Thursday, 29 October

Week 10: Usability Testing 3/3

Housekeeping 

Mid-term grades released -- everyone was given a 0.25 point curve (the equivalent of 2.5 points on a 100 point scale) -- there were several grades of 10 (100 equivalent)

Final grade curve -- the highest overall grade will be curved up to 100, everyone else will receive a curve of the same amount, e.g. if the highest grade is a 98 that will be curved up to 100 and everyone will receive a 2 point curve on their final grade.


Extra Credit Options Remaining

1. Present your interim work for Project 4 in class

2. Use Project Management software, e.g. Trello, Basecamp, etc. to coordinate your group's work for Project 4 and report on its use (separately from your Project 4 itself)

Project 3.2
 
How did your projects turn out?

Mentor Danny Rudzinski to Present


Project 4

Context

The Stanford Institute of Design (dSchool)
http://dschool.stanford.edu/ 

IDEO
www.ideo.com

IDEO.org
www.ideo.org

Introduce Project 4 and supporting resources

Meeting time with new group

Homework for Tuesday, 3 November:

Meet with new Group members, choose options for non-profits to work with, settle on one

Read UXD pp. 26 - 35 "Methods and Background" through "Stakeholders" and pp. 48 - 51 "User Profiling," as well as the information presented in class on Tuesday, 27 October and in the Project 3 Brief and prepare for a quiz on the following possible questions:

1. What are the six stages of a usability test, according to Steve Krug?

2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the following approaches: 1) evolutionary design, 2) expert review, 3) task modeling, 4) agile software development, and 5) usability?

3. What is the role and importance of stakeholders in a UXD process? What tool can be used to track stakeholders' interests? Draw an example, showing the axes and key categories.

4. What is the firm "Keep It Usable"s preferred method of finding out about user experience? What is the characteristic of this approach? [you may wish to use your textbook's glossary in answering this].

5. What is the most surprising thing you learned from the User Experience Machine graphic?

6. What is Heuristic Analysis? Give good examples of three of the heuristics you've found in an app you regularly use.

Tuesday, 27 October

Week 10: Usability Testing 3/3 

Review Potential Quiz Question Answers

What is empathy? Why is it important? How is it cultivated in the UXD context?

Empathy is the ability to understand what another person is feeling from their perspective. It is important to help designer to foster an empathic response to target user’s situation. It is cultivated by the creation of scenarios and personas.  

What is project management? Why is it important? What tools are available to help with project management? Do you use any of them in your projects?

Project management is to manage communication and organization in a project group. It is important for team members to share expertise, put forward ideas, work collaboratively and finally achieve their goal. There are many tools, like Trello, Basecamp, Redmine, Scrum, Tom’s planner and Gantt.

https://basecamp.com/

www.trello.com

What approaches are available to visualize interface designs? Review a range of options and cite examples of any of the approaches that you, yourself, have used.

The approaches are pencil sketching; stylus or finger drawing on tablet devices; prototyping software or app, such as Invision: http://www.invisionapp.com/

Pencil sketching is a really effective way to quickly externalize ideas. Sketches on paper can be captured using a digital camera or scanner, edited, stored and shared online;

Stylus or finger drawing on tablet devices offers a similar experience to sketching on paper. These have the advantage that no paper is needed and sketches are originated in digital form, being editable and instantly available to share. 

Prototyping software can be used to create interactive prototype and then test it.

Another prototyping Tool: https://popapp.in 

http://www.shankarux.com/the-unexotic-underclass/

What tools are available to help elicit feedback from users? Be specific about the approaches and their characteristics.

1) Desk research and data gathering. It can be used to get user’s information from existed research.

2) Card sorting. It can deliver insights into what users expect from an interactive design. The elements of the design are described on individual cards and the user is asked to arrange them into a logical structure. Card sorting can be moderated or un-moderated with sessions delivered face to face or online.

3) Contextual inquiry. It aims to provide a realistic view of users and their environment. It involves spending time with users and observing their activities in the context of the proposed interactive design. This could be at home or at work or in a specific situation, such as using a public transport ticketing system. A well-designed contextual inquiry will reveal aspects of the user experience that will be missed by other forms of research, but it is expensive to undertake.

4) Content experiment. It can be used to test different versions of a live website. The design team can receive minute-by-minute reports of their success in delivering goals for the user and for the site owners. The method is a development of A-B testing where two versions of a web page are compared by alternating their availability to users. Content experiments allow discreet changes to a web page’s content to be made and tested. Content experiments make it possible to measure the reaction of users to different visual and interaction elements and refine designs in an objective and quantifiable way.

What is a “prototype”? What are the two types of prototype? What are the characteristics and benefits of each?

