PACT Analysis and Prototype Design for an Interactive System - Essay Example

? PACT Analysis and Prototype Design For An Interactive System Word Count: 2096 PACT Analysis (800 words) People. The people who are involved in the activity are conceptual and artistic design professionals and civil engineers. The people involved in the activity now are basically the artistic professionals, who are working off of blueprints that have been provided to them by the civil engineers. The artists have special specifications for their project. They must have measurements that are specific to the project. The project that has been undertaken is going to have to be designed to specs, because the project is going to be Windsor Castle in the UK. Also, the other people involved in the project are obviously going to be the users of the interface that will be developed in order to visualise what is being renovated. What is interesting is that the various stages of renovation can be accessed at various points of the program that is to be developed. This will allow users to be able to work from a blueprint and be able to assemble, by themselves, the Windsor Castle—at various stages of its development. The age range for this project would probably be starting at age 12 and range to 90+. Their means to do a lot would be limited with this program. Language should not be a major issue with the people involved in assembling the project (the users). (219 words) Activities. The activity that users actually do now is probably something like assembling one single hologram puzzle in which the image of the Windsor Castle is projected into the air. The special characteristics that this activity possesses is that users get to be interactive with the pieces as manipulatables, are able to assemble one version of the castle, and can see a finished product—a hologram of the Windsor Castle itself (but one version only). There is not much that can be done to eliminate repetition except to somehow eliminate the need to use pieces to tack onto the existing puzzle. In order to make the activity more fun, it might be nice to construct a computerized virtual model of Windsor Castle, and have this software be able to construct different models of the castle based on the time period in which the castle is being built. The activities that the new design will support will include as many different versions of the castle whereby the entire castle would be rebuilt, as well as the ability to walk through all the different rooms of the castle—major rooms only. (189 words) Context of use. The features of the current context are very rudimentary. Ideally, the environment in which the software is used would be leisurely and quiet. The system would need some level of training in order to use it, whereas the current puzzle game would require little to no training. Physical puzzles can be solved together with more than one person, while the prototype that would eventually be the product would probably only have room for one user at a time. The ecological acceptability of the design would be helpful in that it would use energy, i.e., power to run the computer. If one wanted to use a diamond to project holographic images, that would not be legally acceptable, especially considering that there are a lot of blood diamonds circulating. Whereas, with a puzzle, one is probably going to have to sacrifice trees to make the paper to make the puzzle pieces. Socially, a computer program is acceptable as a means of learning information. The legal problems that might be presented in demonstrating a building that might have copyrights associated with its image would have to be taken up with the proper authorities within and without the monarchy of Britain. (197 words) Current Technology. The technology used now is computer software. However, a piece of computer software which would be able to project a hologram off of the screen would be quite novel. The problems with current holographical software regarding a virtual reality program is that the equipment to produce images using such a product is expensive, not to mention expensive to the company that produces the equipment. Thus, most likely there would probably have to be a change in the way such a product were marketed, such as software packages made on-demand, that would keep pace with demand rather than producing several and not being able to sell the packages, in which case the company producing such a product would lose money. (119 words) Future Technology. Technology that could be used to solve the problem might include making a smaller beta prototype available to the public and seeing if it sells. The hardware, whatever would be produced, would have to produce a quality replica of various versions of the Windsor Castle, with the ability to produce different interiors within as well as see the original interior. The software will have to be able to tackle complex technical problems, which computer engineers or techies might be better able to solve. Mobile phone, GPS, and Facebook apps could be designed to support this program, but until certain hardware is hard-wired to produce holographic images, it would be difficult to attach hardware to the package without the encumbrance of added hardware prices showing up in the retail price. More functionality might be built-in by simply keeping the virtual reality like a video game and forgetting about installing a holographic element. (151 words) 2: Observations Supporting the PACT Analysis (515 words) The potential users were, for the most part, unsatisfied with the potential product to be produced. A neutral feedback is mainly considered negative because it is not a positive feedback. One very good feedback was regarding the idea that the virtual reality tour was a bit boring by itself. Another great idea was to make the program more interactive than it already is. There would definitely be multiple ways to approach this project. Of course, not all the ideas that are produced can necessarily be included in the project or explained here. But the ideas can be definitely taken into account. The PACT analysis also aided in helping the developer of this project to see what areas might need to be improved in terms of the prototype, and in terms of making the prototype a functional system. Also, the prototype that is eventually developed beyond the example will have to be realistically planned. For example, there was one idea to have the computer program have some type of holographic component built in. However, in order to project such a holograph, there would probably have to be some type of complicated technology or hardware that would have to be installed