[2605.11344] Making Abstraction Concrete: A Design Space and Interaction Model of Abstraction in Interactive Systems

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Computer Science > Human-Computer Interaction

arXiv:2605.11344 (cs)

[Submitted on 11 May 2026]

Title:Making Abstraction Concrete: A Design Space and Interaction Model of Abstraction in Interactive Systems

Authors:Bryan Min, Sangho Suh, Jim Hollan, Haijun Xia<br>View a PDF of the paper titled Making Abstraction Concrete: A Design Space and Interaction Model of Abstraction in Interactive Systems, by Bryan Min and 2 other authors

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Abstract:The principle of abstraction guides the design of interactive systems, yet we lack a conceptual framework to understand how it shapes interaction design. Existing models, such as the gulfs of execution and evaluation, do not explicitly model abstractions in the system or in users' mental models, and therefore lack actionable guidance for designing abstractions. To investigate how abstractions are employed in interactive systems, we surveyed 457 papers and synthesized a design space of abstraction techniques along six dimensions. We use this design space to reframe the gulfs through a lens of abstraction, explicitly articulate the cognitive and design processes by which users and systems bridge and navigate the abstraction gap, and demonstrate how this model integrates existing perspectives and surfaces new opportunities for future systems.

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Human-Computer Interaction (cs.HC)

Cite as:<br>arXiv:2605.11344 [cs.HC]

(or<br>arXiv:2605.11344v1 [cs.HC] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2605.11344

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arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

Submission history<br>From: Bryan Min [view email]<br>[v1]<br>Mon, 11 May 2026 23:54:37 UTC (1,460 KB)

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