A prototype is a model of an interactive design that can be used as a basis for developing improvements in the design. Low fidelity vs. High fidelity.

Low fidelity – it looks and feels like a sketchbook version of the design;

High fidelity – it simulates the look and feel of the proposed final design.

What is "Computer Administrative Debris"? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Why? Please give an example.

“Computer administrative debris”: The idea is that the content is the interface, the information is the interface - not computer administrative debris. Too often admin debris is just bad design, show-off features, and bloatware design.

What are the six aspects of a "Trunk Test" according to Steve Krug?

1 What site is this? (Site ID) 

2 What page am I on? (Page name)

3 What are the major sections of this site? (Sections)

4 What are my options at this level? (Local navigation)

5 Where am I in the scheme of things ("You are here" indicators)

6 How can I search?

Mentors' Thoughts on Project 3.1

Many teams didn't document subject demographics well. 

A lot of teams had videos, which was good to see.

There is a problem with how teams present their work, it's not formatted our sectioned properly. Many have dumped paragraphs of text.

Overall, they seem to understand the process well but haven't documented the process as well as they should have done.

Most teams have table of the input and feedback but they don't really have how they conducted the test. Only two of them have documented users comments/reaction.

Four teams have videos but they are mostly just recording the user using the website or app without the welcome, home tour or task explained. 

One team also submitted the script of usability test.

Most teams made nice diagrams illustrated the process of usability test. However, findings are very short in general. Only one group explained their findings in length. 

I received three student's complains about their team members. I guess it is because there is no channel for they to release the concerns of their collaboration for 3.1. 

Most teams only include screenshots of the interface and feedback but do not mention how their subject interacted with the website/app and what issues they faced.

One team did a great screencast and I think we should show this in class - Part 1: http://www.screencast.com/t/UU46UHe0wam and Part 2: http://www.screencast.com/t/NBgqlHIaI

Reiterate Project 3.2 Assignment and Submission Criteria

Karthik to Present on Heuristics

In-class exercise

Group Meeting Time

Homework for Wednesday, 28 October at 11:59 pm through Canvas Assignments

Complete and submit Project 3.2, Group Member Evaluations, and Individual Reflections

Thursday, 22 October

Week 9: Usability Testing 2/3

How did you do on your mid-terms?

Any questions on what I sent out Tuesday?

Review Mid-term Reflections

How has your understanding of HCI/d changed so far this semester?

Most students found their understanding of what good design is has completely changed and their understanding of HCI/d has changed a lot so far during the course of the semester. 

They mentioned they changed their understanding of user design experience, especially with affordances and constraints, metaphors, feedback, etc. 

Are you finding the class more or less useful than you expected?

Majority of the students found this class to be much more useful than they expected.

There is one student mentioned she find the class to be useful; however, she does not feel challenged.

What has been the most valuable thing you've learned so far?

• Affordances, contraints 
• Evaluation - analyze its structure and how it affects the user. 
• What makes good design and what makes bad design
• Understanding that there is no perfect design

The class follows a process, we are developing the sets of user-responsive understandings that will enable us to do effective design in Project 4.

Review Project 2

Good examples

Overall observations:

Be clear about mapping -- it's not simply a flowchart, it's the extent to which the user's mental model is embedded in the design.

Group work -- if there are issues with your group please bring them up with your Mentor promptly. Ensure that you do your Group Member Evaluations promptly including your own!

Project 3.1 due

How did they turn out?

It will be very important to clarify any confusion today

 Five Second Test: http://www.usefulusability.com/5-second-test/

https://usabilityhub.com/

 Set out what is due in Project 3.2

Revise what you have

Add Overview, Background, Findings, Design Recommendations, Conclusions, References

User Interface Design Tools:

http://www.tripwiremagazine.com/2012/03/user-interface-design-tools.html 

Looking ahead to Project 4

Group Meeting Time

In-class writing (1 per group):

List the changes that you're going to make to Project 3.1

List the top three usability issues you identified in your work to date

Indicate how, through design, you plan to address those usability issues.

 
Homework for Tuesday, 27 October

Work on Project 3.2  

Prepare for a Quiz with the follow Potential Questions from UXD, pp. 144 – 155 “Mindset and Toolkit” through “Design Patterns," the Edward Tufte iPhone interface video (Thursday, 15 October lecture) and on the "Trunk Test" (Tuesday, 13 October lecture):

1. What is empathy? Why is it important? How is it cultivated in the UXD context? 
2. What is project management? Why is it important? What tools are available to help with project management? Do you use any of them in your projects? 
3. What approaches are available to visualize interface designs? Review a range of options and cite examples of any of the approaches that you, yourself, have used. 
4. What tools are available to help elicit feedback from users? Be specific about the approaches and their characteristics. 
5. What is a “prototype”? What are the two types of prototype? What are the characteristics and benefits of each? 
6. What is "Computer Administrative Debris"? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Why? Please give an example.
7.  What are the six aspects of a "Trunk Test" according to Steve Krug?

