User Centered Design:An Introduction to the Design, Prototyping, and

Evaluation of User Interfaces

IS 485, Professor Matt Thatcher

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Interface Hall of Shame

Milltronics' Dolphin Plus(a configuration package for industrial level and flow sensors)

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Interface Hall of Shame

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A Proposed Redesign

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Interface Hall of Shame

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Agenda Who am I? HCI introduction Usability defined Iterative, user-centered design Waterfall vs. prototyping UI designer as architect

– a discussion of the analogy– an overview of methods and tools

Course administration

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Who am I? Associate Professor of MIS The Wharton School, University of Penn

– Ph.D and M.S. in Information Technology / Economics– B.S. in Finance and Decision Sciences

Research interests– economic impact of IT on firms/industry– IT value– software patent policy design

Course information– http://faculty.unlv.edu/thatcher/is485/

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What is HCI? Human

– the end-user of the program

Computer– the machine that the program runs on

Interaction– the user tells the computer what she wants

(inputs)– the computer communicates the results

(outputs)

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Where Does HCI Occur?

Hardware

Systems SoftwareData base and Telecommunications

User

Applications Software

User Interface

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User Interfaces (UIs) Part of the program that allows

– users to interact with the computer– users to carry out their tasks

User vs. customer vs. client– user is a term not used in many industries– customer – the person who will use the product you build– client - the person/company that is paying you to build it

The UI is the system to the user– everything the user hears, sees, touches, etc.– metaphors, organization, navigation, appearance, interaction

HCI = designing, prototyping, and evaluating UIs

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What Do Users Want?

Well designed software applications exhibit

Technical Soundness

Functionality

Usability

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What’s the Difference?

Usability

Technical Soundness

Functionality

It works as the specs say it will

It is available and reliable (it works the same way every time)People can perform their tasks quickly and easily

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Why is Usability So Important?

Hardware

Systems SoftwareData base and Telecommunications

User

Applications Software

User Interface

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Measuring Usability Easy to learn

– how long does it take for typical users to learn relevant tasks?

Easy to remember– how easy is it to remember from one session to the next?

Efficient to use– how long does it take to perform benchmark tasks?

Minimal error rates– how many and what kinds of errors are commonly made?– if they occur, is good feedback provided so users can recover

High user satisfaction (subjectively pleasing)– confident of success– visually pleasing

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Keys to Designing and Building Successful, Highly Usable UIs

User-centered design Task analysis Iterative UI design cycle

– design– rapid prototyping– evaluation– iteration

Programming Implementation...

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User-Centered Design (UCD)(Part 1)

A highly structured, comprehensive software development methodology driven by– clearly specified, task-oriented business objectives– recognition of user needs, limitations, and

preferences – not technology-centered

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UCD (Part 1):Task Analysis

Design

Organizational & Social Issues

Technology Humans

Tasks

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User-Centered Design (UCD)(Part 2)

Information collected using task analysis is scientifically applied in the design, prototyping, evaluation, and implementation of products and services

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UCD (Part 2):The Prototyping Model

Prototype

Design

Evaluate

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GUI Screen Design Metaphors

– essential concepts conveyed through words and images

Organization of content (data and functions)– screen layout and screen sequencing– screen controls/widgets (e.g., check boxes, option buttons)

Navigation– efficient movement along the content via menus, icons, dialog

boxes, buttons, windows, hyperlinks, commands, etc.

Appearance (the look)– visual (typefaces, fonts, size, typesetting, color, etc.), auditory,

ornamental background, etc.

Interaction (the feel)– effective input and feedback sequencing (physical I/O devices)

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What is a Prototype? Smaller representation of the system

– a way to see what something will look like before it is built

– less reliable, robust, and complete than final systems

Communicates a physical representation of the proposed design to the user

Built with tools, not production code– different construction materials than the final system– much faster and cheaper to develop

Keeps the design centered on the user– allows user involvement in testing design ideas– supports iterative design based on user feedback

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A Prototype of a Palm Banking Application

Web-based (html) representation of a software application for a handheld technology

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Rapid Prototyping Build a mock-up of the UI design Low-fidelity techniques

– paper-based sketches and storyboards– chauffeured prototypes– Visio, SmartDraw, drawing tools, etc.

High-Fidelity techniques– interactive, computer-based prototypes– Access, Dreamweaver, Frontpage, GoLive,

HTML, Visual Basic, Director, Flash, HyperCard, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.

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Evaluation Test with real users (participants)

– user testing

Expert reviews (evaluations w/o users)– heuristic evaluations– cognitive walkthroughs– pluralistic walkthroughs– consistency checks– and many more…

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Iterate!

