Interface Evaluation Hardware Printers - Literature review Example

Running head: interface evaluation Hardware: Printers Design Review Report Institution Name: Tutor: Student name: Student No. : Submission Date: Usability is one fact that developers have realized that they can no long avoid because it matters how effectively the interactive system is. This has prompted user interface experts to look for techniques of evaluating the user interface. Graphical user interface is a program that enables interaction between human and the computer using symbols, visual displays and pointing devices(GUI, 2012). User interface is a concept in computer science is under Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Usability is very important developers have realized that it needs more time because it matters how effectively the interactive system is. User interface of a given product is evaluated using various techniques. The main aim of assessing the interactivity of an interface is to see the design of that interface ensures that the user is able to accomplish their tasks. The main objective of interface evaluation is to help the designers and developers of the product to minimize the malfunctions in the system, Gould and Lewis (1985) also asserts that feedback to the developers is very critical to ensure that there is an interactive process of product development. An interface is said to be good one if the users of all levels from novice to experts are able to accomplish their tasks while a bad interface is one that users find it difficult to learn and comfortably use it. User interface experts have for over years been designing the best way to evaluate the interface. The evaluation therefore defines two groups; the experts and novice evaluators where each one has their level of evaluating the product within the development cycle of the program. Interactive user interface is a part of the software or the hardware that enables the user to interact with that product or the computer. For instance, computer users interact with the computer via software interfaces. This paper evaluates user interfaces of a printer which enables users to interact with the computer. Printers are output devices which the computers use to output hardcopies of its processed data. Printer have a small keypads embedded on it which users use to issue commands to the printer. Printers are basically used for printing documents from a computer, while others have scanning and photocopying functionally. There are several vendors on the market with different printer designs. Printers have two interactive modes where the user interacts with the computer. The software installed on the computer provides an interface where the users can issue command via the computer which is commonly used than the second option where printers have small keypads and sometimes a small screen. To evaluate a printer one should evaluate the functionality of the printer which includes how users are able to diagnosed the problem such as paper jam, cleaning of cartridge, checking ink level and other features such as easy to produce the paper. The evaluator according to the characteristics of a good interface should look how does the interface enable one to correct their mistakes, for instance if the users issues a command to printer 50 copies while he/she wanted only 30 copies how does the printer interface enable the user to accomplish this task. Even if there are many vendors for printers there is some consistency in the printer design, for instance feeding of papers in almost all the printers is the same, the software interface installed in a computer in most printer has a consistent interface. These are important features that enable one to evaluate the printers effectively. User interface experts have come up with several techniques which are accepted amongst themselves for evaluation of interfaces either software or hardware. Below are the techniques used to evaluate interfaces of the printer. Techniques of evaluating interface According to Afonso et al., (2011), evaluation of user interface entails measuring of how easy the interface is to learn by a new user and adopt to the environment. Learning outcomes are measured y how someone can be able to navigate from one level to another, the use of shortcuts and minimal errors. The user satisfaction is another factor in a good interface, if users yarn to use the interface once ore then it is a good one. Interface evaluation is a process that aims at establishing problems of the interface which is a process that requires several activities done. The techniques below are used by stakeholders of the hardware or software product at different levels such as experts and end users. Experts in UI evaluate the interface during formative evaluation while end users test the system by cognitive and pluralistic walkthrough (www.cs.umd.edu).There are several techniques used in interface evaluation such as; Heuristic evaluation Software guideline Cognitive walk-through Pluralistic walkthrough Summative evaluation Summative evaluation Summative evaluation and formative evaluation are terms which can be traced back in 1967 to 1992 where Carroll Singley and Rosson(1992)used them in their framework when looking at the process of evaluating performance of instructional materials. Hartson and Hix (1989) adopted these terms in human-computer interaction. Summative is used when a product is complete and is best suited for comparison of two products sequentially. A product is evaluated throughout its development cycle as illustrated in the diagram below. Adapted from Hartson and Hix 1989 Given that the interactive interface we want to evaluate is already designed by experts and now it is on the market or in use summative evaluation method will be used to evaluate a interface of printer. Summative is best suited for already finished products because it looks at the certain qualities, standards and requirements. Some of the factors to consider are the time taken by the product to accomplish the task. The error messages provided does it make sense to the users. The screens that appear on the computer system should be productive to the user with simple language which is etiquette. The complexity minimization is another important issue to look at. This can be tackled by evaluating the system with a computer illiterate operators. In order to evaluate the interface, it is vital to understand some of the characteristics of a good user interface. There are eight basic characteristics that will be used to evaluate the interface. Regardless of the techniques used to evaluate the interface evaluation these are the general parameters will be looking at these characteristics. They include: 1. Clear Clarity means the user does not have to search the functionality they are readily available with simple terms that are well understood. The picture below is from the printer on the cartridge side where it clearly guides the user how to replace the cartridge. Any user of the printer can easily learn and understand the interface. 