EvolveUI: User Interfaces that Evolve with User Proficiency

Recent studies have highlighted the challenges low-literacy users face with complex user interfaces, often preventing them from utilizing essential smartphone applications for an improved quality of life. This paper introduces the EvolveUI design approach that diverges from conventional interface design by evolving in complexity alongside a user's growing proficiency. Initially presenting a single navigation point to simplify interaction, EvolveUI systematically expands, introducing more features and navigation points as users become more adept at interacting with the interface. We build upon previous adaptive user interface research by uniquely focusing on expanding functionality based on user proficiency, offering a tailored experience that aligns with individual learning curves. By conceptualizing the interface as a dynamically expanding hierarchy, starting as a minimalist "tree" and unfolding into a more complex structure, EvolveUI facilitates a more accessible and engaging user experience. Our study compares this evolving interface approach with conventional designs through usability tests on a mobile health application, demonstrating EvolveUI's potential to enhance technology accessibility for low-literacy users and suggesting new directions for inclusive design practices.