Some of these slides were excerpted from: Object-Oriented Systems Analysis and Design Joey F. George, Dinesh Batra, Joseph S. Valacich, Jeffrey A. Hoffer Chapter 13: Designing the Human Interface Team-Based Development ISYS 321

What Is a Form? A business document that contains some predefined data and may include some areas where additional data are to be filled in A business document that contains some predefined data and may include some areas where additional data are to be filled in Typically based on a database record or query Typically based on a database record or query

What Is a Report? A business document that contains only predefined data A business document that contains only predefined data A passive document meant only for reading or viewing, not data input A passive document meant only for reading or viewing, not data input Typically contains data from many unrelated transactions or records Typically contains data from many unrelated transactions or records

Visual Basic and other development tools provide computer-aided GUI form and report generation.

A typical form design specification: Based on a use case connection Involves three parts: 1)Narrative overview 2)Sample design 3)Assessment

Grouping, organization, layout, and highlighting are important considerations in form design

Highlighting can include use of upper case, font size differences, bold, italics, underline, boxing, and other approaches.

Business reports are static, no user interaction. Therefore, business reports are often printed in hardcopy form.

Bar and line graphs give pictorial summary information that can enhance reports and graphs.

Interface/Dialogue Design –Layout (of widgets, text, and table data) –Structuring data entry (tab order) –Controlling data input (validation and format controls) –Feedback (prompting, status, warning, and error messages) –Dialogue sequencing

A typical interface/dialogue design specification: Similar to form design, but includes multiple forms and dialogue sequence specifications

Data entry structure is concerned with navigation flow.

Navigation flow should be natural and intuitive to the user, not disjointed and confusing.

Feedback Messages Status information – keep user informed of what’s going on, helpful when user has to wait for response Status information – keep user informed of what’s going on, helpful when user has to wait for response Prompting cues – tell user when input is needed, and how to provide the input Prompting cues – tell user when input is needed, and how to provide the input Warning or Error – informs user that something is wrong, either with data entry or system operation Warning or Error – informs user that something is wrong, either with data entry or system operation

What Is a Dialogue? A sequence of interactions between the system and a user A sequence of interactions between the system and a user Dialogue design involves: Dialogue design involves: –Designing a dialogue sequence –Building a prototype –Assessing usability

Guidelines for Dialogue Design –Consistency –Allow sequence, shortcuts, and reversals in navigation –Frequent feedback –Logical grouping and sequencing of diagrams, with beginning, middle, and end –Comprehensive error handling –Maximize ease and control of use

Dialogue diagrams depict the sequence, conditional branching, and repetition of dialogues.

Recap After studying this chapter we learned to: After studying this chapter we learned to: –Design forms, reports, interfaces, and dialogues. –List and apply accepted guidelines during interface design. –Properly format text, tables, and lists. –Design dialogues using dialogue diagrams.

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