2. Concise This means straight to the point users do not want a lot of details in the interface. While making the interface clear one should not be tempted to adding a lot of information to overload the interface. The printer interface is concise where the design shows the function of each part. Sources (http://h20195.www2.hp.com) 3. Familiar A good interface is one that a new user can easily learn and be able to use from the previous interfaces. While developers strive for uniqueness in their interface one thing should be clear, the interface should be familiar to the users for them to have interest to learn and use them effectively. Naturally, users do not like new things, different environment which they will struggle to adapt. Things that are familiar or terms which one uses should be familiar to the users of the system. A system that uses icons should be keen on the type of the icons they use because the context of the system is very important. The screen shot below is for a printer keypad which has simple icons which are familiar because they are similar to those of media player or CD player. The customer can easily learn and use the buttons because they may look familiar. 4. Responsive This means that the system interface should be fast, users like an interface that enables them to accomplish tasks within a short period. It is frustrating for users to wait longer as their requests are being loaded slowly. The user should also have feedback from the system such as the percentage of work done by the system, remaining time and completion status either failed or successful. If there is a problem with cartridges the screen indicates the errors. (Source http://kmastin.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/kam-081107-printerblog-0639.jp) 5. Consistent Users will learn and advance well in their interface usage if the design system is consistent. Having a system with different interfaces for each version of the program or the product disorients the users. The printer below has the color of the cartridge match with the content colors in the cartridge. This is a consistent design principle for all the printers. It will be hard and disturbing if the outer colors did not represent the color content within the printer, Printer cartridge with colors inside as indicated by the cover. 6. Attractive Aesthetics are important is fashioning the interface to make it look good and have a good feeling to the clients. HP printers seem to have attractive colors which many attract clients to buying it. The colors are carefully designed to make it attractive. Attractiveness in hardware does not only mean colors but the overall hardware design, the shape where the functionally are positioned. Users do not like strenuous interface which they have to turn around or bent before accomplishing their tasks. The printer below are attractive because keypad section and paper feeders are well positioned where users can accomplish tasks with straining. 7. Efficient To be able to accomplish different tasks within a software application or a website, it should be efficient for one to use. Navigating from one place to another in the interface is retrieving different functions of the application package. While designing an interface one should identify key tasks that the user will accomplish. The tasks should be easily accessible. 8. Forgiving (handling of user mistakes and errors ) Provisions of how users get out of their mistakes should be incorporated in system interface functionality such as undo or go back to the last known or correct state once they make mistakes. The HP printer screen shot below shows an interface with buttons that enable users to cancel some actions they have done. Conclusion The vendors of many printers over many years have improved their printer interface to ensure that users are able to easily accomplish their tasks. Initially there was no screen on the printer to give feedback but with time such features have been incorporated to the printers. It also worth pointing out that portability and having universal ports where users can use equipment from different vendors with universal port has been effectively implemented in most of the printers. The printers which can be moved from one place to another in a high mobile environment have been designed recently. Users should not also have injuries and pain after using a given interface, error message or mistakes committed by the users should be quickly resolved to avoid stress and other forms of injuries. The keypad for instance, should be ‘soft’ and easy to operate with one press command issue. The challenges that face printer vendors are the cartridge compatibility designs where one can be able to use cartridge from another printer of same size and capabilities. Features for physically challenged people such as having sound recognition devices, features for people with eyesight problems will be of great help. The error messages in man printers have a red light which lights continuously such features discourage uses and they are annoying because the color of the indication is associated with something bad. Polite error messages such as “paper jam” or “printer out of paper” will be considered more polite. 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