in order to use the software program. However, for many buyers, such holographic hardware would be difficult if not impossible to install, including the idea of having a touch screen feature. This is especially unrealistic considering the fact that many personal computers are not hard-wired for any type of software application like that, unless they are some type of tablet personal computer. For example, there is the Samsung Galaxy Tablet, as well as the Apple iPad. This type of prototype might function if there was an application developed for the actual product that is developed off the prototype as shown in the example in Section 5 of this paper, Fig. 2. Basically, in order for this application to be developed for non-tablet PC technology, there would definitely have to be some type of hardware that would accompany the assembly of the product to produce holographic element not inherent in such PC technology, which is more outdated. In response to the observations, it would be nice to be able to develop one type of software that would be acceptable for producing applications for tablet technology personal computers, as well as technology with the hardware that could be used to equip computers that were not ‘smart technology.’ However, such hardware would have to be inexpensive enough so that it would be able to be bought by at least the wealthy, and expensive enough so that the company producing the hardware could actually make some money off of the sale of the finished product. Another problem would be that this product would probably only garner the most interest in the UK, since the Windsor Castle is in the UK. However, this product might be of potential interest to people around the world who are curious learners, as well as people who are history buffs. Possibly, people in the field of education might also be interested in such a product. (515 words) 3: Secondary research (500 words) The secondary research included finding specific examples of the visualisation, as well as the prototype. The visualisation was found on the site Maps of the World (2010, pp. 1). The idea for the prototype of the Windsor Castle virtual computer program came form an actual screenshot of a software download for a similar type of program to what is being proposed here (Download Software Store, 2010, pp. 1). The good idea that would definitely be borrowed is the usage of the software which can be downloaded, as a prototype for the actual program that would be developed. This could definitely impact the PACT analysis. Having seen this prototype, it is very possible that language might or might not be necessary in the final prototype, depending upon whether this prototype will be as informational as the example—with long paragraphs which the user must read. Obviously, that adds value to the prototype in some manner, but that information could also be read from a book. The person interacting doesn’t necessarily want to read a manual about Windsor’s Castle—they just might want to experience it without having to read a lot of information. Basically, the visualisation is just a bare-bones idea of what a puzzle would look like if it was a projected hologram. The hologram would come from the puzzle itself after it was assembled out of a box. There would be pieces in the box that the user would basically take out and assemble into a puzzle to create the finished hologram. The prototype itself would basically be based off of the prototype shown after the visualisation. This research would be useful to help develop my own prototype. Obviously, the prototype displayed is going to be an idea from which would be borrowed. Generally, prototypes can be very difficult to build oneself, especially when it comes to a specific computer program involving virtual reality. However, the prototype provided is the closest that can be approximated to an actual prototype of what is going to be produced without actually having the product at hand. The prototype example is the closest approximation of the idea that is trying to be presented. Basically, what is happening with the prototype is that it is an extension of what would actually be presented in its place after the final product has been developed. Since there is not actually another prototype that has been developed in order to rival the prototype provided, the prototype provided is going to be the basis of the actual prototype that will be developed based on the example. The example prototype is basically going to serve as the prototype for the project, because it most closely matches a program that could not only have the user build the outside, with three or four different buildings—but could also model the inside with different interior decorating challenges, possibly, with the option to take a virtual tour of the layout of the interior of the castle. This is the challenge one faces. (500 words) 4: Low Fidelity Visualisation / Prototype for the Interface of an Interactive System That Addresses Your Chosen Scenario This actual visualisation and prototype are discussed in the next section. (10 words) 5: Feedback on the Design Visualisation (200 words) This type of hologram would be projected by a puzzles. (10 words) Fig. 1. Visualisation. Following is the visualisation of the finished product or prottype similar to the computer program that would be produced, where one could walk through various elements of the Castle. Shown below is the Grand Staircase. I showed this visual to three potential users. One user liked it, one user didn’t, and one user was neutral. I asked each of the potential users why they liked or didn’t like the program—or why they were neutral—and what the rationale was behind their opinions or reasoning. The person who liked the design thought this would be more interactive and fun than a puzzle in some respects. One wouldn’t necessarily have to worry about language with the age group 12 through 90+. The person who didn’t like the design thought it wasn’t interactive enough. The person who was neutral didn’t really dislike the project, but on the other hand, this person was not exactly in favor of the computer program either. One good way I might be able to change the visualisation in order to take into account their comments would be to have a touchscreen element which could be implemented so that the program would be more interactive. (190 words) Fig. 2. Prototype. BIBLIOGRAPHY Maps of the world. 2010. Available: ttp://www.mapsofworld.com/travel-destinations/images/windsor-castle.jpg Download software store. 2010. Available: http://downloadsoftwarestore.com/software_images/12/17/00091712/Windsor_Castle_Virtual_Tour-screenshot.jpg Read More