Computer support for knowledge workers: A review of laboratory experiments

Abstract

The focus of system design and evaluation has shifted from increasing computer efficiency to improving human/computer effectiveness. The new emphasis is especially critical when the users of the system are not information systems specialists or clerical support personnel, but highly paid knowledge workers. This paper presents a framework for organizing experimental studies in human/computer interaction and suggesting new research opportunities. The framework is applied to a review of 39 experiments in the areas of database management, decision support, text processing, graphics processing, calculation, and operating systems. Studies are assessed for their coverage of experimental variables and organized according to their findings. © 1986, ACM. All rights reserved.