Pei-Yao Hung
HCI Researcher

Researcher and Builder

Empower People with Information and Smart Environment

peiyaoh@umich.edu
      
Resume, C.V., Google Scholar


TraceViz: Finding Location Data through Brushing to Support Application Testing


Background: This project was the result of volunteer and course work when I was pursuing my Master's degree at the University of Michigan. I collaborated with a Ph.D. student, Yung-Ju Chang, to design TraceViz for developers of location-based applications. I led the implementation of different filters for developers to refine the search criteria of GPS traces. I also developed a location-based Android app for study participants (e.g., developers) to modify in the evaluation study of TraceViz.

This project was unique for me as we were developing a tool to support developers to create applications. In the design process, I needed to consider not only what developers needed, but also what applications developers might create for app users so that our design could provide proper support.


My role(s): Researcher, Designer, Developer

Collaborator(s): Dr. Yung-Ju Chang, Dr. Mark W. Newman


Method(s):
Semi-structured InterviewPrototypingUsability Testing
Skill(s):
ActionScriptAdobe FlexAndroid

Motivation: Location data (e.g., GPS) enable location-based applications (e.g., Yelp) to infer meaningful users' characteristics and behaviors (e.g., interests, favorite places, and jogging routes). Application developers need a way to efficiently find data to test how applications react to different location patterns effectively.

Problem Solving: TraceViz was created to provide a set of filters for finding GPS traces, and a natural 'brushing' interaction for selecting traces. Users could select location traces that pass through a segment of a path (e.g., walking on State street from a coffee shop to a dormitory) by painting the segment using the map interface.


  • Brainstorm Design

  • Development

  • Pilot Testing

  • Revision

  • Usability Testing


Outcomes: The lab-based user study (N=8) showed that

  • TraceViz provides efficient tools to filter data: participants could use TraceViz to efficiently find location traces needed for testing a sample location-based application.
  • The brushing interaction is easy to apply: participants were able to flexibly apply the brushing interaction to narrow down desirable location traces.

The outcomes of this project include multiple scholarly publications (link), an Android application that facilitates social sharing of location data to support group activity (e.g., meeting) as the target of testing, and the TraceViz software that app developers can use to test their location-based apps.

Summary:


Date: 2012 Winter

TraceViz allows users to search for location traces (GPS) using keyword search, filtering, and specifying desirable segment by painting on the map directly. On the left is a list of tools for users to select traces. On the right is a panel that shows information regarding the selected trace.


Publications

Chang, Yung-Ju, Mark W. Newman, Pei-Yao Hung, Manchul Han (2013). Integrating Capture ! Playback into Context-Aware Systems Development. International Symposium of Chinese (ChineseCHI), ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), April 28, Paris, France

Chang, Yung-Ju, Pei-Yao Hung, Mark W. Newman (2012). TraceViz: ‘Brushing’ for Location Based Services. ACM International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services (MobileHCI), San Francisco, CA, USA, September 21–24. pp 345–348[Online][BibTex]




Built with