information access. Within that theme, I will also discuss two ongoing projects where I am applying personalization to specific problem domains: (1) improving touch screen text input and (2) easing input for users with motor impairments.
BIO: Leah Findlater is an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow in the Information School at the University of Washington, advised by Professor Jacob Wobbrock. Her research focuses on accommodating diverse user needs through personalized adaptation to reduce information complexity and facilitate accessibility for a range of education levels, and motor and cognitive abilities. This work has led to a number of publications in top-tier academic venues and has been recognized with CHI 2009 and CHI 2010 Best Paper Awards. Leah received her PhD in Computer Science in 2009 from the University of British Columbia, where she worked with Professor Joanna McGrenere and was awarded an IBM Centers for Advanced Studies Fellowship. She has collaborated with IBM Toronto Software Lab and with Microsoft Research in India and Redmond, WA.
Refreshments will be provided at 10:45