Supporting User Control of User Interface Adaptation with an Extra-User Interface
(2026) ACM Symposium on Engineering Interactive Computer Systems — Location: Trier, Germany (23.July.2025)
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- Abstract
- In context-aware systems, user interface adaptation often occurs automatically, offering limited transparency and minimal user control. To overcome this limitation, this research elaborates on the concept of the Extra-User Interface, an additional user interface layer designed to empower users by enabling real-time observation, customization, and steering of adaptation behaviours. Positioned above the primary user interface, an Extra-User Interface extends the meta-user interface concept by providing structured services, such as inspecting and modifying underlying user interface artefacts. To assess the impact of Extra-User Interfaces on user experience, we adopt a Goal-Questions-Metrics approach, focusing on user satisfaction, comprehension, and performance. The research follows a multi-layered method, combining conceptual development, model-based design, and empirical validation. As a proof of concept, a prototype was developed and tested in a midair gesture controlled environment, showing how an Extra-User Interface can enhance user autonomy and efficiency in controlling adaptation. Moreover, the research explores the applicability of extra-user Interfaces in high-stakes domains through the development of a second prototype for a data visualization interface designed to support critical decision tasks. Contributions of this work are threefold: (1) a theoretical framework defining Extra-User Interface concepts and primitives; (2) a model-based approach for designing graphical user interfaces whose adaptation is controlled by an extra-user interfaces; and (3) the implementation and evaluation of Extra-User Interface environments in realistic settings. Preliminary results validate the feasibility and usefulness of Extra-User Interfaces as a user-centric solution for controllable user interface adaptation in ambient intelligence and ubiquitous computing.
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Sahraoui, A. E. A. (2026). Supporting User Control of User Interface Adaptation with an Extra-User Interface. In Camille Fayollas, Pieter Van Gorp, Mahmoud Baghdadi, Achim Ebert, Jun Hu, Shah Rukh Humayoun, Sapna Jaidka, Kris Luyten, Tilo Mentler, Philippe Palanque, Parvaneh Parvin, Lucio Davide Spano, Simone Stumpf, Gerrit van der Veer, Luciana Zaina, Jürgen Ziegler (ed.), Engineering Interactive Computer Systems. EICS 2025 International Workshops (pp. 1-9). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-26051-2_3