Our Projects
Recent Koester Performance Research projects are listed below. Please click on a project to view additional information.
Compass Assessment Software
Compass software for access assessment measures users' skills in various kinds of computer interaction. It is designed to help clinical and educational professionals perform computer access evaluations with their clients. [View Publications] [Download Compass]
Adaptive Systems
The concept of an adaptive system is that it could understand a user’s strengths and limitations and configure itself in order to better meet that user’s needs. In conjunction with Rich Simpson, University of Pittsburgh, we have built and evaluated adaptive systems for single switch scanning as well as word prediction. [View Publications]
Usability Consulting
Our expertise in usability analysis, measurement, and modeling can be applied to a wide range of human-computer interface problems. For example, we have helped other teams design appropriate research protocols and evaluated prototype systems such as web sites for their usability.
AT Performance Measurement and Modeling
This is the theme of several KPR projects, relating to computer input methods such as single-switch scanning and word prediction. The focus of measurement is to determine how well an assistive technology (AT) is meeting the needs of its users. Modeling takes this one step further to Sunderstand the factors that underlie a user’s performance. [View Publications]
User Performance with Speech Recognition
This project, conducted under the RERC on Ergonomics at the University of Michigan from 2000 - 2002, examined how well speech recognition systems are working for people with disabilities. For more information, see the project's web site.