Probabilistic formal analysis of app usage to inform redesign

Andrei, O. , Calder, M. , Chalmers, M. , Morrison, A. and Rost, M. (2016) Probabilistic formal analysis of app usage to inform redesign. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 9681, pp. 115-129. (doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-33693-0_8)

[img]
Preview
Text
117545.pdf - Accepted Version

977kB

Abstract

Evaluation and redesign of user-intensive mobile applications is challenging because users are often heterogeneous, adopting different patterns of activity, at different times. We set out a process of integrating statistical, longitudinal analysis of actual logged behaviours, formal, probabilistic discrete state models of activity patterns, and hypotheses over those models expressed as probabilistic temporal logic properties to inform redesign. We employ formal methods not to the design of the mobile application, but to characterise the different probabilistic patterns of actual use over various time cuts within a population of users. We define the whole process from identifying questions that give us insight into application usage, to event logging, data abstraction from logs, model inference, temporal logic property formulation, visualisation of results, and interpretation in the context of redesign. We illustrate the process through a real-life case study, which results in a new and principled way for selecting content for an extension to the mobile application.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Chalmers, Professor Matthew and Calder, Professor Muffy and Rost, Dr Mattias and Morrison, Dr Alistair and Andrei, Dr Oana
Authors: Andrei, O., Calder, M., Chalmers, M., Morrison, A., and Rost, M.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science
Journal Name:Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:0302-9743
Published Online:24 May 2016
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 Springer International Publishing
First Published:First published in Lecture Notes in Computer Science 9681: 115-129
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy
Related URLs:

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record

Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
566711A population approach to ubicomp system designMatthew ChalmersEngineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/J007617/1COM - COMPUTING SCIENCE