Today: ID Chapter 9 – Process of Interaction Design

Who is better qualified to provide creative design ideas?  Designers who keep a distance from their customers’ current approach.  Designers who are immersed in the culture of their customers. Apple’s iPod MP3 players required limited- capacity flash memory or space-consuming hard drives, but Apple decided to use a 1.8” hard disk. Hard-disk players had historically complicated hardware interfaces, but Apple developed a simple 5- button/scroll-wheel interface.

eBay On-line purchasing provides the means to equalize the marketplace, preventing insiders from getting better prices than regular buyers. Provide regular sellers a mechanism for performing on-line yard sales. VisiCalc Maintain the spreadsheet metaphor from paper versions in an automated version that would simplify calculations. WordPerfect After observing common practices of secretaries using typewriters, efforts were made to automate the process, ultimately with a WYSIWYG interface.

Once a design team has developed a consolidated work model, it needs to develop a vision of a new work practice based upon the issues that were revealed. Ideas are examined in detail… Does the data support one model over another? How would each idea impact day-to-day operations? How well does each idea support the design goals? Which idea works best for the particular set of users? Work Redesign

Information Provider -Organize Info For Presentation -Develop Examples -Determine Emphasis -Respond To Questions -Interactively Discuss Material Student Evaluator -Prepare Assignments/Exams -Grade Coursework -Return Evaluated Material -Discuss Performance w/Students -Suggest Means Of Improvement Redundant Data Entry: Assignment values and grading scale are on both syllabus and spreadsheet Movement Between Roles: Exam reviews to support transition between info provider and student evaluator Consistent Interfaces For Different Roles: Info provider uses PowerPoint course notes; Student evaluator uses graded hard copies and progress reports Context Saving When Interrupted: Quiz before lecture: when should lecture start? Quiz after lecture: when should lecture end? Using a Consolidated Flow Model: Role Switching Example: Instructor Roles When the user’s work requires switching between multiple roles, can the planned software assist in streamlining the work process? “Who”

Department Chair Roles Instructor Are there software solutions to support individuals who must juggle multiple roles? FacultyMentorSchoolOfficial CourseScheduler BudgetManager StaffDirector AcademicAdvisor CareerCounselor PersonnelOfficer PublicRelations EquipmentPurchaser Using a Consolidated Flow Model: Role Strain

When roles are shared, look for common ways to help everyone, as well as unique ways to help individuals. Instructor -Check Whether Students Have Prereqs -Retrieve Class Roster -Authorize Additions To Roster -Submit Final Course Grades Advisor -Check Whether Students Have Prereqs -Check Students’ Graduation Requirements -Enroll Students In Classes -Authorize Additions To Schedules -Monitor Student Grades Registrar -Activate Student Enrollment -Process Course Adds & Drops -Enter Final Course Grades -Formally Process Graduation Bursar -Monitor Registration Status -Process Refunds For Early Withdrawals -Bill Student -Process Payments -Process Financial Aid Using a Consolidated Flow Model: Role Sharing

While jobs might be separated among many individuals, coordination might be critical. Lecturer -Lectures -Examples -Quizzes -Take-Home Programs -Exams -Homeworks Lab Instructor -Lab Programs -Intro Explanations -Examples -In-Lab Questions Grader -Quizzes -Homeworks -Lab Programs -Take-Home Programs -Exams Using a Consolidated Flow Model: Role Isolation

Equipment vendor Corporation User department Problem- handling agencies User Operator System manager group Remote system management Coworker Using a Consolidated Cultural Model Help line Expert support System manager I thought you would do it Cover for me Don’t do that procedure - I’m the expert I forget to follow the procedure Train me, and I’m gone Cover me during your daytime Coordinate during my work hours We are slow to process I’m new; help me out We should do things differently Figure out problems yourself No time for training Lose my data, lose your job Don’t sacrifice my features to standardization Registering our systems costs too much Track your time because I pay for it Set up software our way Keeping records is too hard - we’ll just throw out the equipment Reduce staff and budget, or if you need it, buy it Simplify the configuration you support Keep careful equipment records Use your hiring slots or lose them Keep confidential information secure Can’t afford the time to train people Change your usage to fit our management needs We will help you even when it’s not our job Be responsible for your actions You get the reliability you pay for Set up your systems my way for my convenience Friction due to role isolation and subversion of power Pay lots for my equipment I know tricks and won’t tell I won’t report progress of ongoing problems Using the latest version fixes all problems Latest version is too unstable to use Unresponsive and unrealistic I’ll find a way around the rules I’ll set up my system my own way Don’t touch my system when I’m not there “ How ”

Using a Consolidated Physical Model Printers range from convenient (for rarely used printer) to inconvenient (for commonly used printer) Potentially cramped working space Underutilized but remote space Convenient for co- workers, but not as convenient for worker “ Where ”

Using a Consolidated Sequence Model What is the primary intent of an activity? Is it worth doing? If so, can some steps be eliminated or automated? Would different triggers work for different users? The sequence model is designed to reveal the structure of the work: Intents Triggers Activities Strategies “ When ”

Using a Consolidated Artifact Model The artifact model is designed to reveal the structure and intent of the objects used in the work. Are there ways to put artifacts (e.g., forms, records) on-line? What does the structure of the artifacts reveal about the strategies used in the work? Can the intent of the artifact’s presentation be duplicated without duplicating all of its details?

ISO 13407: User-Centered Design Lifecycle Model This international standard for software design stresses the importance of context, user requirements, prototyping, and usability testing.