oznur has done the questions for the semi structure interview the questions are along the lines as follows... Questions for focus groups
1. How do you communicate on a daily basis? 2. Do you find this type of method useful? 3. Do you reckon this type of communication method is time consuming? 4. For what reasons do you use this type of communication? 5. How often do you use this type of communication? 6. Who are the other users in using this type of communication? 7. What are the drawbacks to this type of method? 8. What are the advantages in using this type of method? 9. Do you have any other way of communicating? 10. Which one do you prefer and why?
The focus groups that we are looking at will be 1.tudents in a flat... 2. a family home 3. a youthclub
semistructure interview will tak eplace for each on how they currenlty communicate...we are not trying to influence them into what we want..therefore we will not give any indication to the messaging system we will later be creating...
after the semi structured interviews...an observation will be taken..perhaps a period of a few days..focusing on how they communicate and leave messages for eacother...
different focus groups are going to live in differnt enviroments...
students may have a very busy life style..therefore their method of communication might be faster to that of a family, all this should be taken into account
Contribution of my part to the course work.... Location: office in a youth club
Number of people: 3 people
Duration: each person have taken me roughly 10-15 mins each person
Age range: between 22-25
Aim: (what u are trying to gain from this study)
The aim of this research is to identify how these people communicate, I have chosen to focus and understand how the people in the youth club communicate and the method they use to do this. I am trying to find out what tools they use to communicate and the interactions they make with it.
Observation:
1)what did u notice about what they did?
What i have noticed was the behaviour of each of them one of them and how they communicated, also recognising the positioning of their desk was arranged and how they communicate like a triangle.
2)what did they use?
They all use mainly the same methods which is basically paper notes, messaging board and
how long for..why?
Each person taken 10-15 mins each this was due to interview and the observation.
Tools used to carry out this search: camera and paper
ok from the focus group observations i have been given so far i have been able to write the following analysis
Family analysis: We can see that from the observation the older family members tend to use landline phone where as the younger people use mobiles and texting. This maybe due to the older people having less knowledge in using a mobile phone i.e. they find texting hard. The younger people also use internet for emails and instant messaging again the younger people are using the advantages of technology and faster ways of communication to that of the older people.
From the interview we can see that the mobile phone and instant messaging is the preferred choice of the majority of people in the house. The draw back of this is the costs of credit.
Youth Club: Due to the environment being of the youth club being different to that of a family home. They type of communication various as well. From the observation we can see that in the youth club a lot more paper based approach is used this maybe due to the fact that paper will stand out with a person goes to sit at their desk. Also a landline phone is used and messages are left on an answer machine. This is a more professional approach because it is a office and things need to be recorded.
From the observation and interview carried out for all 3 focus groups we can see that the main preferred methods of communication are: Paper Mobiles Internet (instant messaging and emails) Landline Phones
The paper and landline phones are common amongst the older generation due to the fact that they have less experience using things like mobile phones and email. Paper and landline phones become their way of easy communication if they are not able to say it face to face. The draw backs to these methods is that paper can get lost and using a landline phone means that the person might not always be home to get the message.
The younger groups of people prefer to use mobiles and instant messaging because across the younger generation theses are the most popular forms of communication due to them being fast and easy. The draw backs to these methods are the money spent on credit for mobiles and the hours spent using the internet.
this should be the form we try and take DATA ANALYSIS
Observation: Test person 1 name: age: durattion: technilocial knowledge: (what can they use? mobile. internet? how well can they) enviorment of observation:
observation findings: ( if you observed the form 1hr then split up your observation in 2 sections being 30mins each time foe exmple: 1st 30mins the person talked on the phone etc)
follow on from your current observation
also if possiable can you provide some audio-or video footage of some of your people you are observing as this comes under what an observation is actually about.
From this we will then be abble to analyise quliative data like: recuring patterns, categorizind data
CONTENT ANALYSIS: Once you have done this please address from the questionnaire and obseravtion the following
Categorise you data: i.e-people who use phones, or people who use internet etc splite them up basclly
identifying patterns: address any themes that u see: recurng themes : (in your questionnaire look at how many times the same answer was given)
Test person 1 Name: Mr H Onathukattil Age: 52 Duration: 1 and a half hours Technological knowledge: This person has minimal knowledge of using the internet and does not use the internet for any kind of communication. However, he is able to use mobile phone and landline telephone well. Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first 15 minutes the person was using Landline Telephone. Then half way through the person was talking on the mobile phone for 20 minutes. The person used the mobile once again at the last ten minutes of observation. During the observation this person did not use any other type of communication methods.
Test person 2 Name: Mrs M Onathukattil Age: 48 Duration: 1 hour and 20 minutes Technological knowledge: Able to use mobile phone, and landline telephones well. This person has little or no understanding of using the internet and does not use it at all. Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first 25 minutes the person was using Landline Telephone. The person used the Landline again at the last 12 minutes of observation. This person did not use any other types of communication, during the time of observation.