Thursday, 15 October

Week 8: Usability Testing 1/3

Re: Trust in Websites

Mid-term Reflections?

Are you seeing the world of design differently? 

Questions on the Mid-term Exam

 Review of where to find information on Canvas (and blog)

Note: Many people misunderstood mapping in Project 2 -- mapping is not a flowchart.

“Mapping” is a relationship between controls and their movements or effects. Good mapping design leads to greater ease of use. The key concept behind it is similarity of layout, behavior, or meaning. Similarity makes the control-effect relationship predictable, and therefore easy to use.

How are your Usability Tests coming along?

Overall questions?

Mentor Haodan Tan to Present

Evaluating Webpage Design

Re: Trunk Test

Evaluating Webpage Effectiveness

Usability Testing, inc. the 5 second test: https://usabilityhub.com/

Evaluating Mobile App Design

"Reverse-engineer" to Wireframes 

Prototyping Tool: https://popapp.in

Mobile Trends to Analyze (from Mobile Book of Trends 2014 (in Canvas Projects 3 Assignments):

• Typography
• Flat Design + Simplicity
• Gestural Interfaces
• etc. 

What are the elements -- what is the design language -- of the app you've chosen to study?

Modeling how to think about a mobile interface:

Group meeting time

Homework for Tuesday, 20 October:

Prepare for Mid-term Exam

Homework for Wednesday, 21 October at 11:59 pm:

Complete and submit Project 3.1 -- read and follow the brief carefully. Ensure that all elements of the project are included.  
 

Tuesday, 13 October

Week 8: Usability Testing 1/3

Review Potential Quiz Questions

What is User-Centered Design? What are its characteristics? Why is it important?

User-Centered Design is an approach that considers the user experience in the context of use. The characteristics of it is that instead of asking what users want, we observe what their experience is and think of ways to improve it by using knowledge and skill. It is important to understand user’s needs and how design could improve their experience in the context of their daily lives.

What are “user journeys”? Why are they important in UXD? What are the stages of such a process?

"User journeys" are a method helps the team to conceptualize and structure the website’s content and functionality. It is important because it forces a shift away from thinking about structure in terms of hierarchies or a technical build and helps minimize any serious problems with user navigation before the design is implemented. 

The stages are: 1) create a scenario; 2) ask the user to envisage the journey; 3) visualize the journey; 4) make the journey; 5) observe users making the journey.

What is a “project life cycle” and what are the major stages of it?

The major stages of a Project Life Cycle include the creation of a concept brief; team building; the identification of users and their needs; user research; initial design and development; user-centered evaluation; iteration; deployment of the design and continuous evaluation.

What is “iteration” and what is its role in the design of interactive systems?

Iteration means the design is evaluated, the evaluation triggers improvements in the design, and then the design is evaluated again. Its role in the design is evaluation which aimed to progressively eliminate uncertainty during the development of interactive systems.

Are there overall questions on Project 3: Usability Testing?

Review Brief

Notes: 

• No one from your team can be the subject of your study 

• Your subject may not use the search function while conducting the study 

• You may use standard, not reduced size, PDFs if you need to for quality reasons (so long as the file can be uploaded to Canvas)

Usability principles from Steve Krug:

Krug's three laws of usability: 

1. Don't make me think!
2. It doesn't matter how many times I have to click, as long as each click is a mindless, unambiguous choice
3. Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what's left.

Krug's first law of usability testing:
Testing with one user is 100% better than testing with none

Krug's "Trunk Test" answer, quickly, the following questions:

• What site is this? (Site ID)
• What page am I on? (Page name)
• What are the major sections of this site? (Sections)
• What are my options at this level? (Local navigation)
• Where am I in the scheme of things ("You are here" indicators)
• How can I search?

In-class exercise: Trunk Test

Each group should conduct a Trunk Test, answering the questions posed above and submit a single write up featuring your answers.

You should set out the next steps in your process for completing Project 3.1

If you wish to present your interim work on Thursday please indicate that on your write up as well. 

Homework for Wednesday, 14 October at 11:59 pm through Canvas:

Complete mid-term Reflection Paper addressing:

1. How has your understanding of HCI/d changed so far this semester?
2. Are your finding the class more or less useful than you expected? 
3. What has been the most valuable thing you’ve learned so far?

