Human-Computer Interaction - Assignment Example

Human Computer Interaction Question No- 1- a Old people are expected to take the technology in a different way from younger people. Because of motor, sensory and cognitive transformations the older people require more time to learn and more steps to operate the system, and be more error-prone (Kurniawan). In this scenario below given table will outline some important aspects and specifications of new user interface design for the old people that can offer them more enhanced working and operational power (Conci, Pianesi and Zancanaro): User Characteristic Characteristics Senior Citizens Interface Design Requirements Age 70+ Need to be more sophisticated and offer the user simple color combination and handling facility Physical Limitations Weak eyesight Weak grip Less effective learning Offer bigger possible font, simple menu style, easy navigation and easy to learn and remember controls. Here the color and lighting of the mobile set need to be more effective Education Level Almost Less educated or having medium education level No complex language in overall handling of controls and menus. Mobile set needs to offer easy learning ability with simple usage controls. So the person with least educational level can use the model set. Computer/IT Knowledge No or negligible computer knowledge Few buttons, with simple calling and receiving controls so that a person with no or small computer knowledge or skill can be able to use the mobile set Motivation Less aligned towards the learning the new technology of using new tools regarding communication Need to offer more enhanced facilities and attractive handling so that old people can able to prefer the device Attitude to technology Taken as a harder to handle and difficult to use New style and way of working that can be similar to the old telephone sets and the old people can feel the same type of convenience to present new technology sets. Question No- 1- b Applying User Centered design principles also includes undertaking the following activities:- Task Analysis Stakeholder Analysis Briefly describe each of these activities and also state when and why they should be used during the design and development of an interactive system. Domain, user, and task analysis are carried out in order to achieve insight into the requirements and working practice of the anticipated users. The objective of incorporating convenience into user-centered design is to pursue a "procedure of developing products (environments, devices, systems, plus methods) that can be used by the people with the wide probable variety of capabilities operating inside the wide possible variety of circumstances (conditions, environments and circumstances), as is commercially useful (IBM). Task Analysis Task analysis recognizes and understands the users' objectives and tasks, the policies they utilize to carry out the tasks, the tools they at present utilize, some problems they experience, as well as the transformations/modifications they would desire to have in their tools and tasks (IBM). To design and develop an interactive system the task analysis tells about the user that how he wants to perform in terms of cognitive procedures to attain an objective. In case of interactive system development and design a detailed task analysis can be carried out to recognize the present system as well as the information flows inside it. In addition, these information flows are significant to uphold the new system as well as have to be included or substituted in some new system (UsabilityNet). Stakeholder Analysis For designing and developing an interactive system stakeholder analysis is a method that could be employed to recognize and assess the needs, priorities, objectives and needs of key people that can considerably influence the accomplishment of the project. Additionally, the normal instances of stakeholders in interactive system projects encompass the business directors, user, the site support workers, and the site administrator and so on. In addition, systematically discovering the development of interactive system problem space can guide to the discovery of design explanations that convene the objectives of the stakeholders and removing (a number of) requirements conflicts. Moreover, the objective is to decrease requirements conflicts by upholding an elevated level of stakeholder satisfaction through the design as possible (Boutelle). Question No 2-a End User Source/Degree of Power Very High High Medium Low Very Low None Formal Authority Expert Knowledge Ultimate System Dependence Provide rewards or sanctions Time to spend on project Inside Knowledge Access to senior staff In case of system design the degree of power end users have to influence the design process is demonstrated in the table above. In this scenario they have some sources of knowledge and expertise that can be extracted from formal knowledge, or training. In addition, a user has much influence on the overall designing process because he is main person who is going to specify how the system will look like. However he cannot influence the overall development methodology (Joseph Rowntree Foundation; Sharma and Malik). Systems Analyst Source/Degree of Power Very High High Medium Low Very Low None Formal Authority Expert Knowledge Ultimate System Dependence Provide rewards or sanctions Time to spend on project Inside Knowledge Access to senior staff System analyst is also a main person in the overall development process who is influencing the overall development of the system. He is the main person who is the basic driving force behind the overall development of the system. He has formal knowledge, expertise and system analysis skills regarding the development of the system. Question No 2-b ETHICS is an example of a socio - technical systems development methodology A feature of the ETHICS method is the use of user representatives. State three advantages and three disadvantages of using user representatives as:- Full - time members of the design team Part- time members of the design team Advantages Following are the main advantages of ethics in socio-technical systems development methodology through use of user representative: Better system specification, through user involvement because they can effectively describes the system specifications and different handling aspects. Enhanced system analysis, using user representatives because they can assess system design and developed purely through their internal working needs. As a full time, or part time member of design team they can specify autonomies specifications for system development. Disadvantages Here are the some of main problems or disadvantages in socio-technical systems development methodology through use of user representatives: Sometimes there is danger of harassment or any type of violations of satisfactory use of policies, or user complaints regarding specifying the system design Some kind of problems such as changing system design and development requirements or specifications More time needed to assess overall system in can of involving any part time user representative, that leads to less effective specifications Question No 2-c When we have some resistance from senior management, in this scenario