Test person 3 Name: Mr A M Onathukattil Age: 26 Duration: 2 hours Technological knowledge: Able to use mobile phone, landline telephones well. This person also has intermediate knowledge of using the internet. Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first 35 minutes the person was using the mobile phone. He also used the internet to communicate during the last 20 minutes of the first hour. He then used the mobile phone again for 18 minutes of the last hour.
Test person 4 Name: Ms M Onathukattil Age: 22 Duration: 2 and a half hours Technological knowledge: This person has a high know ledge of using mobile phones, landline telephones and the internet. Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first one and a half hours this person was using the internet. She used the mobile phone to communicate during the last 60 minutes of observation.
Test person 5 Name: Ms H Onathukattil Age: 16 Duration: 1 and half hours Technological knowledge: This person has a high know ledge of using mobile phones, landline telephones and the internet. Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first 45 minutes the person was using the internet. She used the internet once again for the last 12 minutes.
Through my interview I have found out that the family members commonly communicated using Mobile phones and the internet.
The least used type of communication
The least used type of method was the landline telephone. The telephone was only commonly used by the elder members of the house, like the parents
Advantages of the commonly used communication method
The mobile phone and the internet was the most commonly used communication methods. The mobile phone was used due to the reason that they were able to talk, hear and provide instant responses to each other live. However, the mobile was more dominant over the telephone for a far more obvious reason. The mobile phones had an easy advantage, which was portability.
They also used the internet to send emails and instant messages. The internet was used as much as the mobile phones. As the internet was used on laptops, the internet was abe to achieve the same advantage as the mobile phone.
Disadvantages of the least used communication method
The one main reason that the telephone was least used was down to the fact that they are tied down. It has functionalities as the mobile phone, but not enough features that allowed the device to be personalised.
Identified patterns:
During my observations, I have noticed that some the types of communication method used by the members depended on the age group. For example, parents use landline telephones and mobile phones for communication, whereas the children, the brothers and sisters use the internet to communicate with one another. They also use mobile phones a lot more and particularly use text messages among themselves.
Reoccurring themes:
During the analysis of my questionnaire results, I was able to pick up similar answers from different users. This could of been because as they live in the same environment they all found similar interests and advantages in the methods that were commonly used.
to start off with make sure you fill out the following:
name age technical knwdge: current method of communication: problm with it:
after the video you can fill this in because u will know what the user wants-
suggest for messaging system: required features:
1) 1 or 2 videos that involve you having a casual convostation with a member of a focus group address the following areas in your video:
what is there current form of communication what are the problems with this if a digital home messaging system was made what would be the main features they woul want (touch, sound, interactive, 3d etc) would they want it to be portable or stationary (or both) what would eb there preferd shape/size/colour/texture within what price range cultral issues/ prfered language types) how simply shoul it be how can it be user friendly? any other usabilty issues if they are disabled (sound, touch) where would the device be placed?
while u do the recording take paper based notes as evidnce of ur transcript.
here are the report of process and results i wrote up for the cognitive walkthrough...
Introduction: The Cognitive walkthrough method is a usability inspection method used to identify usability issues in a piece of software or web site, focusing on how easy it is for new users to accomplish tasks with the system. The method is rooted in the notion that users typically prefer to learn a system by using it to accomplish tasks, rather than, for example, studying a manual
Process: A cognitive walkthrough starts with a task analysis that specifies the sequence of steps or actions required by a user to accomplish a task, and the system responses to those actions. The designers and developers of the software then walkthrough the steps as a group, asking themselves a set of questions at each step. Data is gathered during the walkthrough, and afterwards a report of potential issues is compiled. Finally the software is redesigned to address the issues identified.
Cognitive walkthrough We will use cognitive walk through as an evaluation method because we assume that the user is mot an expert therefore we will allocate specific tasks to the user and see how well they can navigate and perform the task.
Define users Users will consist of students aged 19-25 and family member aged 12-56 as looked at in our focus groups. 4 members from the focus groups used in total.
User knowledge We assume that the user (students and family) will not have any background knowledge of using a hologram messaging system. We also assume that the user do have some level of computer interface knowledge i.e. they know how to use computer for basic tasks. This means that the user will be allocated with a task yet they will discover how to interact with the interface once they have gone through it.
Identify tasks The user will be required to run 2 main tasks using the home messaging system. Tasks: On the Board: Send a 3D Reminder On the watch: Play the 3D Reminder back The user will be presented with various screens for each section in which they will select an option.
Questions to ask the user during and after the walkthrough: • How easily can you located the appropriate button User 1: The buttons are large and the text is clear so I can locate the buttons easily User 2: The buttons on the home screen are clear and makes sense. User 3: The buttons have icons and text which make then easy to locate User 4: The icons and text match, but I am not sure about the save icon, it doesn’t match the save word.