Homework for Thursday, 15 October:

Continue work on Project 3.1 

Thursday, 8 October

Week 7: User-Interface Design Analysis 2/2

How did Project 2 turn out?

Responsive Design Link:
http://www.whoishostingthis.com/resources/responsive-design-video/

Taking Stock:

 We've developed a range of skills now that will enable us to turn our attentions to others -- the "Humans" in Human-Computer Interaction/Design

Specifically we will focus on:

• Usability Testing

• User-Centered Design

Invision Design Disruptors 

http://www.designdisruptors.com/ 

Introduce Project 3: Usability Testing

Review Project 3 Brief + Resources

 Meet with your new group members and...

Watch the following video and each group member should write down the top three usability problems you observed -- each group should then submit a single in-class write up based on a discussion of each of your observations.

Homework for Tuesday, 13 October

Meet with your fellow group members  to decide:

1. Which website/app to study
2. Decide upon the three-part scenario you want your subjects to engage in, and
3. Identify your two "subjects" for your usability testing study

Read UXD pp. 26 - 27 “Methods and Background”; 64 – 67 “Observing a User Journey”; 106 – 111 “Design Process” and prepare for a quiz including the following questions:

1. What is User-Centered Design? What are its characteristics? Why is it important?
2. What are “user journeys”? Why are they important in UXD? What are the stages of such a process?
3. What is a “project life cycle” and what are the major stages of it?
4. What is “iteration” and what is its role in the design of interactive systems? 

Tuesday, 6 October

Week 7: User-Interface Design Analysis 2/2

Note:

Shu-Chuan's section is now Ceci Gutknecht's section
crgutkne@umail.iu.edu


Highly Recommended:
http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/courses

Review Potential Quiz Questions

Why is user-research important?

User-research is important because the user’s world is dynamic and complex and to understand it requires knowledge of user behavior and the strategic use of research and development methods that are most likely to result in satisfying their expectations.

What are the two basic questions of an interactive design process? Describe the nature and importance of each.

Who will use it? Answer this question requires the use of demographic descriptors, such as age range, ethnicity, gender and income level. At the early stage, it is important to narrow the field to ‘primary users’ so it could provide a much better focus for the development team. 

What will it do? It is useful for thinking about the user’s main aim in using the system and system requirements for user to achieve the aim.

What are four of the ways of learning about users and the context in which designing takes place? Please set out the characteristics of each.

The four ways are: surveys, interviews and focus groups, field studies, and generative approaches. 

Survey: it is easy to gather and collate quantitative and qualitative data. 

Interviews and focus groups: One to one interviews help you to understand a sample of individuals in more detail. Focus groups have the dynamics within the group and such dynamics may bring up topics for discussion that would not arise in an interview situation. 

Field studies: the purpose of observing users in the ‘field’ is to challenge any assumptions that the designer may already have about the user group and their context. 

Generative approaches: designers can use the artifacts that generated by users to probe feelings about relevant experiences.

Invision

http://www.designdisruptors.com/

Good Design/Tech Twitter Follows:
@FastCoDesign
@TheEconomist
@waltmossberg
@WSJD
@DesignObserver
@Dezeen

How are your Project 2s progressing?

Interim work presentations

Review Brief

Group Work Time

Homework for 11:59 pm on Wednesday, 7 October

Submit Group Project through Canvas -- only 1 PDF per group needs to be submitted

Submit personal reflection and group member evaluations through separate Assignment

Thursday, 1 October

Week 6: User-Interface Design Analysis 1/2

Review Mini-Project 2 Observations

Visceral -- aesthetic, emotional appeal
Behavioral -- what it does, how it works
Reflective level -- the story of the object in your life

Ensure that:

1. You use in-text citations (in APA format)
2. Use your own images wherever possible
3. Include citations of images from web (in APA format)

Review Mini-Project 2 Examples


Mentor Shankar Balasubramanian to present

Re-review Brief

Group work time

In-class writing (1 per group)

• What is the specific piece of exercise equipment you're studying?
• Which two modes are you using?
• What are your main observations thus far?
• What steps do you have remaining to complete your project, which is due in one week's time?

Note: include only the names of those group members present on write up.

Homework for Tuesday, 6 October:

Continue work on Project 2

If you wish to present your interim work on Tuesday, 6 October for extra credit please email Tom directly

Read UXD pp.  41 – 47 “Users” through “The User’s World” and prepare for a quiz including the following questions:

1. Why is user-research important?
2. What are the two basic questions of an interactive design process? Describe the nature and importance of each.
3. What are four of the ways of learning about users and the context in which designing takes place? Please set out the characteristics of each.