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Instructor:
Prof. Dr. M. Rauterberg,
Full Professor |
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Benefits This assignment need 40 hrs work in total, the number of weeks depends on the actual period length (min 4 weeks). After following this
assignment
students should be able to:
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Previous Knowledge
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Abstract The
assignment will start with a short
introduction to user centred design, and to four different specification
formal methods for interaction structures of interactive products
(State-Chart, Petri-Net, GOMS, UAN). The students will apply this knowledge on
a new design
of a not yet existing interactive product for which a usability test can be
launched. The first part of the assignment consists of creating a new interactive product idea, develop the discrete interaction structure for the planned functionality with one of the introduced formal specification method, and present the final specification document/diagram at the mid-term meeting. The second part of this assignment consists of implementing the specified discrete interaction structure in a mid-fidelity prototype (PowerPoint or Flash), and test the result with several users. Based on the recorded users' reactions/comments, recommendations for a possible re-design have to be drawn. The final prototype and the main results of the user tests are presented in the final meeting. Students will learn to use a formal specification methods as input for the implementation of a mid-fidelity prototype. They will gain hands-on experience in (1) using a formal specification as input for creating a prototype, and (2) planning and conducting an empirical evaluation. They will experience how to optimise the trade-offs inherent in conducting prototyping and usability testing under 'real-life' constraints. Literature is provided through this web-page (see below). Additional information throughout the assignment will be provided via the assignment emails distribution list DA301 (make sure that your email address is on this list!). |
Assignment
work
The feedback for this assignment will be determined by the work done on the set of deliverables (Dx; see below). Each deliverable (Dx) will cover a number of steps relevant for planning, applying and conducting a combination of formal and empirical methods. Furthermore, they will include discussions about the trade-offs of the decisions taken and the validity of the findings of the evaluation. Feedback will be determined based on the rigour with which the work is done, whether relevant concepts discussed in the assignment are embedded in the work and the report, and extra initiative to ensure good quality of work. |
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| Deliverables [Dx] | Date due |
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Description of the idea and purpose of the
new
interactive product (200-500 words) |
mid-term |
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A complete specification of the
new discrete interaction structure described in a document/diagram
(with at least 20 different user
actions/ functions and at least 10 different system states) |
mid-term |
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Mid-term presentation in electronic
form [D1: delivered as PPT file]. |
mid-term |
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Mid-Fidelity Prototype (in case
of an updated specification of the interaction structure, this updated
document as well with a short description of what and why the changes were
made; if you created more than one prototype, each version has to be
delivered) |
final |
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Description of the user
test (number of test subjects = 5) including users' profiles, task(s)
description, results and recommendations for re-design; each user test has to
be documented via video recording including audio records of the users'
comments (e.g., via screen capture program
Camtasia
Studio, etc.) |
final |
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Final presentation in electronic form
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final |
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Final
report in
electronic form
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final |
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D6: a CD (no auto run!) with all deliverables (D1) - (D5) handed in to the assignor's secretariat HG 2.37. |
two days after final |
Assignment
schedule
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Date |
Topic |
Literature |
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kick-off |
Introduction in the four different specification methods.
interesting lectures from others: Bruce Powel Douglass (2004) Finite State
Machines. |
all relevant literature to be familiar with
obligatory: |
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mid-term meeting |
Presentation of each student team. Introduction in PowerPoint as a tool for mid-fidelity prototyping. Examples in PPT: Example-1, Example-2 Example in FLASH: Example-1
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obligatory: Engelberg & Seffah (2002) Mid-Fidelity Prototyping. extra readings:
Capture the test user interaction with a freeware
screen capture program! and include the audio records of the user; |
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Presentation of each individual student. |
reservations of the Usability Lab at
IPO building and borrowing of video cameras can be done via
further information about infrastructure of all
IPO labs via tel 040 247 -5210 or -5200 |
Assignors Feedback
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