• How easy is the system to navigate through User 1: was rather easy because there is a lot of space and everything is clearly labelled. User 2: Easy User 3: easy but some icons don’t match what they mean User 4: particularly easy
• How clear are the icons used are they easy to understand? User 1: most of the icons match their actions User 2: easy to understand User 3: easy to understand User 4: some icons don’t match the text underneath • What do you think of the layout? User 1: The space has been used well User 2: The space and separation of the icons and text have been used to make the screen look clear User 3: the screen is not cluttered User 4: the layout is clear and everything is easy to manage
• Do you feel you have freedom when using the screens? User 1: the use of home and back button provide exit freedom User 2: the use of X to close boxes is good User 3: yes I do User 4: yes
• Do you feel it is easy to make mistakes? User 1: yes but it is just as easy to exit out of mistakes User 2: no because the icons are clearly marked and everything does what it means User 3: some mistakes can be happen but they are no dramatic mistakes that will crash the system User 4: no not really
• Do you fee the system informs you enough User 1: no not really there should be some sort of status bar after each click User 2: yes but there is no status bar when sending a message User 3: there should be some kind of response back User 4: yes I am informed enough I don’t need to be told exactly what is happening every second I can see that for my self after the action actually happens.
Developers questions during the walkthrough: During this process we will note down any usability problems, we must also ask our selves the question. • Will the user get what they want from the system User 1: We found that this user was able to navigate well through the system without any help from us. User 2: we found that this user got what they wanted form the system with much ease User 3: we found that this user got a little confused with the icons User 4: we found over all, this user managed to complete the task well
• Will they be aware when they have chosen the right selection User 1: this user was aware but kept asking why there is no status bar User 2: the user understood what the system is doing but informed us that a status bar should be displayed User 3: the user clicked on an icon but was not sure if they has chosen the right thing because they where waiting for a sort of approval conformation form the screen User 4: user was happy with selections
• If the user selects an option will they understand the feedback given to them onscreen User 1: understood what was happening but there was no feedback, unless there was a particular option given to the user. User 2: understood the feedback User 3: understood the feedback User 4: understood the feedback
here is a liste and breif about heuristoc evaluation i wrote up sections of it will be taken out for the presentation.
How to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation: Heuristic evaluation is a usability engineering method for finding the usability problems in a user interface design so that they can be attended to as part of an iterative design process. Heuristic evaluation involves having a small set of evaluators examine the interface and judge its compliance with recognized usability principles (the "heuristics").
List of 10: These are ten general principles for user interface design. They are called "heuristics" because they are more in the nature of rules of thumb than specific usability guidelines. Visibility of system status The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time. Match between system and the real world The system should speak the users' language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order. User control and freedom Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo. Consistency and standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions. Error prevention Even better than good error messages is a careful design which prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone conditions or check for them and present users with a confirmation option before they commit to the action. Recognition rather than recall Minimize the user's memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate. Flexibility and efficiency of use Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions. Aesthetic and minimalist design Dialogues should not contain information which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution. Help and documentation Even though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation. Any such information should be easy to search, focused on the user's task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large.
Severity Ratings for Usability Problems: Severity ratings can be used to allocate the most resources to fix the most serious problems and can also provide a rough estimate of the need for additional usability efforts. If the severity ratings indicate that several disastrous usability problems remain in an interface, it will probably be unadvisable to release it. But one might decide to go ahead with the release of a system with several usability problems if they are all judged as being cosmetic in nature. The severity of a usability problem is a combination of three factors: • The frequency with which the problem occurs: Is it common or rare? • The impact of the problem if it occurs: Will it be easy or difficult for the users to overcome? • The persistence of the problem: Is it a one-time problem that users can overcome once they know about it or will users repeatedly be bothered by the problem? Finally, of course, one needs to assess the market impact of the problem since certain usability problems can have a devastating effect on the popularity of a product, even if they are "objectively" quite easy to overcome. Even though severity has several components, it is common to combine all aspects of severity in a single severity rating as an overall assessment of each usability problem in order to facilitate prioritizing and decision-making. The following 0 to 4 rating scale can be used to rate the severity of usability problems: 0 = I don't agree that this is a usability problem at all 1 = Cosmetic problem only: need not be fixed unless extra time is available on project 2 = Minor usability problem: fixing this should be given low priority 3 = Major usability problem: important to fix, so should be given high priority 4 = Usability catastrophe: imperative to fix this before product can be released
HERE ARE THE RESULTS I ANAYLISED AND FOUND FROM THE 3 EXPERTS DOING THE HEURISTIC EVALUATION, I LOOKED AT THE COMMON THINGS THEY MENTIONED ABOUT THE SYSTEM.
