A smart phone information appliance for improved usability

This paper outlines a cognitive engineering design for a smart phone application as an information appliance, namely a digital video remote controller. The design process is based on a protocol analysis used to detect problems with the existing controller through a usability assessment. The process then focuses on the menu structure and error location in a detailed analysis, and proposes an improved design for the smart phone application that emulates a video controller. The resultant application is tested to show how much the usability has been enhanced. The proposed method indicates that smart-phone applications can be regarded as useful alternatives as information appliances.