Efficient Services: March 2009

Monday, March 23, 2009

HCI: User Task Centered Design

An overview of how a user interface can be defined based on user tasks that require to be accomplished:

User categories: Identify them and document concerns
Users: Identify them and document concerns
Personas: If you have a complex and elaborate user analysis for a system with variety of users, having personas will help immensly

Tasks: The conditions and goals set upon the user.
E.g.: is going from his home to an office building situated in the downtown area on Wednesday, February 4th. He has the addresses for his home and the destination place and wants to ride with CityTransit. He will go to the CityTransit website, find the route options including detailed directions, map and fare to reach the destination by 9AM. He will be choosing the best option that fits his schedule and print for reference.

Walthroughs:
Feedback: Loops through the interface that evaluate, moderate, and confirm processes as they pass from the human through the interface to the computer and back.
Everytime you have a User task centered desgin ask yourself the following questions at every step of the task at hand...

A - will the user be trying to produce the effect?
B - will the user see the correct control?
C - will the user see that the control produces the desired effect?
D - will the user select a different control instead?
E - will the user understand the feedback to proceed correctly?

Heuristic Evaluation