Identification and use of Theories and Principles appropriate to the nature of the application
Principles:
Skill Level: Wide range, more intermediate users. Few novice and expert users, as the system will be new to them.
Interaction Style: Direct Manipulation - enable users to visibly, rapidly, reversibly, and incrementally perform actions. The sole purpose of the application is to constantly be updated and changed to allow for good communication between everyone, from sending announcements to other finding current information on WT Alumni.
Eight Golden Rules:
Is consistent
- Universal layout
Caters to universal usability
- Simplicity
Offers informative feedback
- Form fill ins will say when something is wrong
Provides dialogs that yield closure
- Message sent, Account updated, Account created successfully
Prevents errors
- Form fill ins will say when something is wrong, upload constraints
Permits easy reversal of actions
- Back button
Offers support for internal locus of control
- User submitted content, Admin privileges
Reduces short-term memory load
- Simplicity
Theories:
Descriptive (consistency) – Supports process of thought. The interface will allow General Users to familiarize themselves with the interface as it comparable to other social networking sites, as to Myspace,Facebook, etc. All users will be able to login, navigate, edit, and other functions that will be similar to other chronological though process of other social networking sites.
Explanatory (sequences of actions) – Explains the world by training people and building conceptual models. The sequences of navigating through the website should not be difficult, but may take time getting used to the interface design. As far as training, there could be an initial e-mail sent out for basic explanations of functionality and navigation.
Prescriptive (guidance) – Directions or rules to carry out work. Users will be required to update their profile and allowed to read announcements and other information. Administrators will be shown how to facilitate the website through other administrators. Then, to carry on facilitating the website will be very important to keep the application up to date.
Predictive (comparison among designs) – Predict user interactions and experiences. All users will be thought to continuously update their profiles and examine announcements that would pertain to them. Administrators will be thought to continuously facilitate the application and make appropriate changes and implementations that directs the application for users.
Identification and use of guidelines and best practices consistent with your theories and principles.
Guidelines
1. Comprehensible navigation through the site.
2. Meaningful titles
3. Comprehensible instructions
4. Logical grouping and sequencing of fields
5. Visually appealing layout of page among announcements, profile, and other information
6. Familiar field labels
7. Consistent terminology and abbreviations
8. Visible space and boundaries for data entry fields
9. Error prevention where possible
10. Error messages for incomplete information
11. Marking of required data entry
12. Explanatory messages for fields
13. Completions signal to support user control
14. Ease of notifications and ability to respond/cooperate with the request
Identification and use of a design process methods:
Heuristic evaluation(Initial)
- Critiqued the interface to determine conformance with the Eight Golden Rules.
Guidelines review
- Checked for conformance with the organizational or other guidelines document. (Dr. Babb and Dr. Abdulat)
Consistency inspection
- Verified consistency across the interface.
Cognitive walk-through
- Simulated walk through of the interface to carry out typical tasks.
Metaphors of human thinking(MOT)
- Took the task of how users think when interacting with an interface.
Formal usability inspection
- (Future)Hold a classroom-style meeting, with a moderators, faculty, and students, to present the interface and to discuss its merits and weaknesses
Identification and plan for the use of an evaluation method
HTML mock-ups and prototyping
- Testing for our evaluation will consist of individual page mock-up HTML pages to demonstrate the processes of different users as they would perform different tasks.
- Each task will include separate HTML pages to show the thinking process of the users and how the application should interpret this to display the requested information.
- There are 4 different types of users which will be grouped into 2 categories for prototyping: System Users and System Administrators
- For each group, we plan to present a walk-through for evaluation in our presentation of the two groups.
- Questions and other input would be considered in the evaluation method as different points of view would from the class would be present.
User Documentation and User Help
Administrative Groups:
General Users - Level 4
- Edit/Update personal profiles
- Communicate (Send and Receive Information)
WT Student Workers - Level 3 – Facilitate Website
- Create/Send announcements
- Check profiles for explicit content
WT Business Office GA or staff - Level 2
- Add/Enable new users to the database
- Include Level 3 rights
System Administrator - Level 1
- Delete/Suspend accounts
- Give personnel administrative rights
- Include Level 2 Rights
Customer Wants/Needs for the system (Dr. Abdulat):
- Social networking type system to allow current, former, and interested WTAMU students and faculty to keep in touch and exchange information
- Web based system
- Would like four levels of users for the system as listed above in Administrative Groups
- Administrators with required privileges are also listed above.
- Would like users to have a login and profile to keep up to date.
- System would allow for announcements and updates to the university to be sent out to all users of the system
- Would like a blog, messaging, or chat set up for the system
- System needs to be monitored
Sources:
- cis4372.wikidot.com
- Dr. Babb’s PowerPoint’s
- Designing the User Interface; 5th edition, Shneiderman and Plaisant, Addison Wesley
- http://www.usability.gov/
- http://www.isii.com/ui_design.html