Approach Intelligent Writing Assistants Usability with Seven Stages of Action

TL;DR

This paper proposes using Norman's seven stages of action as a framework to improve the interaction design of large language model-based writing assistants, addressing usability issues and guiding future research.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of Norman's framework to LLM writing tools, offering a structured approach to enhance usability and research synthesis.

Findings

Framework applicability demonstrated through tutorial authoring example

Supports synthesis of research on interaction design for LLM tools

Highlights potential for structured human-LLM interaction research

Abstract

Despite the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) as writing assistants, they are plagued by issues like coherence and fluency of the model output, trustworthiness, ownership of the generated content, and predictability of model performance, thereby limiting their usability. In this position paper, we propose to adopt Norman's seven stages of action as a framework to approach the interaction design of intelligent writing assistants. We illustrate the framework's applicability to writing tasks by providing an example of software tutorial authoring. The paper also discusses the framework as a tool to synthesize research on the interaction design of LLM-based tools and presents examples of tools that support the stages of action. Finally, we briefly outline the potential of a framework for human-LLM interaction research.