Common findings from the 3 heuristic evaluation: Visibility of system status All 3 experts stated that there should be some sort of status loading bar when going from one page to another to inform users what the system is doing.
Match between system and the real world 2 experts stated that the system used clear icons and text so it was easy to understand. 1 of the experts stated that the icon used for sent and saved messages did not match the action.
User control and freedom All 3 experts found the used of delete, home and back button provided the necessary freedom to move around the system.
Consistency and standards All 3 experts stated that the buttons appeared in the same positions and the same icons where used throughout.
Error prevention 2 experts stated icons meant the same as their actions. 1 expert stated that the interface looked incomplete and therefore could have errors.
Recognition rather than recall 2 experts stated that the icons used where easy to understand and not over loaded on the page. User can link right icon to right task. 1 expert stated that the saved message icon didn’t match the task.
Flexibility and efficiency of use All 3 experts stated that the design allowed novice users to learn by performing the steps using the icons but there are no short cuts for more experienced users.
Aesthetic and minimalist design 2 experts stated that the design was necessary and categorized well. 1 expert stated that the design was minimal and could have more options.
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors 1 expert stated that the design was helpful in allowing tasks to be preformed, but didn’t seem helpful in diagnosing a problem or recovering from a problem.
Help and documentation Simple design needs no help.
here is the basic conclusion i came up with from the heuristic and cognitve.
By conducting a heuristic evaluation and cognitive walkthrough it is clear to see that over all the system has: Good use of icons Clear and spacious layout Easy to navigate Good use of font/icon size and colour
Areas that need improvement are: High- Displaying of a status bar when clicking from page to page Medium- Change the ‘saved messages’ icon so it matches its action and text Medium- Provide a form of short cuts to move experienced users No low priorities required.
I have designed all the interface screens, including the design, layout, icons, postioing, colours, text size and general idea of the interface screens.
Name of the system: HCS (Home Communication System)
Number of pieces: There are 7 pieces in total, one central hub and 6 hand held devices.
Cost: £100-£150
Age group: 13+
Required technical knowledge: Basic knowledge in using a computer and a mobile phone
Purpose:
The purpose of the communication system is to provide a better alternative method of communicating with one another. The HCS can be efficient and reliable as a commonly used mobile phone. In my design I have tried to capture the advantages of all the types of methods that are being currently used and try to make a better system.
Key features:
Video conference
My home communication system allows its users to have video conversations, where they can talk to each other through vision and sound. For example, one person could be at home and another person could be outside. Each family member has their own hand held PDA, where each of these devices are linked to the central Hub (Main screen), which is located at their home.
Text messaging The home communication system also allows text messaging, which allows the users to post messages to each others hand held devices or to the central hub at home.
Touch sensors
Touch sensors are becoming more and more common as technology continues to grow. My system also has touch sensors on the screens of the hand held devices as well as the main screen. This allows the users to select the items on the screen, like pick up an incoming call, or open a message that has been received in the inbox.
Sound alerts
Sound alerts are one of the important features in this system. The sound alerts the users when there is an incoming call on the central and host devices. The sound is also very useful on the central hub, as it would be mounted on a wall, it would not be carried around. Therefore, the users need to be alerted instantly when a message arrives.
Locate members
The HCS (Home Communication System) also has a unique feature where the user at the central hub can locate any of the other hand held devices, which are linked with it, using GPS.
Usability:
The HCS will be very easy to use; it will be no harder that using technologies that currently surrounds our daily lives. The HCS hub will be easier to use as a television. The system will have to be configured and set up, the first time is used. Once completed, the user will be directed through a menu as options on the screens are selected. The personal hand held devices are equally simple to use. These devices will be no harder to use than a mobile phone or a PDA, which are becoming more common. Just like a mobile phone the user will be directed using simple and straight forward menus.
oznur has done the questions for the semi structure interview the questions are along the lines as follows...
ReplyDeleteQuestions for focus groups
1. How do you communicate on a daily basis?
2. Do you find this type of method useful?
3. Do you reckon this type of communication method is time consuming?
4. For what reasons do you use this type of communication?
5. How often do you use this type of communication?
6. Who are the other users in using this type of communication?
7. What are the drawbacks to this type of method?
8. What are the advantages in using this type of method?
9. Do you have any other way of communicating?
10. Which one do you prefer and why?
The focus groups that we are looking at will be
ReplyDelete1.tudents in a flat...
2. a family home
3. a youthclub
semistructure interview will tak eplace for each on how they currenlty communicate...we are not trying to influence them into what we want..therefore we will not give any indication to the messaging system we will later be creating...
after the semi structured interviews...an observation will be taken..perhaps a period of a few days..focusing on how they communicate and leave messages for eacother...
upon these findings and analysis will be taken
we are focuing on 3 mian areas
ReplyDeleteinterviews
observation
focus groups..
different focus groups are going to live in differnt enviroments...
students may have a very busy life style..therefore their method of communication might be faster to that of a family, all this should be taken into account
yeh i have done the questions above, reason being is to gain and gather as much data from our focus groups.
