Design Process …and understanding users

Agenda Finish history Design process Understanding users

Reminder: history lesson Time User Productivity Batch Command Line WIMP (Windows) 1940s – 1950s 1980s - Present 1960s – 1970s ? ? Interaction has evolved from communication in the language of the computer, to communication in the language of people and their activities

New paradigms?

And the future?

Course ReCap To make you notice interfaces, good and bad – You’ll never look at doors the same way again To help you realize no one gets an interface right on the first try – Yes, even the experts – Design is HARD To teach you tools and techniques to help you iteratively improve your designs – Because you can eventually get it right

What is design? achieving goals within constraints goals - purpose – who is it for, why do they want it constraints – materials, platforms trade-offs

What is a user-centered approach? Early focus on users and tasks: directly studying cognitive, behavioral, & attitudinal characteristics Empirical measurement: users’ reactions and performance to scenarios, manuals, simulations & prototypes are observed, recorded and analysed Iterative design: when problems are found in user testing, fix them and carry out more tests

A simple interaction design model Exemplifies a user-centered design approach

Basic HCI process of design requirements analysis design implement and deploy prototype interviews ethnography what is there vs. what is wanted guidelines principles dialogue notations precise specification architectures documentation help evaluation heuristics scenarios task analysis

ISO 13407

Discussion How would you incorporate HCI design into larger software engineering design frameworks?

Traditional ‘waterfall’ lifecycle Requirements analysis Design Code Test Maintenance

Spiral Lifecycle model From cctr.umkc.edu/~kennethjuwng/spiral.htm

Why is HCI Design Difficult? Difficult to deeply analyze human behavior May be too close to the domain Cost/features may be considered over good human factors Creativity is challenging!

Summary Four basic activities in the design process 1. Identify needs and establish requirements 2. Design potential solutions ((re)-design) 3. Choose between alternatives (evaluate) 4. Build the artefact User-centered design rests on three principles 1. Early focus on users and tasks 2. Empirical measurement using quantifiable & measurable usability criteria 3. Iterative design Lifecycle models show how these are related

Know Thy User You want to know – Who your users are – What they are doing – When they are doing it – Why they are doing it – What tools they are using – How they are using them

Know They User Physical attributes (age, gender, size, reach, visual angles, etc…) Physical work places (table height, sound levels, lighting, software version…) Perceptual abilities (hearing, vision, heat sensitivity…) Cognitive abilities (memory span, reading level, musical training, math…) Personality and social traits (likes, dislikes, preferences, patience…) Cultural and international diversity (languages, dialog box flow, symbols…) Special populations, (dis)abilities

Design implications Consider the implications: FactImplications Users yrsRange of text sizes Range of grip strength Some French speakersMultilingual interface Astronaut usersExtensive training available Military contextAesthetics less of an issue Ruggedness is critical

What are the implications? Young, busy professionals. Product for use in their home/personal lives Busy professionals. Product for use in the office, discretionary use. Range of office workers. Product for us in the office, mandatory use.

Are cultural differences important? 5/21/1960 versus 21/5/1960? – Which should be used for international services and online forms?

Anna, IKEA online agent Designed to be different for UK and US customers What are the differences and which is which? What should Anna’s appearance be like for other countries, like India, South Africa, or China?

Persona Description of user and what user wishes to do Be specific/detailed, even give names and picture Three personas for ATM usage follow – Adapted from User Interface Design and Evaluation, The Open University Developed by Cooper (1999)

Felix (representing teenage ATM users) Felix is 13 and gets pocket money each week. He spends it with his friends, so doesn’t make regular deposits. He does receive gifts for his birthday, Christmas, etc. and saves that money for special purchases, such as a computer games console or trendy clothes. He has an ATM card allowing him to make withdrawals when needed for his purchases.

Sandra (representing young adults thru middle age) Sandra is 30, is married to Jason, has two children Todd(6) and Carly (18 months). They live in a subdivision that is about three miles from the town center, where the bank and stores are located. Jason uses the car for work, and works long hours, leaving at 6:45 am and returning at 8:00 pm. Sandra does not drive, so has to use public transportation. She tries to run errands and shop while Todd is in school, so she only has to take Carly to town with her. She typically needs to make two trips to town each week to get everything done. She uses a stroller with Carly, and the bank is one flight up via escalator, so she prefers to use the ATM outside the first floor, even though there is no canopy to protect customers from bad weather.

Grandpa Marvin (representing middle age to senior citizens) Marvin is 68 years old, and his social security is deposited into his bank account at the start of each month. He goes to the bank every week, withdrawing enough cash for the week - for miscellaneous expenditures. Regular bills are paid by check. He stands in line for a live teller, as he prefers the social interaction to using an ATM, even though his new artificial hip makes standing in line uncomfortable. He does not have an ATM card.

Example: bus stop kiosk Make a persona

Assignment: Make a Persona Due Monday, Sept. 8 One paragraph – like examples in class, with good details Make it clear what your project topic or idea is Turn in on Wiki by class time on Sept. 8

Next Wednesday More project details Project topic brainstorming Group formation Design inspiration