The DOI matches its Crossref record; 8 of the 9 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Triggers and barriers to customizing software
Open accessAbstract
One of the properties of a user interface is that it both guides and constrains the patterns of interaction between the user and the software application.Application software is increasingly designed to be "customizable" by the end user, providing specific mechanisms by which users may specify individual preferences about the software and how they will interact with it over multiple sessions.Users may thus encode and preserve their preferred patterns of use.These customizations, together with choices about which applications to use, make up the unique "softswue environment" for each individual.While it is theoretically possible for each user to carefully evaluate and optimize each possible customization option, this study suggests that most people do not.In facfi since time spent customizing is time spent not working, many people do not take advantage of the customization features at all.I studied the customization behaviorof51 users of a Unix software environment, over a period of four months.This paper describes the process by which users decide to customize and examines the factors that irdluence when and how users make those decisions.These findings have implications for both the design of software and the integration of new software into an organization.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“the literature suggests that users are reluctant to customize unless forced to do so [9]”
From A comparison of static, adaptive, and adaptable menus (2004) · cites this paper as [9]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“Previous work had suggested that users do not customize because the mechanisms are difficult to use [9].”
From A comparison of static, adaptive, and adaptable menus (2004) · cites this paper as [9]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe cited source says what the claim attributes to it.
In the citing paper
“Many users do not take advantage of customization features [Mackay, 1991], likely because of complexity inherent in customization.”
From A field evaluation of an adaptable two-interface design for feature-rich software (2007) · cites this paper as Mackay, 1991
The cited source says what the claim attributes to it.
In the citing paper
“Unlike previous work by Mackay [Mackay, 1991], which showed that users customize very little, the majority of our participants did personalize and they did so according to their function usage.”
From A field evaluation of an adaptable two-interface design for feature-rich software (2007) · cites this paper as Mackay, 1991
The cited source says what the claim attributes to it.
In the citing paper
“Mackay found that actual customization is minimal because of time, difficulty, and lack of interest [9].”
From A comparison of static, adaptive, and adaptable menus (2004) · cites this paper as [9]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
User-tailorable systems: pressing the issues with buttons
MacLean, A., Carter, K., Lövstrand, L., & Moran, T. (1990) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/97243.97271 · Cited by 401
Twinkling lights and nested loops: distributed problem solving and spreadsheet development
Nardi, B. A., & Miller, J. R. (1991) · International Journal of Man-Machine Studies · doi:10.1016/0020-7373(91)90040-e · Cited by 263
Patterns of sharing customizable software
Mackay, W. E. (1990) · ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) · doi:10.1145/99332.99356 · Cited by 251
Self-citationResearch techniques in human engineering
Chapanis, A. (1959) · Cited by 138
Users and customizable software : a co-adaptive phenomenon
Mackay, W. E. (1990) · Cited by 133
Self-citationAn ethnographic study of distributed problem solving in spreadsheet development
Nardi, B. A., & Miller, J. R. (1990) · ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) · doi:10.1145/99332.99355 · Cited by 118
Adaptability and Tailorability in NoteCards
Trigg, R. H., Moran, T. P., & Halasz, F. G. (1987) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-444-70304-0.50117-5 · Cited by 85
Project Athena as a Next Generation Educational Computing System
Champine, G. A., Lerman, S., & Saltzer, J. H. (1989) · Informatik-Fachberichte · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-75177-6_3 · Cited by 4
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 301–363 of 363
Friendship and Privacy in Online Social Networks
Ghorbani, S., & Ganjali, Y. (2012) · Journal of Internet Technology and Secured Transaction · doi:10.20533/jitst.2046.3723.2012.0001
Obendorf, H. (2009) · Human-computer interaction series · doi:10.1007/978-1-84882-371-6_6
Tuning Vibrations with Emotion Controls
Seifi, H. (2019) · Springer series on touch and haptic systems · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11379-7_7
Characterizing Personalization Mechanisms
Seifi, H. (2019) · Springer series on touch and haptic systems · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11379-7_3
Toker, D. (2019) · cIRcle (University of British Columbia) · doi:10.14288/1.0380857
Cyber Crimes in Online Social Networking Services
Sharma, K. (2020)
Building tailorable hypermedia systems
Grønbæk, K., & Malhotra, J. (1994) · ACM SIGPLAN Notices · doi:10.1145/191081.191098
Mandatory Technology in Use: a Study of Users’ Appropriation Practices
Engelbert, R., & Graeml, A. R. (2018) · Journal of the Association for Information Systems · doi:10.17705/1relc.00054