ReplyDeletehi
ReplyDeletewhen u do the focus group can u lay it out like this for me please
Location: (is it a flat, house)
Number of people: (how many living in the house hold)
duration: (how long did u watch them for?)
Age range: (min to max of the people u are looking at)
Aim: (what u are trying to gain from this study)
Observation: (what did u notice about what they did,,,what did they use..how long for..why?)
and answer the questions oznur made for you...this will be the structured intervew.. also a small summary of the interview findings...
just to let you know i will take pics and try to upload them here
ReplyDeleteContribution of my part to the course work....
ReplyDeleteLocation: office in a youth club
Number of people: 3 people
Duration: each person have taken me roughly 10-15 mins each person
Age range: between 22-25
Aim: (what u are trying to gain from this study)
The aim of this research is to identify how these people communicate, I have chosen to focus and understand how the people in the youth club communicate and the method they use to do this. I am trying to find out what tools they use to communicate and the interactions they make with it.
Observation:
1)what did u notice about what they did?
What i have noticed was the behaviour of each of them one of them and how they communicated, also recognising the positioning of their desk was arranged and how they communicate like a triangle.
2)what did they use?
They all use mainly the same methods which is basically paper notes, messaging board and
how long for..why?
Each person taken 10-15 mins each this was due to interview and the observation.
Tools used to carry out this search: camera and paper
meeting 2mro 10.30 in the libary people thanks
ReplyDeleteok from the focus group observations i have been given so far i have been able to write the following analysis
ReplyDeleteFamily analysis:
We can see that from the observation the older family members tend to use landline phone where as
the younger people use mobiles and texting. This maybe due to the older people having less
knowledge in using a mobile phone i.e. they find texting hard. The younger people also use internet for
emails and instant messaging again the younger people are using the advantages of technology and
faster ways of communication to that of the older people.
From the interview we can see that the mobile phone and instant messaging is the preferred choice of
the majority of people in the house. The draw back of this is the costs of credit.
Youth Club:
Due to the environment being of the youth club being different to that of a family home. They type of
communication various as well. From the observation we can see that in the youth club a lot more
paper based approach is used this maybe due to the fact that paper will stand out with a person goes
to sit at their desk. Also a landline phone is used and messages are left on an answer machine. This is
a more professional approach because it is a office and things need to be recorded.
summary is as follows
ReplyDeleteFrom the observation and interview carried out for all 3 focus groups we can
see that the main preferred methods of communication are:
Paper
Mobiles
Internet (instant messaging and emails)
Landline Phones
The paper and landline phones are common amongst the older generation due to the fact
that they have less experience using things like mobile phones and email. Paper and
landline phones become their way of easy communication if they are not able to say it
face to face. The draw backs to these methods is that paper can get lost and using a
landline phone means that the person might not always be home to get the message.
The younger groups of people prefer to use mobiles and instant messaging because
across the younger generation theses are the most popular forms of communication due
to them being fast and easy. The draw backs to these methods are the money spent on
credit for mobiles and the hours spent using the internet.
any other suggestions?
ReplyDeletethis should be the form we try and take
ReplyDeleteDATA ANALYSIS
Observation:
Test person 1
name:
age:
durattion:
technilocial knowledge: (what can they use? mobile. internet? how well can they)
enviorment of observation:
observation findings: ( if you observed the form 1hr then split up your observation in 2 sections being 30mins each time foe exmple: 1st 30mins the person talked on the phone etc)
follow on from your current observation
also if possiable can you provide some audio-or video footage of some of your people you are observing as this comes under what an observation is actually about.
From this we will then be abble to analyise quliative data like: recuring patterns, categorizind data
CONTENT ANALYSIS:
Once you have done this please address from the questionnaire and obseravtion the following
Categorise you data: i.e-people who use phones, or people who use internet etc splite them up basclly
identifying patterns:
address any themes that u see:
recurng themes : (in your questionnaire look at how many times the same answer was given)
we are meeting friday morning at uni. around 11ish contact me
ReplyDeleteObservation
ReplyDeleteTest person 1
Name: Mr H Onathukattil
Age: 52
Duration: 1 and a half hours
Technological knowledge: This person has minimal knowledge of using the internet and does not use the internet for any kind of communication. However, he is able to use mobile phone and landline telephone well.
Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first 15 minutes the person was using Landline Telephone. Then half way through the person was talking on the mobile phone for 20 minutes. The person used the mobile once again at the last ten minutes of observation. During the observation this person did not use any other type of communication methods.