we can anticipate those issues that can support the change, attitudes regarding present processes need to be re-examined as well as cultural elements like that values and behavioral standards intended for congruency through the proposed change. Additionally, the management can also have some concerns regarding project budget and costing. However, this happens due to less effective communication and interaction with the management. In this scenario we need to reinforce the upward communication and information flow. In this regard we can use some online or written media for issuing periodic supporting statements that will usually highlight progress and which reiterate management's support for the overall project. In addition, by establishing an effective communication structure among all management areas we can be able to get confidence and able to minimize the potential resistance among main stakeholders (management) (Joseph Rowntree Foundation). Question No 3-a Here are the main human factors that we need to consider: Easy data deliverance Simple document handling Fast uploading/loading Simple user interface and coloring scheme Less complexity of handling Tight user information security Instant response and access to academic martial Fast collaboration and communication among students and teachers Question No 3-b In case of using questionnaires for assessing the response of students to check the effectiveness of interactive VLE system I will use the open ended questions so that a user can present his response in a much better way. Here open ended questions will offer the opportunity to present effective response and suggestion that cannot be assessed through the closed ended questions. Here are questions regarding the new VLE system: Is system easy to use? Does system load rapidly? Is system easy to handle? Does system perform well and offer no error? Does system offer complete security? Is system working in the same way throughout the system? Are all links working? Question No 3-c Key feature of user centered design Accessibility Simplicity Convenience Usability Observational evaluation Advantages Less effort required Simple and completely dependent on performer Offering analysis of huge number of areas and aspects More data gathering Less disturbance to real working environment Disadvantages Less accurate data Unable to underpin main points No direct interaction to main users Less smooth analysis Question No 4-a Low fidelity prototyping To develop and web sire for selling ladies and men fashion items and clothing through the low fidelity prototyping we will need to present a system that offers small number of system functionalities. In this scenario we will be able to obtain feedback on our design, experiment through substitute designs, and fix difficulties before code is written and able to keep the design centered on the client. We are the able to extract following type of requirements through low fidelity prototyping (Landay; Pressman): System interface requirements System page navigation requirements High fidelity prototyping To develop a web site for selling ladies and men fashion items and clothing through the high fidelity prototyping is quite close to the finish product, having a lot of features and functionalities. We are able to extract the following requirements through the high fidelity prototype (Cagan): System performance requirements System navigational requirements Question No 4-b Rapid Prototyping Advantages Following are the main advantages of prototyping (Prototype Zone; Pressman) Offers concept and proof that would be necessary in attracting funds Offers user a fair idea regarding the final look of the system Enhance the early visibility of the system Offers facility to discover design flaws Disadvantages Following are the main disadvantages of prototyping (Prototype Zone; Pressman) It fails in copying the real product or system Sometime offers cheap working model due to skipping important developmental steps A lot of problems are ignored resultant in endless rectifications plus revisions Question No 4-c In development of an automatic train ticket dispenser I will present the revised version of the specification: Usability Specification Usability Goal Offering effective user interface, enhanced system handling and overall operations management Attribute Effective user handling of system controls Now Level Min 80% Acceptable Level 95% Target Level 100% Conditions Network or bandwidth problems during system usage Question No 4-d In case of automatic train ticket dispenser I will present the following usability specifications: Simple user interface, with effective color and design combination Fast page loading and offer less complex navigation among different controls and pages Question No 5-a Memory In human computer interaction design based on the psychological factors for the design of interactive systems the memory factor is really significant. In this scenario we are aimed to reduce the user short term memory load that leads toward high performance of user (Tate). Human Attention Human attention is also a main factor in overall system interaction design. In this scenario we are aimed to get the maximum user attention so that overall working performance can be enhanced in a much better way (Sharma and Malik). Question No 5-b IAF has lost 23 aircraft because of the human error. Here all accidents are involving wrong handling of computer controls or wrong interpretation of these controls. These can be due to ignoring some critical system alarm or not viewing some warnings (Sharma and Malik). Question No 5-c Any mistake can happen when user works under pressure. This can be time or cost related. In this scenario the user’s mental processing does not interpret the overall situation in a better way that leads toward some kind of misunderstanding and users press any wrong button. Works Cited Boutelle, Jonathan. "Understanding Organizational Stakeholders for Design Success." 06 May 2004. Boxes and Arrows. 18 May 2010 . Cagan, Marty. "High-Fidelity Prototypes." 29 April 2008. The Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG). 18 May 2010 . Conci, Mario, Fabio Pianesi and Massimo Zancanaro. "Useful, Social and Enjoyable: Mobile Phone Adoption by Older People." 2009. Fondazione Bruno Kessler. 13 May 2010 . IBM. "User-Centered Design." 2010. 18 May 2010 . Joseph Rowntree Foundation. "Increasing user involvement in voluntary organisations." July 2003. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 18 May 2010 . Kurniawan, Sri. "Mobile phone design for older persons." interactions Volume 14, Issue 4 (2007): 24-25. Landay, James. "Low-fidelity Prototyping." 13 February 2002. 18 May 2010 . Pressman, Roger S. Software Engineering: A Practicioner's Approach, 5th Edition. London: McGraw Hill, 2001. Prototype Zone. "Prototype Disadvantages and Rapid Prototyping Disadvantages." 2010. Prototype Zone. 18 May 2010 . Sharma, Wg Cdr Arvind and Gp Capt H Malik. "Human factors in helicopter and transport aircraft accidents in IAF." Ind Journal of Aerospace Volume 46, Issue 1 (2002): 7-14. Tate, Mary. Human Computer Interaction: Issues and Challenges. Hershey, PA: Idea Group, 2001. UsabilityNet. "Task analysis." 2006. UsabilityNet.Org. 18 May 2010 . Read More