Engineering User Models to Enhance Multi-Modal Dialogue

An extension of the GUMS user modelling module is described which includes multiple inheritance between user stereotypes, multiple top level nodes in a network to allow a range of dimensions on which the user can be classified, and rules to change the stereotypes of users. A method is described using Wizard of Oz studies and interviews to provide the information to populate this model for applications and to provide rules to recognise which stereotypes apply to users. The use of the method and the user modelling module are illustrated for a human computer interface which supports multi-modal dialogue. The resulting co-operative dialogue with this interface is compared with the facilities offered by more complex alternative modelling approaches. Keyword Codes: H.1.2; I.2.4; H.5.2