GUIDE User Simulator

The GUIDE User Simulator was a research prototype for examining how visual or mobility impairments could affect interaction with a digital TV interface. A designer could inspect a proposed screen through a virtual user model and identify features worth testing with people. Archived simulator record (external site)

What did the simulator model?

The simulator prototype documented on the project site focused on vision and mobility. Its design-time role was to give developers a way to explore how a person might perceive the interface or move through controls before a build was ready for field tests. The simulation paper (external site) explains the research in the context of digital TV.

How can developers use the idea today?

Developers can use simulation to form specific questions for a test session. A model can flag a small text label or a distant control, for example. A participant can then show whether the label is readable at home, whether the remote makes the control easy to reach and whether the task makes sense without help.

Where was the original prototype documented?

The original prototype entry listed Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 as its target operating systems. The archived record (external site) documents the historical release and its system requirements. The developer guide offers a device-based test sequence for teams working on current TV applications.