1. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 1 INF385P – Intro to Usability Week 3 – Usability Life Cycle

2. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i Course web site... http://courses.ischool.utexas.edu/Bias_R andolph/2011/Spring/385P/index.htmlhttp://courses.ischool.utexas.edu/Bias_R andolph/2011/Spring/385P/index.html Thanks, Jessica. 2

3. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 3 Design of Everyday Things It ain’t rocket science. You’ve already read the book. Let me hit just the high points from my point of view While I’m presenting this, see if you can characterize your good and bad web designs that you’ve discovered this week in Norman’s terms.

4. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 4 Chapter 1 The PsychoPATHOLOGY of everyday things Assumption: We blame ourselves for errors, but the real culprit is faulty design. Assumption: There’s nothing special about computers. They have the same sorts of design problems as simpler, everyday things.

5. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 5 Good Design Well designed objects... –are easy for the mind to understand –contain visible cues to their operation Poorly designed objects... –provide no clues, or –provide false clues.

6. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 6 Natural Signals Natural signals lead to natural design. A metal plate “naturally” is to be pushed. Visible hinges “naturally” indicate attachment, and that the other side swings open. (And swings open TOWARD me?)

7. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 7 Mapping Mapping is a relationship between two things (e.g., between what you want to do and what is possible). Good design allows for a clear (visible) mapping between... –intended actions and –actual operations. Now -- think of what this might mean in a web site.

8. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 8 Good Design Principles of good design –the importance of visibility –appropriate clues –feedback of ones actions. Just so you’ll know -- others have proposed OTHER principles of good design. Go check out the web site of Bruce Tognazzini: http://www.asktog.com/basics/firstPrinciples.html

9. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 9 Affordance Affordance is the perceived and actual properties of a thing. –Primarily those fundamental properties that determine how a thing could possibly be used. –“Affords” means, basically, “is for.” –A chair affords support, therefore affords sitting. Affordances provide strong clues to things’ operations. When affordances are taken advantage of, the user knows what to do just by looking. –No label, picture, or instruction (“Push”) is required. When simple things need pictures, labels, or instructions, the design has failed.

10. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 10 The Paradox of Technology –Added functionality generally comes along at the price of added complexity. –The same technology that simplifies life by providing more functions also complicates life by making the device harder to learn and use. –The Paradox of Technology should never be used as an excuse for poor design. –Added complexity cannot be avoided when functions are added, but with clever design they can be minimized.

11. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 11 Chapter 2 -- Psy of Everyday Actions Norman’s credo on errors -- if an error is possible, someone will make it. The designer must design so as to: –minimize the chance of errors in the first place –minimize the effects of an error –make errors easy to detect –make errors reversible, if possible.

12. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 12 Models Mental Models = our conceptual models of the way... –objects work –events take place –people behave Mental models result from our tendency to form explanation of things. Models are essential in helping us... –understand our experiences –predict the outcomes of our actions –handle unexpected occurrences.

13. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 13 Models (cont’d.) We base our models on whatever knowledge we have: –real or imaginary –naïve or sophisticated –even fragmentary evidence. Everyone forms theories (mental models) to explain what they have observed. In the absence of feedback to the contrary, people are free to let their imaginations run free. More on models in Chapter 3.

14. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 14 7 Stages of Action On p. 47 is a series of four figures that illustrate Norman’s view of the structure of action. Actions have two major aspects: 1.Doing something (execution) 2.Checking (evaluation)

15. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 15 Chapter 3 - Knowledge in the Head and in the World Not all knowledge required for precise behavior must be in the head. It can be distributed: –partly in the head –partly in the world –partly in the constraints of the world.

16. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 16 Constraints The power of constraints -- the “memory” for epic poetry is found to be mostly reconstruction, with the aid of the constraints of rhyme, meter, etc. We use constraints to simplify what we must remember. For example, putting mechanical parts together. –Some are constrained by what will and will not fit together. –Also cultural constraints -- screws tighten clockwise.

17. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 17 Memory... is knowledge in the head. Think of all you can remember. Phone numbers, postal codes, passwords, SSN, birthdays, etc., etc. It’s tough! –So, we put memory in the world. (Daytimers. Smartphones. Address books. Stickies.)

18. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 18 Tradeoff...... between info in the world and in the head. –Knowledge in the world acts as its own reminder. –Knowledge in the head is efficient. (You can travel light.) –Knowledge in the world is easier (no learn time), but often difficult to use. Relies heavily on the physical presence of info. See Fig. 3.6, p. 79.

19. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 19 Ch. 4 -- Knowing what to do When we encounter a novel object, either –We’ve dealt with something similar before, and we transfer old knowledge, or –We get instruction. Thus, information in the head.

20. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 20 Design How can the design of an object (NOTE: info in the world) signal the appropriate actions? –Natural (physical) constraints –Affordances, that convey messages about the item’s possible uses, actions, and functions “The thoughtful uses of affordances and constraints together in design lets a user determine readily the proper course of action even in a novel situation.”

21. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 21 Ch. 5 - To err is human Errors come in several forms –Slips -- result from automatic behavior, when subconscious actions get waylaid en route (“performance errors”) –Mistakes -- result from conscious deliberations (“competence errors”)

22. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 22 Ch. 6 -- The Design Challenge Norman talks about what forces work against evolutionary, or natural design (pp. 142-143). –The demands of time (quick product cycles) –The pressure to be distinctive (related to the curse of individuality)

23. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 23 Pitfalls Three reasons why designers go astray: 1.Putting aesthetics first 2.Designers aren’t typical users 3.Designers’ clients may not be the users

24. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 24 Ch. 7 - UCD Chapter 7 is the “punch line” of the whole book. User-Centered Design Most of the chapter is given over to describing “seven principles for transforming difficult tasks into simple ones.”

25. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 25 Etc. He goes on to offer a section on why you might want to design something to be hard to use ON PURPOSE. And he ends with a few sections on writing, the home of the future, and a concluding section.

26. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 26 Now... Let’s try to put it in Norman’s terms why the good designs were good and the bad designs were bad. (“Some important feature was, or was not, visible.”)

27. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i Homework – Now remember, WHY are we looking at these? For the yucks? 27 http://courses.ischool.utexas.edu/Bias_Randolph/2011/Spr ing/385P/design_examples.html

28. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i General, kinda, process flow Someone has an idea for a product/site. –Maybe there was a problem that needs to be fixed, or an identified efficiency Gotta figure out WHAT to build – Gather user requirements Build something – Scientific underpinnings, Design support Don’t be satisified with the first design – employ iterative design approach -- Evaluation Don’t just thrown your findings “over the transom” -- Advocacy 28

29. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 29 User Profiles Or “personas.” From www.uxmatters.com: “In the UX world, we know the value of personas. Personas do all of this for us:www.uxmatters.com –They lend a personal face to our user population. –They provide guidance for design. –They help us understand who it is we are designing for. –They fill in for users when you can’t—or it isn’t practical to—talk to them.

30. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 30 Some resources http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2009/0 9/whats-my-persona-developing-a-deep-and- dimensioned-character.phphttp://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2009/0 9/whats-my-persona-developing-a-deep-and- dimensioned-character.php Building A Data-backed Persona by Andrea Wiggins, boxesandarrows.comBuilding A Data-backed Persona –http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/building-a- datahttp://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/building-a- data Getting Started with Building Personas by Howard Kaplan, FutureNow Inc.Getting Started with Building Personas –http://www.futurenowinc.com/resources/FutureNow _Getting_Started_with_Building_Personas.pdf

31. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 31 Not just demographics BUT ALSO –Knowledge –Interests –Goals –Activities –Expectations –Influencers –Frustrations –Pain points

32. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 32 Checklist for creating personas From “Personas: Focusing on getting the design right – Part 1” by: Fiona Meighan http://www.apogeehk.com/articles/Personas_Focusing_on_getting_t he_design_right_Part1.html –Find out about user goals through interviews and observing real end users –Ensure personas are created based on primary data you've collected –Ensure personas are specific –Include the key user goals only –Ensure each persona has a name, age, family and occupation. –The persona data should provide enough information for decisions to be made and feature creep to be avoided. –Design for a primary persona and possibly a secondary persona. The goal is to narrow down who your team is designing for

33. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i General resources http://courses.ischool.utexas.edu/Bias_Randolph/2010 /Fall/INF385P/index.htmlhttp://courses.ischool.utexas.edu/Bias_Randolph/2010 /Fall/INF385P/index.html www.useit.com http://www.usability.gov/ http://www.upassoc.org/ and http://www.upassoc.org/usability_resources/index.htmlhttp://www.upassoc.org/ http://www.upassoc.org/usability_resources/index.html http://www.stcsig.org/usability/ http://www.hfes.org/web/Default.aspx http://www.sigchi.org/ http://hcibib.org/ You’ll find others! 33

34. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i Class wiki (template)... http://courses.ischool.utexas.edu/rbias/wi ki/http://courses.ischool.utexas.edu/rbias/wi ki/ Username: seven Password: plusorminustwo 34

35. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i Let’s do some work on the wiki Pick one of these general categories Go look at what’s already up there. THAT’S NOT ENOUGH.Go look at what’s already up there. THAT’S NOT ENOUGH. See what else you might find to add. Check out DocuWiki guide for help with how to add info.Check out DocuWiki guide for help with how to add info. –Scientific UnderpinningsScientific Underpinnings –Requirements GatheringRequirements Gathering –Design supportDesign support –EvaluationEvaluation –Advocacy/BusinessAdvocacy/Business 35

36. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i So, my vision... Over the next 3 or 4 or 5 weeks you wiki “teams” will: –Find all sorts of pertinent resources, link to them from our wiki –Incorporate book reviews and white papers as appropriate –Come up with some design-a-rama for the wiki – maybe some visuals, some IA –At some point we’ll “go live” – ooh, first perhaps one team of two will do as their final project a usability evaluation of the usability wiki! 36

37. R. G. Bias | School of Information | UTA 5.424 | Phone: 512 471 7046 | rbias@ischool.utexas.edu i 37 For next week Send me your white paper topics. Due 4 weeks from today. Book reviews due in 2 weeks. More reading per syllabus. Usability test plan (for your final project) due in 6 weeks. Will help with pointers to templates.