Requirements, cont. …and a word on Ethics

Project Part 1: Requirements Gather data using one or more techniques Learn about environment, users, tasks, constraints Choose key functional and nonfunctional requirements Write it all up Notes: – Do NOT describe what you want to build (but you should look at competing or similar systems) – DO focus on the people and their activities – DO send us drafts before deadline for comments

Project Management Set REGULAR weekly meeting times and stick with it Take meeting minutes and post on Wiki Keep your plan updated as you go Set EARLY deadlines for report pieces so you can get feedback Let group members know if something comes up

Project Plan Must post on Wiki 2 weeks prior to project deadline List project duties, general team duties, and any penalties the group decides upon Update as needed

Review User characteristics and stakeholders Environment – physical, social, technical Usability goals and measures Any other constraints

Reminder: gathering techniques 1. Observation 2. Thinking Out Loud & Cooperative Evaluation 3. Interviews 4. Questionnaires 5. Focus groups 6. Study Documentation 7. Look at competitive products

Process Gather data – Interviews, observation, surveys/questionnaires, documentation, immersion Organize data – Notes, cards, brainstorming, computer tools Represent data – Lists, outlines, matrices – Narratives – Hierarchies, Networks, Flow charts

Describing requirements activities Narratives Personas Scenarios Task Analysis & other task descriptions – …next lecture

Scenario Describe tasks and context in sentences, as a story Natural way of describing general idea Not effective for – details – branching tasks – parallel tasks GREAT as introduction to diagrams or outlines

Scenario: Example 1 Its Friday afternoon and John just got paid. He wants to deposit his check immediately so he can pay his rent. He stops at one branch of his bank on the way home from work. He waits in his car while another person finishes using the ATM in front of the bank since it is drizzling outside. He walks up to the ATM to deposit his check. Only, as he is about to put the check into the envelope at the ATM, he realizes that he has not signed the back of it, and he has no pen and can not find one on or near the ATM machine. He cancels the transaction on the ATM, and enters the bank, which luckily is still open for 5 more minutes. He goes to the counter, finds a pen, and signs his check. He also fills out a deposit slip. He then waits to see a teller in person to deposit his check, and get money for the weekend.

Scenario: Example 2 Annie walks up to the ATM to deposit her weekly pay check. She puts her ATM card into the slot in the machine. She then enters her PIN number quickly, trying to block the person waiting behind her from viewing the keypad, and knows that she does not have to press “Enter” at this particular machine. She then chooses “Deposit” and “Check.” She enters the amount of the check using the keypad, then takes an envelope from the ATM machine, puts her check inside, seals the envelope and writes the amount of the check on the outside. She feeds the envelope into the slot into the ATM machine. She then selects “No other transactions” to finish, and waits to receive her receipt and ATM card.

Examples Registering for classes

Scenario advice Start with set of activities you want to talk about, create a story Add context and details, enough to make sense Beware of making a persona Beware of it turning into marketing – “John wished he could have our new and fantastic system to…”

Next Assignment Create a scenario of CURRENT activity Due next Monday Think about your project topic Confer with teammates DO NOT write a story about your new interface, stick with what currently happens, even if no technology is involved.

Working with People Issues of rights, respect, ethics YOU will be observing and talking to people to: – Gather requirements – Get initial design feedback – Perform evaluations of your design Important to be professional with any interaction with potential users

Why an issue? Usability testing can be arduous; privacy is important Each person should know and understand what they are participating in: – what to expect, time commitments – what the potential risks are – how their information will be used Must be able to stop without danger or penalty All participants to be treated with respect

Consent Why important? – People can be sensitive about this process and issues – Errors will likely be made, participant may feel inadequate – May be mentally or physically strenuous What are the potential risks (there are always risks)? – Examples? “Vulnerable” populations need special care & consideration – Children; disabled; pregnant; students (why?)

IRB, Participants, & Ethics Institutional Review Board (IRB) Federal law governs procedures Reviews all research involving human (or animal) participants Safeguarding the participants, and thereby the researcher and university Not a science review (i.e., not to asess your research ideas); only safety & ethics

UNCC On-line tutorial Guidelines Consent procedures and template forms Protocol application forms Ethics certification – Standardized training to ensure everyone understands the issues