Prototyping Sketches, storyboards, and other prototypes

Project: What’s next? Brainstorm and explore the design space Lots of ideas, even crazy ones Try and explore full design space Choose subset (3-5) for focus Poster: March 12 Overview of project, users, tasks Perhaps requirements, usability goals Several design ideas: Sketches, storyboards, etc. Report and prototype due April 2

Design Artifacts Expressing design ideas: Make it fast!!! Allow lots of flexibility for radically different designs Make it cheap Promote valuable feedback Facilitate iterative design and evaluation

Prototype representation How to represent the prototype? Mockup Storyboard Sketches Scenarios Screenshots Limited functionality GUI interface

Prototype scope How much to represent? Vertical - “Deep” prototyping Show much of the interface, but in a shallow manner Horizontal - “Broad” prototyping Show only portion of interface, but large amount of those portions

Prototype maturation Low fidelity vs. High fidelity Amount of polish should reflect maturity of the prototype Why?

Scenarios Typically narratives, but can be videos, simulations Use to explore errors or exceptions Good for accompanying storyboard or sketches Jane likes to take walks every morning. This morning, as she places her hand on the door, she hears “75% chance of rain, better bring your umbrella.” Thankful for the notice, she grabs her umbrella and heads out for her morning walk.

Storyboard Determine the story A very iterative process through a lot of initial drafts Includes a lot of brainstorming Sketch on pen + paper Generate more polished art for presentation Develop

Use taglines / captions Keep it short: represent your key ideas but nothing more

Drawing is hard… It doesn’t have to be drawings..

Sketches Drawings are also good for unique physical aspects of your system Taken from Builder Bobs team project Summer 04

Mockups / Wireframes Good for brainstorming Focuses people on high-level design notions Not so good for illustrating flow and the details

Paper prototyping “Paper prototyping is a variation of usability testing where representative users perform realistic tasks by interacting with a paper version of the interface that is manipulated by a person ‘playing computer,’ who doesn’t explain how the interface is intended to work.” The "Computer" highlights the item the user has just selected. A member of the development team observes and takes notes. (Photo courtesy of Timo Jokela.) Taken from Paper Prototyping by Carolyn Snyder

Draw/Paint programs Draw each screen, good for look Thin, horizontal prototypePhotoShop, Paint,... IP Address Cancel OK

Simulations Put storyboard-like views down with (animated) transitions between them Can give user very specific script to follow Often called chauffeured prototyping Examples: PowerPoint, Hypercard, Macromedia Director, HTML

Interface Builders Tools for laying out windows, controls, etc. of interface Easy to develop & modify screens Supports type of interface you are developing Good look and feel Can add back-end functionality Examples: Visual Basic,.NET, many apps for various languages

Specialized SILK (Sketching Interfaces Like Krazy) / DENIM Sketch-based GUI builder by James Landay and his former group at UC Berkeley Axure Commercial tool for wireframes

Tutorials & Manuals Create ahead of time to flesh out functionality If it’s difficult to describe, it’s probably difficult to use! Forces designer to be explicit about decisions Putting it on paper is valuable

Prototyping Technique Wizard of Oz - Person simulates and controls system from “behind the curtain” Use prototype interface and interact with users Behavior should be algorithmic Good for simulating system that would be difficult to build

Review Low-fidelity Medium-fidelityHigh-fidelity Sketches, mock-ups Slide shows Simulations System prototypes Scenarios Storyboards

Visual design The “look” of your interface

Role of Graphic Design What someone initially encounters Sets a framework for understanding content

Role of Graphic Design What someone initially encounters Sets a framework for understanding content

Role of Graphic Design What someone initially encounters Sets a framework for understanding content

Graphic Design A comprehensible mental image Appropriate organization of data, functions, tasks and roles High-quality appearances The “look” Effective interaction sequencing The “feel” Classes at UNCC Classes at CPCC

Graphic Design Involves knowledge of: Sequencing Organization Layout Imagery Color Typography

Graphic Design Principles Metaphor Clarity Consistency Alignment Proximity Contrast

Clarity Every element in an interface should have a reason for being there Make that reason clear too! White/open space Leads the eye Provides symmetry and balance Strengthens impact of message Allows eye to rest between elements of activity Used to promote simplicity, elegance, class, refinement

Example Clear, clean appearance Opinion?

Example Does this convey different impressions?

Clarity via “White” Space White = Open

Consistency In layout, color, images, icons, typography, text, … Within screen, across screens Stay within metaphor everywhere Platform may have a style guide Follow it!

Example Home page Content page 1Content page 2

Alignment Western world Start from top left Novices often center things No definition, calm, very formal Grids (Hidden) horizontal and vertical lines to help locate window components Align related things Group items logically

Grids – use them

4a_page2.html?tw=design Layout Grids

From l/print/grids.html Three Column Layout Grids

From l/print/grids.html Symmetry vs. Asymmetry Beware of too much symmetry

Proximity Items close together appear to have a relationship Distance implies no relationship Time: Time

Example Name Addr1 Addr2 City State Phone Fax Name Addr1 Addr2 City State Phone Fax Name Addr1 Addr2 City State Phone Fax

Two-level Hierarchy indentation contrast Grouping by white space Alignment connects visual elements in a sequence Logic of organizational flow Slide from Saul Greenberg

Contrast Pulls you in – set off most important item Guides your eyes around the interface Supports skimming Add focus

Example IBM's Aptiva Communication Center

Example Visual noise

Haphazard layout from mullet & sano

Repairing a Haphazard layout from mullet & sano

Economy of visual elements Minimize number of controls Include only those that are necessary eliminate, or relegate others to secondary windows (but don’t want too many extra windows!) Minimize clutter so information is not hidden

Example Overuse of 3D effects

Color Use for a purpose and sparingly Draw attention, communicate organization, to indicate status, to establish relationships, aid search Use redundant cues Color-blindness Enhances performance Be consistent with color associations from jobs and cultures

How many small ovals?

Now how many small ovals?

Yellow happy, caution, joy Brown warm, fall, dirt, earth Green go, on, safe, envy, lush, pastoral Purple royal, sophisticated, Barney Color Meanings: Contextually Specific Red aggression, love hot, warning, stop, radiation Pink female, cute, cotton candy Orange warm, autumn, Halloween Blue cold, off

Color Meanings: Culturally Specific

Legibility and readability Characters, symbols, graphical elements should be easily noticable and distinguishable Text set in Braggadocio Text set in Helvetica TEXT SET IN CAPITOLS Text set in Times Roman Saul Greenberg U. Calgary

Legibility and readability Proper use of typography 1-2 typefaces (3 max) normal, italics, bold 1-3 sizes max Large Medium Small Large Medium Small Readable Design components to be inviting and attractive Design components to be inviting and attractive Unreadable Design components to be inviting and attractive Design components to be inviting and attractive Saul Greenberg U. Calgary

Remember Form follows function Visual elements should help convey purpose and meaning Be consistent Just like all design – iterate and get feedback!!