Test person 2
Name: Mrs M Onathukattil
Age: 48
Duration: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Technological knowledge: Able to use mobile phone, and landline telephones well. This person has little or no understanding of using the internet and does not use it at all.
Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first 25 minutes the person was using Landline Telephone. The person used the Landline again at the last 12 minutes of observation. This person did not use any other types of communication, during the time of observation.
Test person 3
Name: Mr A M Onathukattil
Age: 26
Duration: 2 hours
Technological knowledge: Able to use mobile phone, landline telephones well. This person also has intermediate knowledge of using the internet.
Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first 35 minutes the person was using the mobile phone. He also used the internet to communicate during the last 20 minutes of the first hour. He then used the mobile phone again for 18 minutes of the last hour.
Test person 4
Name: Ms M Onathukattil
Age: 22
Duration: 2 and a half hours
Technological knowledge: This person has a high know ledge of using mobile phones, landline telephones and the internet.
Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first one and a half hours this person was using the internet. She used the mobile phone to communicate during the last 60 minutes of observation.
Test person 5
Name: Ms H Onathukattil
Age: 16
Duration: 1 and half hours
Technological knowledge: This person has a high know ledge of using mobile phones, landline telephones and the internet.
Environment of observation: Home
Observation findings: At the first 45 minutes the person was using the internet. She used the internet once again for the last 12 minutes.
CONTENT ANALYSIS:
ReplyDeleteMost common type of communication method used
Through my interview I have found out that the family members commonly communicated using Mobile phones and the internet.
The least used type of communication
The least used type of method was the landline telephone. The telephone was only commonly used by the elder members of the house, like the parents
Advantages of the commonly used communication method
The mobile phone and the internet was the most commonly used communication methods. The mobile phone was used due to the reason that they were able to talk, hear and provide instant responses to each other live. However, the mobile was more dominant over the telephone for a far more obvious reason. The mobile phones had an easy advantage, which was portability.
They also used the internet to send emails and instant messages. The internet was used as much as the mobile phones. As the internet was used on laptops, the internet was abe to achieve the same advantage as the mobile phone.
Disadvantages of the least used communication method
The one main reason that the telephone was least used was down to the fact that they are tied down. It has functionalities as the mobile phone, but not enough features that allowed the device to be personalised.
Identified patterns:
During my observations, I have noticed that some the types of communication method used by the members depended on the age group. For example, parents use landline telephones and mobile phones for communication, whereas the children, the brothers and sisters use the internet to communicate with one another. They also use mobile phones a lot more and particularly use text messages among themselves.
Reoccurring themes:
During the analysis of my questionnaire results, I was able to pick up similar answers from different users. This could of been because as they live in the same environment they all found similar interests and advantages in the methods that were commonly used.
hi all
ReplyDeleteto start off with make sure you fill out the following:
name
age
technical knwdge:
current method of communication:
problm with it:
after the video you can fill this in because u will know what the user wants-
suggest for messaging system:
required features:
1) 1 or 2 videos that involve you having a casual convostation with a member of a focus group
address the following areas in your video:
what is there current form of communication
what are the problems with this
if a digital home messaging system was made what would be the main features they woul want (touch, sound, interactive, 3d etc)
would they want it to be portable or stationary (or both)
what would eb there preferd shape/size/colour/texture
within what price range
cultral issues/ prfered language types)
how simply shoul it be
how can it be user friendly?
any other usabilty issues
if they are disabled (sound, touch)
where would the device be placed?
while u do the recording take paper based notes as evidnce of ur transcript.
check ur emails as i have sent all this information there
ReplyDeletehere are the report of process and results i wrote up for the cognitive walkthrough...
ReplyDeleteIntroduction:
The Cognitive walkthrough method is a usability inspection method used to identify usability issues in a piece of software or web site, focusing on how easy it is for new users to accomplish tasks with the system. The method is rooted in the notion that users typically prefer to learn a system by using it to accomplish tasks, rather than, for example, studying a manual
Process: A cognitive walkthrough starts with a task analysis that specifies the sequence of steps or actions required by a user to accomplish a task, and the system responses to those actions. The designers and developers of the software then walkthrough the steps as a group, asking themselves a set of questions at each step. Data is gathered during the walkthrough, and afterwards a report of potential issues is compiled. Finally the software is redesigned to address the issues identified.
Cognitive walkthrough
We will use cognitive walk through as an evaluation method because we assume that the user is mot an expert therefore we will allocate specific tasks to the user and see how well they can navigate and perform the task.
Define users
Users will consist of students aged 19-25 and family member aged 12-56 as looked at in our focus groups.
4 members from the focus groups used in total.
User knowledge
We assume that the user (students and family) will not have any background knowledge of using a hologram messaging system. We also assume that the user do have some level of computer interface knowledge i.e. they know how to use computer for basic tasks.
