1. Z556 Systems Analysis & Design
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Session 7

2. Artifacts
Artifacts are tangible things people create or use to help them get their work done
An artifact reveals
the assumptions
concepts
strategy
structure
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3. Artifacts Artifacts might be: To-do lists Forms Spreadsheets
Physical objects under construction (e.g., a paper-based project management poster on a wall)
Any other example?
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4. Artifacts Artifacts: Pay attention to how people use artifacts
are manipulated in the sequence models
are passed between people in the flow model
Pay attention to how people use artifacts
E.g., any notes on the form?
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5. Artifact Model
An artifact model is a drawing or photocopy of the artifact (see B&H p. 105)
Information presented by the object
Parts of the object
Structure of the parts
Annotations, e.g., any handwriting?
Presentation, e.g., shape, layout, etc.
Usage, e.g., when created, how used, etc.
Breakdowns
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6. Artifact Model: Information Content
The content of an artifact tells us the story of a part of the work by:
How the content was put in
How it was used
Who used it
Exercise: Find out how your classmate records a next group meeting in a personal
calendar
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7. Artifact Model Example
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8. Culture
Culture defines expectations, desires, policies, values, and the whole approach people take to their work
Cultural context: the mindset that people operate within and that plays a part in everything they do
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9. Cultural Context Issues of cultural context Not concrete Not technical
Not represented in an artifact
Not written on a wall
Not observable in a single action
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10. Influence of Culture: Tone?
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Pixar HQ

11. Influence of Culture Policies What are the polices people follow?
How are policies recorded?
Are there policy manuals? Are they used? (cf., artifact model)
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12. Influence of Culture Organizational influence
Are there organizations, individuals, or job functions that keep showing up, either as troublesome or helpful?
What are the organizations or job functions that always seem to get in the way?
Listen to how people talk about others
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13. Making Culture Tangible
Cultural model provides a tangible representation (see p. 113 & 114 in B&H) of decision makers
In a cultural model, we represent:
Influencers (people, organizations, and groups)
Influences
Problems/breakdowns
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14. Cultural Model
From Contextual Design, page 109
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15. Cultural Model Rules (B&H p. 109-110)
Influencers are shown as large bubbles
Bubbles sit on one another, showing how one org forces another to take or not take actions
Influences are shown as arrows piercing the bubbles with labels
Label with language representing the experience of the people doing the work
Breakdowns with the culture are marked with a lightning bolt
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16. Cultural Model: Example 1
We require adequate time to do our tasks, and will need more paid time to update a website or blog
Owner
I need a site that will:
process purchases
provide store info
search functionality
blog
Bikesmith
Employees
We need good advice,
friendliness, and conversation
We are interested in helping
you solve complex technology problems
with simple, easy-to-use tools
Tec
Who makes decisions?
We don’t believe in “product pushing”
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I need simple solutions
We don’t know the
Technology, but are
interested in learning
Customers
Technology Vendors
(GoDaddy.com, Drupal)

17. Cultural Model: Example 1
Biking Community
Open, honest, free with information. We want friendliness,
Trustworthiness, and community.
Bike Supply Vendors
We require adequate time to do our tasks, and will need more paid time to update a website or blog
Owner
I need a site that will:
process purchases
provide store info
search functionality
blog
Bikesmith
Employees
We need good advice,
friendliness, and conversation
We are interested in helping
you solve complex technology problems
with simple, easy-to-use tools
Tec
Who makes decisions?
We don’t believe in “product pushing”
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I need simple solutions
We don’t know the
Technology, but are
interested in learning
Customers
Technology Vendors
(GoDaddy.com, Drupal)

18. Cultural Model: Example 2
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19. Cultural Model Cultural model =\ organization charts
Individual managers appear only they are charismatic figures
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20. Physical Environment PE: How people move
How the space supports or hinders communication
Location of the tools people use (hardware, networks, machines) to do work
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21. Impact of the Physical Environment
Organization of Space
Division of Space
Grouping of People
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22. Observe the Physical Space
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23. Impact of the Physical Environment
Organization of Workplaces
How are the individual stations, offices, or work areas organized?
What is kept out, ready to hand, and available?
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24. Observe the Physical Space
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25. Impact of the Physical Environment
Movement
When do people move?
What triggers them to leave one place to go to another?
Understanding why the movement happens  help you decide whether it makes more sent to support it better or eliminate it
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26. Physical Model
From Rapid Contextual Design, page 138
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27. Physical Model (B&H ,p. 117)
The places in which work occurs (e.g., room, workstations, offices, hallways)
The physical structures that constraints the space (e.g., desks, file cabinets, dividers)
The usages and movement within the space that indicate strategies, intents, and cultural values
The hardware, software, communication lines, and other tools (e.g., printers, post-its, phone)
The artifacts that people use (e.g., to-do lists, piles of stuff, bills, spreadsheets)
The layout of the tools, artifacts, furniture, and walls
Breakdowns
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28. Physical Model Physical model =\ a floor plan for the work site
An inventory of the computer room
Show detail unrelated to the project focus
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29. Example of Physical Model
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30. https://wiki.mozilla.org/Bugzilla:CMU_HCI_Research_2008
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31. Consolidated Physical Model
Pitfalls
Not taking the physical environment seriously
E.g., if people don’t have printers by their desks, don’t build a system that requires frequent trips to the printer
E.g., If your users walk around all the time, don’t try to tie them to a desk by giving them a product that only runs on a desktop
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32. Five Work Models Different models reveal different aspects of work
Seeing how users work drives design
Later on, consolidate individual models
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33. A Rich Picture (Monk & Howard)
A graphic representation that identifies primary stakeholders, their interrelationships, and their concerns
A tool to record the work context and to articulate how they should affect the design
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34. A Rich Picture (Monk & Howard)
Structure
Refers to aspects of the work context that are slow to change (e.g., ???)
Process
Refers to the transformation that occur in the process of the work
Concerns
Issues, problems, breakdowns (represented by thought bubbles)
Tensions
Tensions between stakeholders should be identified by the “crossed swords” icon
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35. Rich Picture: Example http://studysoftwareengineering.wordpress.com/
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36. A Rich Picture (Monk & Howard)
In participatory design
Brainstorming
Storyboarding
Paper-based prototyping
In lightweight usability methods
Need to prepare prototypes & scenarios
Note: no single technique is capable of capturing full diversity of the work process
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37. Exercise
Create a cultural model based on the case of Karen’s situation in the Natural Best Health Food Stores.
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