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E. Hornecker:
"Tangible User Interfaces als kooperationsunterstützendes Medium"; Forschungszentrum Arbeit Umwelt Technik, Universität Bremen, 2004.

This thesis deals with a novel type of computer interfaces that allow users to interact in tangible ways with physical artefacts. It focuses on the observation that such interfaces seem to support cooperative problem solving groups and asks why and how Tangible User Interface designs can support cooperative problem-solving activities.The field of Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) is moving fast, driven mostly by technology-driven proof of concept development, while reflection and theory are sparse. The thesis starts explaining the scope and different approaches to designing TUIs by presenting examples and clarifying the concept and central characteristics of this class of interface. As mixing physical and digital elements will not automatically result in combining "advantages of both worlds", it is necessary to know what exactly these advantages are and how they come to be. A literature survey on positive social effects of tangible media on group interaction is therefore synthesized into main lines of arguments. These arguments connect with central characteristics of TUIs. Two empirical studies deepen the understanding reached so far and take the concepts developed to practical use. First a video of a group doing paper prototyping (understood as a tangible medium) is analysed. The second study consists of comparative evaluation of two variants of a system, one based on a touchscreen and one using a TUI interface. Reflection of the evaluation results in a set of design principles which are successfully used in re-designing the TUI variant. Main contributions of this thesis are:- A clarification of the concept of TUIs and their structure and interaction characteristics.- A a systematic overview of social effects of Tangible User Interfaces that encourage cooperation among users.- A set of design heuristics for supporting these social effects of Tangible User Interfaces- A set of design principles derived from the successful re-design of the PitA-Board.

This thesis deals with a novel type of computer interfaces that allow users to interact in tangible ways with physical artefacts. It focuses on the observation that such interfaces seem to support cooperative problem solving groups and asks why and how Tangible User Interface designs can support cooperative problem-solving activities.The field of Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) is moving fast, driven mostly by technology-driven proof of concept development, while reflection and theory are sparse. The thesis starts explaining the scope and different approaches to designing TUIs by presenting examples and clarifying the concept and central characteristics of this class of interface. As mixing physical and digital elements will not automatically result in combining "advantages of both worlds", it is necessary to know what exactly these advantages are and how they come to be. A literature survey on positive social effects of tangible media on group interaction is therefore synthesized into main lines of arguments. These arguments connect with central characteristics of TUIs. Two empirical studies deepen the understanding reached so far and take the concepts developed to practical use. First a video of a group doing paper prototyping (understood as a tangible medium) is analysed. The second study consists of comparative evaluation of two variants of a system, one based on a touchscreen and one using a TUI interface. Reflection of the evaluation results in a set of design principles which are successfully used in re-designing the TUI variant. Main contributions of this thesis are:- A clarification of the concept of TUIs and their structure and interaction characteristics.- A a systematic overview of social effects of Tangible User Interfaces that encourage cooperation among users.- A set of design heuristics for supporting these social effects of Tangible User Interfaces- A set of design principles derived from the successful re-design of the PitA-Board.

http://elib.suub.uni-bremen.de/publications/dissertations/E-Diss907_E.pdf