A design space for engineering graphical adaptive menus

Abstract

This paper presents a design space for exploring design options of adaptive graphical menus based on Bertin's eight visual variables: position, size, shape, value, color, orientation, texture, and motion. In order to transform a traditional (static) menu into an adaptive one, at least one visual variable should be exploited to convey which menu items have been promoted or demoted depending on five characteristics: select, associative, quantitative, order, and length. The paper reviews selected adaptive menu interaction techniques belonging to each of these variables, classifies them according to the variables and characteristics and suggests not yet explored adaptive menu designs. It then defines four stability properties depending on which variables remain constant after adaptivity. A supporting software for prototyping the rendering of graphical adaptive menus is then introduced.