This means that the user will be allocated with a task yet they will discover how to interact with the interface once they have gone through it.
Identify tasks
The user will be required to run 2 main tasks using the home messaging system.
Tasks:
On the Board: Send a 3D Reminder
On the watch: Play the 3D Reminder back
The user will be presented with various screens for each section in which they will select an option.
Questions to ask the user during and after the walkthrough:
• How easily can you located the appropriate button
User 1: The buttons are large and the text is clear so I can locate the buttons easily
User 2: The buttons on the home screen are clear and makes sense.
User 3: The buttons have icons and text which make then easy to locate
User 4: The icons and text match, but I am not sure about the save icon, it doesn’t match the save word.
• How easy is the system to navigate through
User 1: was rather easy because there is a lot of space and everything is clearly labelled.
User 2: Easy
User 3: easy but some icons don’t match what they mean
User 4: particularly easy
• How clear are the icons used are they easy to understand?
User 1: most of the icons match their actions
User 2: easy to understand
User 3: easy to understand
User 4: some icons don’t match the text underneath
• What do you think of the layout?
User 1: The space has been used well
User 2: The space and separation of the icons and text have been used to make the screen look clear
User 3: the screen is not cluttered
User 4: the layout is clear and everything is easy to manage
• Do you feel you have freedom when using the screens?
User 1: the use of home and back button provide exit freedom
User 2: the use of X to close boxes is good
User 3: yes I do
User 4: yes
• Do you feel it is easy to make mistakes?
User 1: yes but it is just as easy to exit out of mistakes
User 2: no because the icons are clearly marked and everything does what it means
User 3: some mistakes can be happen but they are no dramatic mistakes that will crash the system
User 4: no not really
• Do you fee the system informs you enough
User 1: no not really there should be some sort of status bar after each click
User 2: yes but there is no status bar when sending a message
User 3: there should be some kind of response back
User 4: yes I am informed enough I don’t need to be told exactly what is happening every second I can see that for my self after the action actually happens.
Developers questions during the walkthrough:
During this process we will note down any usability problems, we must also ask our selves the question.
• Will the user get what they want from the system
User 1: We found that this user was able to navigate well through the system without any help from us.
User 2: we found that this user got what they wanted form the system with much ease
User 3: we found that this user got a little confused with the icons
User 4: we found over all, this user managed to complete the task well
• Will they be aware when they have chosen the right selection
User 1: this user was aware but kept asking why there is no status bar
User 2: the user understood what the system is doing but informed us that a status bar should be displayed
User 3: the user clicked on an icon but was not sure if they has chosen the right thing because they where waiting for a sort of approval conformation form the screen
User 4: user was happy with selections
• If the user selects an option will they understand the feedback given to them onscreen
User 1: understood what was happening but there was no feedback, unless there was a particular option given to the user.
User 2: understood the feedback
User 3: understood the feedback
User 4: understood the feedback
here is a liste and breif about heuristoc evaluation i wrote up sections of it will be taken out for the presentation.
ReplyDeleteHow to Conduct a Heuristic Evaluation:
Heuristic evaluation is a usability engineering method for finding the usability problems in a user interface design so that they can be attended to as part of an iterative design process. Heuristic evaluation involves having a small set of evaluators examine the interface and judge its compliance with recognized usability principles (the "heuristics").
List of 10:
These are ten general principles for user interface design. They are called "heuristics" because they are more in the nature of rules of thumb than specific usability guidelines.
Visibility of system status
The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
Match between system and the real world
The system should speak the users' language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order.
User control and freedom
Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.
Consistency and standards
Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.
Error prevention
Even better than good error messages is a careful design which prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone conditions or check for them and present users with a confirmation option before they commit to the action.
Recognition rather than recall
Minimize the user's memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
Accelerators -- unseen by the novice user -- may often speed up the interaction for the expert user such that the system can cater to both inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions.
Aesthetic and minimalist design
Dialogues should not contain information which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility.
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution.
Help and documentation
Even though it is better if the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation. Any such information should be easy to search, focused on the user's task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large.
Severity Ratings for Usability Problems:
Severity ratings can be used to allocate the most resources to fix the most serious problems and can also provide a rough estimate of the need for additional usability efforts. If the severity ratings indicate that several disastrous usability problems remain in an interface, it will probably be unadvisable to release it. But one might decide to go ahead with the release of a system with several usability problems if they are all judged as being cosmetic in nature.
The severity of a usability problem is a combination of three factors:
• The frequency with which the problem occurs: Is it common or rare?
• The impact of the problem if it occurs: Will it be easy or difficult for the users to overcome?
• The persistence of the problem: Is it a one-time problem that users can overcome once they know about it or will users repeatedly be bothered by the problem?
