Wizard-of-Oz

A research methodology where participants interact with what they believe is an autonomous system, but a human "wizard" is secretly operating it behind the scenes. Named after the 1939 film, this technique is commonly used in accessibility and HCI research to test interface concepts before the underlying technology is fully developed. For example, researchers studying sign language dictionary search used Wizard-of-Oz prototypes to control search results, allowing them to investigate how recognition accuracy affects user satisfaction without building a complete recognition system. The method enables rapid prototyping and helps establish requirements for future technology development.