Creating User Interfaces (Catch-up XML?) CMS, Usability checklist reports Preparation for user observation studies Blogs, Social Spaces, etc. Homework: try government site

Usability and CMS Reports Discussion

Usability Methods: Cognitive Walkthrough is an approach to evaluating an interface based on breaking down and analyzing actions that a user must perform in order to use the system or perform a task.Cognitive Walkthrough Focus Groups gather groups of users to get their feedback, initial reactions to a design, and discuss their preferences. Focus groups can be useful for raising issues that may not come out during interviews.Focus Groups GOMS is a family of techniques for modeling and describing human task performance. GOMS is an acronym that stands for Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection Rules.GOMS

Methods, cont. Prototyping involves developing representations of a system for testing purposes and can range from simple sketches to almost fully functional systems.Prototyping Task Analysis evaluates how the end-user actually uses software or websites. An analyst determines the user goals and tasks, then makes recommendations aimed at increasing efficiency and user-friendliness.Task Analysis Usability Inspection reviews a system based on a set of usability guidelines. Experts familiar with issues of usability in design perform the usability inspection.Usability Inspection User Testing observes actual users interacting with software or websites. Users are asked to perform tasks while usability experts observe and take note of their actions.User Testing

Comment Usability can't be 'tested in'. That is, you don't build something and then do a check and sprinkle in usability…. Vocabulary check and organizational knowledge check can be done (and re- done)

Usability evaluation Effective, efficient, satisfactory What are the critical tasks to be done? What is acceptable level of performance? Measure satisfaction –Ask…ask what? –Return to site (may be easy to check) –In some cases, contribute money (easy to check) –Spread the word (may or may not be verifiable)

Observation studies Decide on application (site) Select tasks (2-4) Determine categories of users (e.g., novice and experienced) Decide on metrics: time, clicks, asking for help,? Your observation plus –Ask subject how they would compare using this application to other similar ones Compose short set of questions Refer to previous methods or other places for help

Possible sites Retail –Tasks: pricing (not quite buying) Bank, Finance –Determining balance, status of bill payments, last contribution Government ?

Survey question ideas Was this easy, hard, or in the middle? What was good about this application? What was bad? Name another site (application) that is better. ???

Families of applications Blogs Social networking –Facebook, MySpace, other –Twitter –barackobama.com –Youtube –? Fixed structure providing spaces for individuality Complement to other applications

Default settings … are important design point in many situations Default vs model –For example, SS#: Blog themes (colors and layout) Privacy: access to profile

Online Privacy Defaults study Compared Facebook, MySpace and StudiVZ Different defaults and practices –Facebook: open to all in networks –MySpace, StudiVZ: open to everyone StudiVZ leads new users through settings Most users keep defaults and most of those admit/claim they may not be using settings appropriately.

Expectations Legal concept (my words) A business / organization has the right to manage resources how ever they want, e.g., phone, computers, , network, but employees have expectation of privacy UNLESS organization actively publicizes other policies. –You can and must be told if your /computer can be examined.

Class exercise recovery.gov Continues web based practices of Obama campaign (and also Obama's first legislation as senator) What are objectives? Who are users? Still early, but what is your assessment?

Classwork/Homework Government sites Find the site of an elected representative –Evaluate how easy it is to determine Position on specific issue When he/she will be speaking General services ? Caution: find official site not campaign site johnhall.house.gov NOT