(2009) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-374265-0.00014-1
(2010) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-381541-5.00038-9
Choices and Decisions of Computer Users
Jameson, A. (2012) · Human factors and ergonomics · doi:10.1201/b11963-7
Diver, L. (2021) · Edinburgh University Press eBooks · doi:10.1515/9781474485340-012
Two-Way Feedback System in Human-Machine Interface
Ma, D. (2025) · IEEE International Conference on Soft Computing and Measurements (SCM) · doi:10.1109/scm66446.2025.11060450
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0005
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0014
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0024
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0019
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0032
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0044
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0041
Representations of user research
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0015
Computational representations and models
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0039
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0034
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0013 · Cited by 1
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0022
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0027
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0009
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0035
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0036 · Cited by 1
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0040
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0031
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0029
Growing into the HCI discipline
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0045
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0010
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0016
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0007
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0026
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0038
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.002.0003
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0042
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0043
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0011
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0008 · Cited by 1
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0020
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0006
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0028 · Cited by 3
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0004
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0030
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0033
Introduction to understanding people
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0002
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0025
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0012
Hornbæk, K., Kristensson, P. O., & Oulasvirta, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780192864543.003.0021
Enhancing Accessibility for Non-experts in Low-Code/No-Code Through the Addition of an AI Chatbot
Troyer, N. D., Croon, R. D., & Verbert, K. (2025) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-04999-5_12
Specifically or generally fast during interaction? Analysing user pace across interactive tasksPreprint
Dowding, S., Cockburn, A., & Gutwin, C. A. (2025) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.5574180
When Coordination Goes Wrong: The Challenge of Configuring Malleable Technologies in TeamsPreprint
Zhang, R. F., Jonasson, C., & Aagaard, J. (2025) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-7489297/v1
Yi, W. (2011) · Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Designing and Programming Malleable Software
Tchernavskij, P. (2019) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/0049f2afz7505z415ez870fz22d0a308356a · Cited by 2
Designing for Ecosystems of Communication Apps
Griggio, C. F. (2018) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/0699e50cz0bdfz4b60zbfc4z1dcfa24c2953 · Cited by 1
Su, L.-T., Chen, U.-D., Wu, Y.-S., Chen, Y.-J., & Chang, Y.-J. (2026) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3772318.3790950
Balancing Guidance and Control: Nudging Users Toward Effective Dashboard Customisation
Alsayahani, H., Harper, S., & Vigo, M. (2026) · ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization (UMAP) · doi:10.1145/3774935.3806783
Improving understanding of website privacy policies
Levy, S. E. (2004) · University Library - University of Saskatchewan (University of Saskatchewan)
Metadata
- Authors
- Mackay, W. E.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- Corresponding author
- Mackay, Wendy E.
- ORCID
- Mackay, Wendy E.
- Venue
- Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems Reaching through technology - CHI '91
- Publisher
- ACM Press
- Published
- 1991
- Pages
- 153-160
- OpenAlex
- W1993302775
- Cited by
- 364
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 58 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 24
- FWCI
- 1.87
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Usability and User Interface Design
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Software Engineering Techniques and Practices
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Science Applications › Open Source Software Innovations
- Keywords
- software customization, user preferences, user interface design, user interaction patterns
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
