Defining User Characteristics to Divide Layers in a Multi-Layered Context

Interaction design deals with the complexity arising in the interplay between humans and the interfaces of modern machines [5]. In the field of software development the complexity is often very high and the task frequently defined in an imprecise manner, or not even defined at all. It is furthermore common that neither the different users’ roles nor the computer knowledge is taken into account when developing software [5, 13]. In this context it is crucial regardless of the choice of design method to be able to identify the different needs, knowledge, tasks and behaviors of the users [14, 15]. Many of the interfaces of common applications are rich or full interfaces where all functionality or features are available to the user at once; often with little guidance on where to start, how to best progress through the application and finally how to learn and get a deeper understanding of the functionality [12]. A large factor behind user frustration is the feeling of lack of control, misunderstandings and limitations, or overwhelming resources or options. The frustration triggers stress and creates unhealthy work environments [1, 2].