Prototype

Design

Evaluate

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Waterfall vs. Prototyping

Application Description

RequirementsSpecification

SystemDesign

Product

Initiation

Analysis

Design

Implement

DesignPrototype

Evaluate

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Problems with WF WF lacks user’s perspective

– technology-driven– focus is on the “client”, not the “user”– does not involve user until “implementation” stage

» sees user role as finding “bugs” in the code or other minor problems

WF has no feedback (sequential, not iterative)– groups “hand off” discrete deliverables to the next group in

the WF process» functional specs are frozen early in the process

– high cost of fixing errors » increases by factor of 10 at each stage » iterative design finds these earlier

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User-Centered Design (UCD) When rigorously applied, a UCD

approach– keeps the design centered on users (not

technology)– keep users involved throughout process (early

and often)– meets both user needs and the business

objectives of the sponsoring organization

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Why Do Iterative User-Centered Design?

Nearly 25% of all applications projects fail. Why?– overrun budgets & management pulls the plug– others complete, but are too hard to learn/use

Solution is iterative user-centered design. Why?– easier to learn & use products sell better– can help keep a product on/ahead of schedule– reduces training costs, technical support, maintenance

efforts, product updates– satisfied users leads to reputation effects (or better

employee retention)

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Who Builds Interfaces? A team of specialists (ideally)

– graphic designers– interaction / interface designers– technical writers– marketers– technical support– test engineers– software engineers– customers/users– client– and more…

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UI Designer as Architect (Clarifying UCD)

Design– users (home buyers)– tasks (functions, activities, or units of work)– environment (where are tasks performed?)– technology (construction materials)

Prototyping and evaluation– low-fi sketches (blueprints)– high-fi representations (small-scale models)

Iterate Programming (construction)

– don’t commit to “brick-and-mortar” too fast

Implement (move-in)

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What Does An Architect Want to Know Before Designing a Home?

Design

Environment (e.g.,climate)

ConstructionMaterials

Home Buyer

Tasks

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The Architect’s Prototyping Model

Small-scale

models

Design

Evaluate

Construction only after sufficient iterations

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Summary UI design is about:

– creating a user experience that is easy to understand– keeping human concerns at the center of the design

process – focusing on usability

Task analysis– method of identifying and characterizing the users, their

tasks, and the context Prototyping model

– iterative, user-centered approach that involves users early and often

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Goals of the Course Learn to design, prototype, and evaluate UIs

– the importance of human factors in the design of interactive software applications

– cognitive / perceptual constraints that affect UI design– task analysis and contextual inquiry to identify software

requirements– technology tools used to prototype UIs– techniques used to evaluate a UI design– importance of iterative design for usability– real-world applications of course concepts and tools– how to work together on a team project– how to communicate your results to a group

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How IS 485 Fits Into the MIS Curriculum?

Most courses focus on learning technology– programming languages, data structures,

databases, telecommunications

IS 485 is concerned with design and evaluation– focus on human factors– assume you can program and learn new languages– technology as a tool to evaluate via prototyping– skills will be important in any career you choose

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Administrivia - Class Structure Registration

– everyone registered?

Syllabus– look over very carefully

Readings– electronic reserves– internet readings– downloadable documents

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Administrivia - Class Structure Teaching style

– lectures– case studies (design, prototyping, and

evaluation)– interactive, in-class assignments– student presentations– computer demonstrations and tutorials

Grading– project milestones (50%)– mid-term exam (30%)– attendance/participation (20%)

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Administrivia - Class Structure Course web-site

– http://faculty.unlv.edu/thatcher/is485/– course materials, notes, announcements, etc.

Regarding missed exams Honor code

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Responsibilities Me

– make sure you understand– keep you amused and interested in coming to

class– make this class useful to you for getting and

keeping a job You

– do the readings– come to class ready to participate– find help when you need it– tell me if I am going too fast/slow

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The “Quality Circle” Feedback from YOU is critical to the

success of the course 1 student -> liaison bet. the class and me

– have lunch w/ me 4 times during the semester– students in the class can approach (or email) the

representatives to discuss problems or concerns– responsible for passing the anonymous feedback to me

Volunteers– your name and email address will be posted to the

website

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Any Questions or Comments?

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Next Time Team project Read through the course web site

– schedule– syllabus– project– milestones– team meetings [look at “Team Feedback 1”]

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Teams One member from each team should:

– go to the left side of the white board– write down the name of each team member as of

now

Students without a team should:– go to the board– write your name on the right hand side of the

board

Let’s figure this out I need to take pictures and get emails