Conflict Resolution in Information Processing Device Settings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of information processing devices face confusion when setting items have exclusive relationships, leading to unintended changes and a lack of convenience in resolving conflicting settings, as existing interfaces only display error messages without facilitating easy resolution.
Innovation Solution
An improved user interface with a setting value receiving unit, a conflicting condition judging unit, a first resetting unit, and a conflict resolving unit that allows users to select alternative setting values and resolve conflicts directly within the interface, displaying a resetting window with valid options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If setting items with exclusive relationships are displayed as gray-out items or removed from selection list, then conflicting settings are prevented, but user confusion increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation by judging whether a conflicting condition occurs among setting items before finalizing the settings. This allows the system to proactively identify and prevent conflicts before they are committed, rather than reactively displaying error messages after the user has already made problematic selections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by displaying a list of conflicting setting items and error messages to inform users of the conflict. This feedback mechanism helps users understand what went wrong and guides them to resolve the conflict by adjusting their selections.
2Loss of information
If error messages are displayed to indicate conflicting conditions, then users can recognize conflicts, but resolution convenience deteriorates as users must close dialogues and reopen setting windows
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the conflict detection and conflict resolution functions into a single integrated process. When a conflicting condition is detected, the system automatically presents resolution options within the same interface context, combining what were previously separate steps (detecting conflict, closing dialogue, reopening settings, and resolving) into one continuous workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism that automatically mediates between the user's conflicting selections. Instead of requiring users to manually navigate through multiple windows and dialogues, the system acts as an intermediary by automatically detecting conflicts and presenting pre-prepared resolution options that guide users through the fix without requiring them to leave the current context.
3Reliability
If setting values are automatically changed to avoid conflicts, then conflicting conditions are prevented, but user intent may be violated and confusion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback by informing users when automatic changes are made to resolve conflicts. This allows users to understand what the system has changed and why, maintaining their awareness of the conflict resolution process while still benefiting from automatic conflict prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary anti-action by automatically detecting and preventing conflicting settings before they can cause problems. By judging whether a conflicting condition occurs among setting items and taking corrective action in advance, the system prevents conflicts from manifesting while maintaining user intent where possible.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an information processing device, in which a selection window allowing a user to select setting value for each of a plurality of setting items is displayed, the user operation indicating completion of selection of the setting value for each of the plurality of setting items is received. When the user operation indicating the completion of the selection is executed, whether a conflicting condition, in which the user attempts to set a plurality of setting values that are not allowed to be set simultaneously, occurs is judged. Then, a first resetting window showing one or a plurality of first effective setting values is displayed, which allows the user to select the one or the plurality of the first effective setting values when the conflicting condition occurs. The conflicting condition is resolved by receiving a setting value selected from the one or the plurality of first effective setting values when the conflicting condition occurs.