Interruption of People in Human-Computer Interaction: A General UnifyingDefinition of Human Interruption and Taxonomy

摘要

User-interruption in human-computer interaction (HCI) is an increasinglyimportant problem. This previously innocuous HCI problem has become critical to the successful function of many kinds of modern computer systems. This report asserts that a single unifying definition of user-interruption and the accompanying practical taxonomy would be useful theoretical tools for driving effective investigation of this crucial HCI problem. These theoretical tools are constructed in this report. A comprehensive analysis is conducted through the existing literature. Theoretical constructs from several relevant but diverse fields are identified and discussed. A unifying definition of user-interruption is synthesized. This new definition is supported with an array of postulates, assertions, and a taxonomy of human interruption to facilitate its practical application.