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HCI Lifecycle Overview HCI Lifecycle Overview and Initial Analysesand Initial Analyses

Human-Computer InteractionHuman-Computer Interaction

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Lecture OverviewLecture Overview

• Overview of interactive system designOverview of interactive system design

• Development team rolesDevelopment team roles

• Problem statementProblem statement

• Systems analysis + HCI perspectiveSystems analysis + HCI perspective

• User analysisUser analysis

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Fundamental Activities of Fundamental Activities of Interactive System DesignInteractive System Design

• Information gathering and model buildingInformation gathering and model building

• Synthesis (or enhancement) of a solutionSynthesis (or enhancement) of a solution

• Analysis (or evaluation) of a solutionAnalysis (or evaluation) of a solution

These activities are iterated

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Microsoft: Activity Based Planning Microsoft: Activity Based Planning - Ref MS Office 97- Ref MS Office 97

• Listening to and understanding users Listening to and understanding users

• Observing how they work with software and what Observing how they work with software and what tasks they perform tasks they perform

• Coming up with features to address these work Coming up with features to address these work styles and tasks styles and tasks

• Testing the features with the people that actually Testing the features with the people that actually use them use them

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Problem Statement

Implementation

U s

e r

P

a r

t i

ci

p a

t i

o n

Defin

ition

An

alysis

Desig

n

User Object Modelling

Requirements Spec. (inc. Usability Specs.)

Interaction Design / Presentation Design

Systems Analysis (incl. User and Task Analysis)

Evaluation (Analytical, Empirical)

User’s Conceptual Model Design / Interaction Style

Prototype (inc. Context Sensitive Help)

System Design Spec. (inc. Interface Design Dpec.)

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Balance Among Conceptual, Interaction Balance Among Conceptual, Interaction & Presentation Design Effort& Presentation Design Effort

Conceptual Design

10%

30%

60%

Detailed Design

Interaction (‘Feel’)

– Interaction Techniques

– Standard Menus

Design Proceeds ‘Mainly’

From The Bottom

Level Up

Metaphors, Object Attributes, Relationships, Behaviours

Presentation (‘Look’)

– Visual representations

– Aesthetics

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Definition of DesignDefinition of Design

“ “ . . . the use of . . . the use of

scientific principles, scientific principles,

technical information technical information

and imagination.”and imagination.”

Feilden Committee Report, 1963 Engineering Design, HMSO

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Roles in a Team for Interactive Roles in a Team for Interactive System DevelopmentSystem Development

TeamTeam

User User (domain (domain expert)expert)

User User interaction interaction developerdeveloper

User interface User interface software software

developerdeveloper

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Problem StatementProblem Statement

• Supported activitySupported activity

• UsersUsers

• Level of support to be providedLevel of support to be provided

• Form of solutionForm of solution

• Statement of overall goal of whole system in a Statement of overall goal of whole system in a single phrase or sentencesingle phrase or sentence

• Aim: show clear understanding of what is neededAim: show clear understanding of what is needed

• Main assumptions should be separately statedMain assumptions should be separately stated

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Problem Statement: Example for Problem Statement: Example for Diary Management SystemDiary Management System

• Supported activitySupported activity• Maintain appointmentsMaintain appointments

• UsersUsers• White collar customersWhite collar customers

• Level of support to be providedLevel of support to be provided• Appointment (an object)Appointment (an object)

• Maintain (an operation)Maintain (an operation)

• Add, modify, delete, view appointmentsAdd, modify, delete, view appointments

• Adjust alarmAdjust alarm

• Form of solutionForm of solution• Portable hardware, low selling pricePortable hardware, low selling price

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Systems Analysis + HCI PerspectiveSystems Analysis + HCI Perspective

• Systems analysis Systems analysis • Identify entities of significance to the ‘system’Identify entities of significance to the ‘system’• Functionally oriented and data drivenFunctionally oriented and data driven• Design notationDesign notation

• e.g. Data flow diagrams, Entity-Relationship diagramse.g. Data flow diagrams, Entity-Relationship diagrams• Often met with resistance by usersOften met with resistance by users

• HCI perspectiveHCI perspective• Identifies issues of practical effectivenessIdentifies issues of practical effectiveness• Usability orientation -Usability orientation -

• e.g. speed, error ratese.g. speed, error rates• Design notationDesign notation

• Designed to be understood by users e.g. task hierarchy Designed to be understood by users e.g. task hierarchy diagram, screen sketchdiagram, screen sketch

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Perspectives in TensionPerspectives in Tension

• Systems analysis and software implementationSystems analysis and software implementation• Logical flow of dataLogical flow of data

• Computational efficiencyComputational efficiency

• Ease of developmentEase of development

• HCIHCI• Quality of user interfaceQuality of user interface

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Conventional + HCI Data GatheringConventional + HCI Data Gathering

• Read background materialRead background material

• Guided tour of work environmentGuided tour of work environment

• InterviewsInterviews

• ObservationObservation

• QuestionnairesQuestionnaires

• Forms analysisForms analysis

• Verbal protocolVerbal protocol

• Tape / Video recording / TranscriptTape / Video recording / Transcript

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User AnalysisUser Analysis

• Expertise level (novice, intermittent, frequent)Expertise level (novice, intermittent, frequent)

• Familiarity with specific hardware and softwareFamiliarity with specific hardware and software

• Software with which users are familiarSoftware with which users are familiar

• Job-related information access needsJob-related information access needs• E.g. summary vs detailedE.g. summary vs detailed

• Skill base e.g. typingSkill base e.g. typing

• General educational levelGeneral educational level

• Organization-specific knowledge and/or Organization-specific knowledge and/or experienceexperience

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User Analysis: Example for Diary User Analysis: Example for Diary Management SystemManagement System

• User characteristicsUser characteristics• Professional, white collarProfessional, white collar• Keeps schedule for self and/or othersKeeps schedule for self and/or others• Sometimes just for personal useSometimes just for personal use• Keeping diary is a very small part of user’s jobKeeping diary is a very small part of user’s job

• SkillsSkills• High general skill levelHigh general skill level• Not necessarily computer skilledNot necessarily computer skilled• Not all will have keyboard skillsNot all will have keyboard skills

• ConclusionsConclusions• Keep it simpleKeep it simple• Functionality and usability greater than for paper diaryFunctionality and usability greater than for paper diary• Minimize typing, and be quick and easy to learnMinimize typing, and be quick and easy to learn

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Lecture ReviewLecture Review

• Overview of interactive system designOverview of interactive system design

• Development team rolesDevelopment team roles

• Problem statementProblem statement

• Systems analysis + HCI perspectiveSystems analysis + HCI perspective

• User analysisUser analysis