Finally, of course, one needs to assess the market impact of the problem since certain usability problems can have a devastating effect on the popularity of a product, even if they are "objectively" quite easy to overcome. Even though severity has several components, it is common to combine all aspects of severity in a single severity rating as an overall assessment of each usability problem in order to facilitate prioritizing and decision-making.
The following 0 to 4 rating scale can be used to rate the severity of usability problems:
0 = I don't agree that this is a usability problem at all
1 = Cosmetic problem only: need not be fixed unless extra time is available on project
2 = Minor usability problem: fixing this should be given low priority
3 = Major usability problem: important to fix, so should be given high priority
4 = Usability catastrophe: imperative to fix this before product can be released
HERE ARE THE RESULTS I ANAYLISED AND FOUND FROM THE 3 EXPERTS DOING THE HEURISTIC EVALUATION, I LOOKED AT THE COMMON THINGS THEY MENTIONED ABOUT THE SYSTEM.
ReplyDeleteCommon findings from the 3 heuristic evaluation:
Visibility of system status
All 3 experts stated that there should be some sort of status loading bar when going from one page to
another to inform users what the system is doing.
Match between system and the real world
2 experts stated that the system used clear icons and text so it was easy to understand. 1 of the
experts stated that the icon used for sent and saved messages did not match the action.
User control and freedom
All 3 experts found the used of delete, home and back button provided the necessary freedom to move
around the system.
Consistency and standards
All 3 experts stated that the buttons appeared in the same positions and the same icons where used
throughout.
Error prevention
2 experts stated icons meant the same as their actions. 1 expert stated that the interface looked
incomplete and therefore could have errors.
Recognition rather than recall
2 experts stated that the icons used where easy to understand and not over loaded on the page. User
can link right icon to right task. 1 expert stated that the saved message icon didn’t match the task.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
All 3 experts stated that the design allowed novice users to learn by performing the steps using the
icons but there are no short cuts for more experienced users.
Aesthetic and minimalist design
2 experts stated that the design was necessary and categorized well. 1 expert stated that the design
was minimal and could have more options.
Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
1 expert stated that the design was helpful in allowing tasks to be preformed, but didn’t
seem helpful in diagnosing a problem or recovering from a problem.
Help and documentation
Simple design needs no help.
here is the basic conclusion i came up with from the heuristic and cognitve.
ReplyDeleteBy conducting a heuristic evaluation and cognitive walkthrough it is clear to see
that over all the system has:
Good use of icons
Clear and spacious layout
Easy to navigate
Good use of font/icon size and colour
Areas that need improvement are:
High- Displaying of a status bar when clicking from page to page
Medium- Change the ‘saved messages’ icon so it matches its action and text
Medium- Provide a form of short cuts to move experienced users
No low priorities required.
I have designed all the interface screens, including the design, layout, icons, postioing, colours, text size and general idea of the interface screens.
ReplyDeleteMy system Design
ReplyDeleteName of the system: HCS (Home Communication System)
Number of pieces: There are 7 pieces in total, one central hub and 6 hand held devices.
Cost: £100-£150
Age group: 13+
Required technical knowledge: Basic knowledge in using a computer and a mobile phone
Purpose:
The purpose of the communication system is to provide a better alternative method of communicating with one another. The HCS can be efficient and reliable as a commonly used mobile phone. In my design I have tried to capture the advantages of all the types of methods that are being currently used and try to make a better system.
Key features:
Video conference
My home communication system allows its users to have video conversations, where they can talk to each other through vision and sound. For example, one person could be at home and another person could be outside. Each family member has their own hand held PDA, where each of these devices are linked to the central Hub (Main screen), which is located at their home.
Text messaging
The home communication system also allows text messaging, which allows the users to post messages to each others hand held devices or to the central hub at home.
Touch sensors
Touch sensors are becoming more and more common as technology continues to grow. My system also has touch sensors on the screens of the hand held devices as well as the main screen. This allows the users to select the items on the screen, like pick up an incoming call, or open a message that has been received in the inbox.
Sound alerts
Sound alerts are one of the important features in this system. The sound alerts the users when there is an incoming call on the central and host devices. The sound is also very useful on the central hub, as it would be mounted on a wall, it would not be carried around. Therefore, the users need to be alerted instantly when a message arrives.
Locate members
The HCS (Home Communication System) also has a unique feature where the user at the central hub can locate any of the other hand held devices, which are linked with it, using GPS.
Usability:
The HCS will be very easy to use; it will be no harder that using technologies that currently surrounds our daily lives. The HCS hub will be easier to use as a television. The system will have to be configured and set up, the first time is used. Once completed, the user will be directed through a menu as options on the screens are selected. The personal hand held devices are equally simple to use. These devices will be no harder to use than a mobile phone or a PDA, which are becoming more common. Just like a mobile phone the user will be directed using simple and straight forward menus.