1. Human Centric Computing (COMP106) Assignment 2 PROPOSAL 23

2. Tasks that the user will perform with the interface. The user will search for books using/texts/documents etc. The user will take out books and renew books they have out. The user will contact the library staff.

3. Searching for books. The person looking for the book would go into the library with the book they need in mind. The would look at the library map to see where the section that their book is located will be and they would then go to look for it. However the book may not be there, they may not know the name of the book, or the section that it is in. They would then have to look at the library catalogue or ask a member of staff. The interface therefore should be related to this, it should show how the user looks for the book, finds the section that it is in, and then locates the book, giving them further information and telling them whether or not the book is available or not. The current interface does this, but I feel I could improve on this.

4. Representation Reference Improving searching for books: Interaction External Model Internal Model All books in library. Non-course related Course related Results I think that by changing the internal model, so that you can search for books that are course related, or non- course related, the time taken for the search to complete would be reduced, and the results would be more relevant. When searching for course related material, you would select this in the external mode, and then could also select the type of material you wish to search for, such as a book, ebook, exam paper, text, theses etc, to get a more relevant result. OR you could simply enter your course code ie: G500 and search for all material for that code. This would show students all the available reading material for their course. Forms The forms would be related to databases, so that if a keyword, course code, author etc was entered it could search for matching results in the correct fields of the database TextPictures The text would be user entered they could enter anything they wanted, now even including their course code. Pictorial representatio ns, buttons would be part of the GUI these could be used to better relate the interface to reality.

5. How could searching be more refined. In reality, we as a human being know exactly what we are looking for when we go into the library. We know all the information that we need, our course code, our course, etc… Therefore the interface should have a section that represents this. As human beings we know what genre of books we like to read for pleasure and what books we need to read for education. I think we could develop the interface to have a vague form of AI, if we allowed a section of the interface for each user to ‘log on.’ When the user registers with the library, their details will be on this section, including their course code etc. This section could also be linked to a student database, which would say where each student was (example yr 1, semester 2). Then when each user logs on, suggested reading for their course could be offered to them. The ability to search within their course code for book, theses, past papers etc, which would all be relevant to that specific user. Also by linking this area of the interface to the users section of the library database it would be possible to offer suggested reading based upon recent books that have been taken out by the user previously. For example if the user read a lot of science fiction. Upon logging on, they could be told that a new sci-fi book had come into the library and they may wish to read it! This could also work for academic reading.

6. Borrowing books: In reality when borrowing books you find the book that you want, carry it with you to the ‘check out’ part of the library and you are issued with the book and date of return. Therefore when borrowing books from the library you should be able to do the same. You find the book that you want and in reality hold onto it, and carry it round with you whilst you continue to look. Therefore the interface should allow you to do the same. You should be able to ‘carry’ a book with you before you decide to take it out. Then when you have all the books you want you take them all to the ‘check-out together’. This too should be the same.

7. You find a book you want and wish to continue looking: For this you would need to relate an object with a table or database. The object could be a bag, or an ‘add to list’. This would be so that you find a book that you want, and you select it, this adds it to the database or table, but allows you to continue looking for more books.

8. You now have all the books that you want and wish to borrow them. You should then return to the site map and go to the ‘check-out’ or ‘borrow’ section. All of the books that you wanted will be in your added to the add object will be placed in a list within a table, or database, and these books can then be borrowed altogether and a return date given. This is not completely automated but is more advanced than taking one book out at a time, which is currently available on the site. This method would also allow you to navigate away from the catalogue section. If the for mentioned ‘user space’ was also available the dates for returns, and what books you had out would all be visible from here too. If you had logged in and searched for the books and added them to the ‘add’ object they would be saved in the database, and if you navigated away from the site and came back they would still be there for you!

9. Contacting library staff. In reality you would; Walk into the library. Look at the library map, walk to the helpdesk. Call up on the phone. Email. The current interface gives you the actions to do this, with addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, etc. But the new interface could give a FAQ section, which could be related to a database of FAQ, a keyword could be entered and then the user could search for the help they need either that way or through an A-Z of FAQ. This may eradicate the need to actually contact the library staff as answers may be answered through this. However at the end of the FAQ it would ask if your problem has been solved, if it has not, it could then take you to the page within the interface that contains all the contact information for the library

10. Designing a Metaphor for the interface. When you walk into the library in reality, the first thing that you approach once in there is the map of the library. This alone gives you all the information you need to get started in the library. It is for this reason that I feel the interface should be a ‘Site map’ It would be graphically like a map with easy to understand graphics, that would also have text telling the user what it was. It would have sections similar to the map of the library: Helpdesk, Borrow/renew books (check-out), search for books (library catalogue) Etc...

11. How the metaphor would work for searching for books. The user would look at the interface as if it were a map. There will be a section on the map with graphic illustrations of books, and will say ‘search for books’ When this is clicked they will be able to search for books much the same way as they do now, but with the new refined search method mentioned previously, which will save time and eradicate any irrelevant results.

12. How the metaphor would work for borrowing books. Real world experience would say that when the user has found books they wish to borrow, they would locate the checkout, and go there to take books out. Therefore: Once the user has found books and has ‘added’ them they will then return to the ‘site map,’ look for the checkout and click on the graphical icon for checkout, which again will also have text, stating what it is. The user will then borrow books as usual.

13. Contacting Library staff. In reality the user would come into the library, and look at the map to find the helpdesk, from here they could find the answer to their problems, or further contact information. Therefore on the system the user will locate the ‘Help desk’ on the site map, and will then be shown the FAQ. In a way this would be like talking to a virtual Librarian. If these FAQ (Virtual Librarian) could not help the user, then they will be given further methods of making contact.

14. Interface design: The interface would be designed around a site map. From the site map anywhere within the interface can be located. It will work exactly the same as an actual map. When a location is clicked then the user will be taken to that location, always with the ability to return to the site map at any time. There will be many objects and relations. Mainly the objects will be related to relational database that will be used to do things such as: State what course, yr and semester the user is in, to allow a more academic related search to occur. Give a list of recent books taken out by a user and suggest, books that they may wish to read, based on patterns from other users who read the same. This again would come from a database. New available actions would include the new ‘My space’ section of the interface which would again use a database to give the user a section of the interface that was specifically for them, which suggested reading, and course related materials.

15. Mapping: TaskTask How the user performs it How the interface performs it 1Searches for an academic book. Inserts course code, inserts key word, computer searches academic books for this code, with the keyword, in a database, and displays all results. 2Selects a book they wish to borrow. The user clicks ‘add’ the computer, finds the book in the database, adds it to a database, with today's date and the users details. 3Borrows a book.The user decides to borrow the books in their added section. The computer changes status of book in the catalogue, to on loan. The computer then relates the book to the users account and details and gives a date of a month from current date for the book to be returned 4Contacts Library FAQ Database load, if still not satisfied, contact information screen will load. User Database FAQ Database Library Catalogue Contact Info Page Not Answered Help/ Contact Borrow a Book/search Log on Academic Non- Academic Select book Checkout Borrow (logged on) Borrow