Today Next time  Interaction Reading: ID – Ch 2 Interaction  Introduction to HCI & Interaction Design Reading: ID – Ch. 1 CS 321 Human-Computer Interaction

 Why is it so difficult to create a schedule on Student Information System (SIS)? SMITH, JOHN E

The System’s Work Model does not fit the User’s Work Model  Any system forces a specific way for tasks to be done  System’s Work Model  Every user has an understanding of how a task should be done  Conceptual Model, Mental Model  For applications like the SIS the system’s model is hard to understand and work with because it makes no sense in terms of the work being done.  Causes errors, non-use

What is Design?  Design is a creative activity of making artifacts that are usable for a specific purpose.  Software Engineer  Software is reliable, robust, and maintainable  Software Designer  Software fits the user’s overall activities, enhances productivity, and produces a satisfying experience (Enjoyable!)

User’s Task Model vs. Engineer’s Model  User’s task model A representation of the user’s conceptual model  Main Goal: Make the Engineer’s model invisible to the user.  Engineer’s model Underlying implementation Linkages

From the Interface Hall of Shame The program, Woodworkers Estimate Helper provides a classical example of geekspeak. The program is “designed for woodworkers and cabinet makers”, and purports to assist in the process of calculating price quotes for their projects. Unfortunately the program uses such programming terminology as “Databases”, “Records”, and, if the user attempts to enter a duplicate part name, presents the message “Key Validation Error”. While we do not mean to disparage any woodworkers, we can quite confidently state that the typical woodworker has essentially no practical understanding of such terms, nor should they be required to. Is it any wonder that many new users are intimidated by computers?

System Centered vs. Customer Centered Design  System Centered Design  Focuses on organizing the functionality of the system  Customer Centered Design  Focuses on the customer’s conceptual model  Participatory Design, User-Centered Design, Human-Centered Design

Customer Centered Design Interject the designer in the user’s world and the user in the designer’s world to develop a shared conceptual model

Contextual Design (CD)  Gather data from multiple users  Design depends on seeing the implications of the data  Design begins with a creative leap from customer data to implications for design and from implications to ideas for specific features  Abstract data into a common model

Steps in Contextual Design  Contextual Inquiry  Work Modeling  Consolidation  User Environment Design  Interface Design and Prototyping  Work Redesign

Step 1 - Contextual Inquiry  Gather Data  Observation  Interview  Participation  “Shadowing”  Learn User’s Vocabulary  Gather Artifacts  Gain an understanding of the user

Step 2 – Work Modeling  Concrete Representations  User’s activities  Context of the work  Team Interpretation Sessions  Shared understanding

Step 3 - Consolidation  Look across multiple users  Common practices  Divergent practices  Inductive Process  Going from a few to a large population

Step 4 – Work Redesign  Don’t just automate  Look for places to improve  Visioning  Brainstorming sessions  Creative process

Step 5 – User Environment Design  Explicit representation of the system work model  “Blue Print” for the User Interface Design

Step 6 – Interface Design & Prototyping  Paper Prototyping  Lo-fidelity prototype  Communicate design with the user