More TCUID: Tasks, Scenarios, and the Design Process

Objectives for today Review project deliverables for next week Continue working through TCUID Elaborate; relate to other approaches Try out some techniques

Deliverables for Next Week User Visit Report Task Analysis 5 Tasks 2 Scenarios based on current methods

User Visit Report Summary of the process you carried out A user description – relevant user characteristics you are considering in your design. expected range of computer and internet experience use environment special user concerns or motivations … what users do today to fulfill the needs that your project aims to satisfy in a new way

Other Stuff To Include Anything else you learned from the user visit not already covered How effective was your process Lessons learned – what you’d do different in the future Any information you could not gather, along with either (a) plans for how you will get it or (b) how you’ll continue without it Any changes in your conception of the project

Section Talks Come prepared to spend 8-10 minutes talking with several other teams about your results.

Task Analysis Descriptions of at least five (TCUID) tasks that users would accomplish with your prototype For each task description who are the users what are they doing why are they doing it At least three should be general tasks that users accomplish today Detailed enough for users to understand and comment on Not tied to a specific interface

Current Usage Scenarios For two of the tasks, provide a detailed scenario explaining how users accomplish that task today These scenarios may involve computer software, paper, or other devices, in any combination

Quick Review of Tasks

Tasks A detailed description of a complete job that a specific user wants to accomplish Doesn’t specify how they would do the job – separate the What from the How; concentrate on the What

Using tasks Set goals for system functionality Inform design decisions Thomas: “Let’s add this cool new feature!!!” Sharon: “Why? Which task does it support?” Compare design alternatives

From Task to Design Write-up tasks, circulate among users clarify missing details Mock up an interface, using existing systems or designs where possible Sketch out how each task would be accomplished in the interface, then develop scenarios

Sample Task Rita Neus, the on-line production coordinator for the paper sits down at 1:30 AM before going home for the night, and Selects the stories stokeef.xy, stguns.xy, stvet.xy, stwres.xy, stcomp.sy (in that order) for the “news” section of the website. She decides that stvet.xy should be the lead story She realizes that stwres.xy is actually a sports story and moves it to that department.

Sample Task Dr. Schafer, head of the search committee, is in charge of setting up the schedule for the campus visit of a job candidate (Sal Lammy) on February 7th. He schedules time to take the candidate to lunch, and dinner. 3:30-4:30 PM for the candidate’s research talk. 4:30-5:30 for the “wine and cheese reception.” A 90-minute block for a campus tour which ends with a meeting with the Dean (check with the Dean on availability). He contacts the other members of the department and allows them to schedule 30 minute meetings with the candidate for any time slot not yet taken and to join meals.

Exercise Consider the general task of voting A voter chooses one (or more) candidate from a set of candidates for a particular office In a given election, voters may have to make choices for multiple offices

Exercise – Part 2 Now consider tasks Write 2 task descriptions Who are the users? What are they trying to do?

Some example “tasks” Casting a vote Changing a vote Casting a ballot Counting votes Recounting votes

A better task description Mary Lee Rollalong gets a ballot. She votes for: Jay Walker for Mayor Krystal Ball, Moe Cotton and Jim Lawless for City Council Bob Shotwell for Sheriff She then realizes she can only vote for two city council members and so she “unvotes” for Moe Cotton She submits her ballot.

Scenarios Specific instances of system use From the what to the how A particular task A particular interface What the user do would, in detail enough detail for a user to complete without task knowledge

Example Scenario Open two command prompt windows. In window #1 type “ls –l” In window #2 type “pico news.ord” Type the following items one per line “stokeef.xy” “stguns.xy” “stvet.xy” “stwres.xy” “stcomp.sy”.

Example Scenario Using the cursor keys, move the cursor after the y in the line reading “stvet.xy”. Type “>lead”. Using the cursor keys, move the cursor to the line reading “stwres.xy” Press ctrl-k to delete this line. Press “ctrl-x” followed by “y” to save this file. Type “pico sports.ord” At the end of this file type “stwres.xy”

Scenarios aren’t always computer related Obtain a paper copy of the “visitor schedule” sheet from the secretary. In the “who” field write “Sal Lammy.” In the “when” field write “February 7th.” In the “why” field” write “job interview.” Draw a box around the fields for 12:00 and 12:30. Inside this box write “Lunch with Li and others.” Draw a box around the fields for 6:00-8:00. Inside this box write “Dinner with Schafer and others.” … Pick up the phone and dial 3-1234. Find out what time in the morning the Dean would like to meet the candidate. Draw a box around the time field suggested by the Dean and the hour prior to this. Label the box “tour and visit with Dean.”

Properties of Scenarios Interface-dependent Detail appropriate to user, task, interface Make certain issues obvious how components work together tricky parts of the interface First step in evaluation

Exercise Take a look at myUNIverse.uni.edu Define 3 tasks students might try to accomplish with the site Remember what tasks are used for Pick one of those taks and write a scenario given myUNIverse