Institute for Human Centered Design

For this special section, we have selected three papers that approach the design of the user experience of self-service systems in an integrated way and show the readership of this journal what methods and techniques can be used in this type of design process. These three papers together give us an in-depth and broad introduction to the challenges of designing for the user experience of self-service systems, while providing us with some exemplary solutions.

The focus of this chapter is on methods of data collection and analysis for the assessment of learning processes and complex performance, the last part of the empirical cycle after theory development and experimental design. In the introduction (van Gog and Paas), the general background and the relation between the chapter sections are briefly described. The section by Savenye, Robinson, Niemczyk, and Atkinson focuses on methods of data collection and analysis for assessment of individual learning processes, whereas the section by Johnson and O’Connor is concerned with methods for assessment of group learning processes. The chapter section by van Gog, Rikers, and Ayres discusses the assessment of complex performance, and the final chapter section by Duley, Ward, Szalma, and Hancock is concerned with setting up laboratories to measure learning and complex performance.

Nonhuman primates are excellent subjects for the enhancement of care and welfare through training. The broad range of species offers tremendous behavioral diversity, and individual primates show varying abilities to cope with the stressors of captivity, which differ depending on the venue. Biomedical facilities include small single cages, pair housing, and breeding corrals with large social groups. Zoos have social groupings of differing sizes, emphasizing public display and breeding. Sanctuaries have nonbreeding groups of varying sizes and often of mixed species. In every venue, the primary objective is to provide good quality care, with minimal stress. Positive reinforcement training improves care and reduces stress by enlisting a primate's voluntary cooperation with targeted activities, including both husbandry and medical procedures. It can also improve socialization, reduce abnormal behaviors, and increase species-typical behaviors. This article reviews the results already achieved with positive reinforcement training and suggests further possibilities for enhancing primate care and welfare.