ABOUT THE TEAM
professor Janet Finlay FBCS, CITp - Director of usability north
Janet Finlay is professor of Interactive Systems at Leeds Metropolitan University and specialises in the design and evaluation of accessible and usable user interfaces. She has 20 years experience in the field, through government, European and industry-funded research projects and consultancy, and teaching to phD level.
She has numerous publications in this area, including two books. Her current research interests are design patterns for reusing successful interface designs, objective usability including eye tracking, e-learning and online communities and accessibility. She is a Fellow of the British Computer Society and was until recently Chair of the British HCI Group’s Education and practice Group, with a remit for developing professional development and accreditation schemes for usability professionals.
She is Director of Usability North, a consultancy based within the Innovation North Faculty of Leeds Metropolitan University, whose recent clients include Wembley Stadium, Leeds City Council, and JC Decaux as well as a number of local SMEs.
Usability North helps businesses to increase their sales, profitability and compliance through providing a clear assessment of the usability and accessibility of their websites and software.
Dr Tony Renshaw BTech (Hons), PhD.
(ReseaRch Fellow)
Dr Tony Renshaw has been involved in research featuring eye tracking over the last three years and has completed his PhD thesis entitled Designing for Visual Influence. He has been responsible for the development of new and improved eye tracking metrics which have greatly enhanced the analysis techniques available for the interpretation of eye movements and human computer interactions.
Tony graduated from Loughborough University of Technology in Chemistry and Management Studies and has held a variety of senior positions as a Financial Manager on the board of REACT Centre Ltd, the Prison Service and in the Services Division of Internal Computers Limited.
Research project Usability and Eye Movement - Designing for Influence
Recent publications
- PhD Thesis: "Designing for Visual Influence: An Eye Tracking Study"
- Renshaw, J. A., Finlay,J.E.,Ward,R.D.,and Tyfa,D (2005) A Back-track to Satisfaction, Human Computer Interaction 2005, 2, p73- 76
- presentation Commercial Uses of Eye tracking Workshop 5th September 2005 – HCI Edinburgh
- Renshaw, J. A., Finlay,J.E.,Ward,R.D.,and Tyfa,D (2002) The Impact of Object Dimensions on Eye Gaze Human Computer Interaction, 2, p 86-89.
- Renshaw, J. A., Finlay,J.E.,Ward,R.D.,and Tyfa,D (2003) Designing for Visual Influence: An Eye Tracking Study of the Usability of Graphical Management Information Human-Computer Interaction INTERACT '03, 1, p144-151.
- Renshaw, J. A., Finlay,J.E.,Ward,R.D.,and Tyfa,D (2004a) Regressions Re-visited: a New Definition for the Visual Display paradigm CHI 2005, Late Breaking Results, p1437-1440.
- Renshaw, J. A., Finlay,J.E.,Ward,R.D.,and Tyfa,D (2004b) Understanding visual influence in graph design through temporal and spatial eye movement characteristics. Interacting with Computers, Vol 16, p557-578.
- Workshops
- CHI 2006 Workshop Montreal in April 2006 to run a one day workshop on eye tracking and usability entitled "Getting Satisfaction from Eyetracking"
- HCI 2005 Conference: Eye Tracking Workshop
Elizabeth Allgar BSc (Hons), MSc
(Research Officer)
Graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a BSc (Hons) Social Sciences (Major in psychology) and then went on to complete an MSc in Computing at the University of Bradford.
Research interests include usability and accessibility design and evaluation, usability patterns, research methodology, statistical analysis and qualitative analysis, web and interactive design. Elizabeth has been involved in projects using eye tracking and video observation.
Elizabeth is experienced in using Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks, and web programming (ASp.Net). Some examples of her designs are:
- ISLE Research Group (2002) www.leedsmet.ac.uk/ies/comp/research/isle/index.htm
- Yorkshire primary Care Research Group (2005) www.yren.leeds.ac.uk
- StatsJunkie (2003) www.statsjunkie.co.uk
- usability north Innovation North (2005)
Elizabeth is a member of the Interactive Systems and Learning Environments (ISLE) Research Group and founding member of Access Through Design Research Group This group is interested in case study research that explores designing accessible interfaces through interactive design. We are interested in studies that explores the disabled users’ experience of interactive technologies, engages the disabled user in the design and evaluation process.(Email Elizabeth Allgar if you are interested in joining the Access Through Design Research Group)
Other research projects that Elizabeth has been involved in are:
- Investigating usability patterns as a tool for empowering users in participatory design. (2003) This research has employed usability patterns for designing web-based applications. For example, this approach was used to assist educators in the selection and design of learning objects as part of the EU funded eDILEMA project.
- The Living Image, a virtual interactive art installation exhibited at the Dana Centre, London (May 2004). A case study evaluating users’ experience of a virtual interactive art installation. The project involved using a combination of methods: interviews, observation and presence questionnaires.