Public defence in Interactive Systems, M.B.A. Yi-Chi Liao

The title of the thesis: Human-in-the-Loop Design Optimization

Doctoral student: Yi-Chi Liao
Opponent: Prof. Pedro Lopes, University of Chicago, USA
Custos: Prof. Antti Oulasvirta, Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering, Department of Information and Communications Engineering 

Designing effective interaction techniques requires careful consideration of various parameters, that significantly impact user experience and performance. However, optimizing these parameters can be challenging due to the large, multi-dimensional design space, and the complexity of balancing multiple design objectives. 

Traditionally, designers perform manual optimization via iterative design processes, which can be time-consuming and effortful, and does not guarantee the best outcome. Human-in-the-loop optimization (HILO) emerged as a more principled solution for design optimization, using a computational optimizer to intelligently select the next design instance for user testing. Despite some examples of HILO in the human-computer interaction (HCI) field, its application scope is limited due to several limitations. 

This dissertation presents a set of computational methods and investigations that speak to these challenges. Pareto-frontier learning is utilized to handle multi-objective design tasks, and I introduce novel extensions for practical solutions of group-level optimization. To reduce the effort and time in prototyping, I propose using physical emulation to render physical design instances, enabling HILO to be applied to the design of physical interactions. Further, in light of the resource-intensive nature of user studies, a simulation-based optimization framework is proposed whereby artificial users evaluate design instances. 

With the ultimate goal of expanding HILO's utility in realistic and general design tasks, this dissertation opens new directions for future HILO research.

Thesis available for public display 10 days prior to the defence at: https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/doc_public/eonly/riiputus/

Contact information:

Doctoral theses in the School of Electrical Engineering: https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/53

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