CPSC 481 - Tutorial 1 Assignment 1 & TCSD Example Part 1 (based on previous tutorials by Alice Thudt, Fateme Rajabiyazdi, David Ledo, Brennan Jones, and Sowmya Somanath)
Hi, I am Kevin Ta M.Sc in Human Computer Interaction You can find me at: kta@ucalgary.ca
I make stuff
Contacting me kta@ucalgary.ca Please always include CPSC 481 in the subject header Expect replies in: 24 hours on weekdays 48 hours on weekends
Course Website http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~kta/481/ Group information Tutorial Materials
Today Assignment Overview Groups, deadlines, etc Task Centered System Design example Design Exercise
1. Assignment Overview Groups, deadlines, etc
Tutorial Attendance Attendance is mandatory and critical to your success Expect to participate in tutorial activities
Grades Must pass the assignments to pass the course Tutorials represent 50% of your grade Writing of your report must be professional in appearance, grammar, and style Late assignments will not be accepted without medical documentation
Project Assignment 1 Assignment 2 Task-Centered System Design and Prototyping Iterative Design Project (20%) (30%)
Project Assignment 1: Task-Centered System Design and Prototyping Deliverables Presentations given in tutorial: First: Jan 24-Jan 26 (next week) Second: Jan 31-Feb 1st (the week after) Design portfolio due in class: Portfolio: Feb 6
Project Assignment 2: Iterative Design Project (30%) You will build on the previous assignment with the rest of an interface design cycle Deliverables: Prototype redesigns System implementation Summaries of evaluations and design critiques Demonstration of your system
Project 1 3-ring binder Indexed and labeled section separators Cover of binder includes project title and student names Inside cover includes name and email of group members 1st page is the table of contents 2nd page is the grading sheet Up to 20 pages (1.5 line spacing, Times New Roman, size 12) Excluding title, index, appendices, and Section 3 (prototypes) Messy/poorly-organized portfolios will NOT be graded
Assignment 1 Two presentations: 1. First one (next week) TCSD steps 1&2 Background information Expected users and their work contexts Concrete task examples List of requirements 2. Second one (in two weeks) TCSD steps 3&4 Prototypes (sketches, not code) Team discussion and walkthrough evaluation
Assignment 2 More later in the term
Ice Breaker
About You What your name? Something interesting about yourself? Why are you interested in HCI? What do you expect from the course?
Groups Groups of 3 Must be from the same tutorial Sign-up Sign-up with me on the signup sheet Or email me your groups by tomorrow 5pm Otherwise I will assign you a group
2. Task-Centered System Design An Example
Task-Centred System Design 1. 2. 3. 4. Identification User-centered requirements analysis Design through scenarios Evaluate via task-centered walkthroughs
Task-Centred System Design 1. 2. 3. 4. Identification User-centered requirements analysis Design through scenarios Evaluate via task-centered walkthroughs
First Presentation Date: Jan 24/26 Length - 5 to 7 minutes You will be cut off Use PowerPoint or PDF and load material on the lab computer
First Presentation Outline Background & Environment Why is the system needed? What the system will be used for System constraints Financial, technical, legacy system, OS Identify potential users and prioritize them Typical, occasional, unusual Work contexts Setting and typical situations for the users Bring 1 task example with discussion Select a frequent and important task from your main user group Tentative list of requirements Must, should, could, and not include
Second Presentation Covered next week, stay tuned!
First Presentation Keep it simple! Be realistic you need to be able to complete your design See Appendix 3 of your assignment for ideas Or, come up with your own But always check your ideas with me first!
Library Example TCSD
Library Example The situation: A small library has contracted you to build a computer system that will let librarians and their assistants deal with routine requests by the library clients. The computer(s) will be situated on the check-in/check-out counter
Aspects to Consider Small library that serves a town of about 10,000 people Approximately 500 people use the library each day Library has books, CDs, and cassette tapes All holdings have a barcode that is stored in a database The library also has a computer system that allows its clients to peruse its holdings with computers that are set up on booths in the middle of the library. This system is satisfactory and will not have to be replaced However, the computer system used by librarians and their assistants is badly out of date and awkward to use. This is one that will be replaced in this project
What do we get out of that? Scope: What we will do vs. what we won t do. Users (this is particularly important): We are creating a system for librarians and their assistants From the background, we now know this system will not be for clients
Users - Background The users of the system are experienced staff: librarians and library assistants Library staff are all experienced at routine library operations The library expects all its staff to be trained on system use either formally or by apprenticeship The staff is experienced with PCs and familiar with the usual suite of applications that run on Windows
Work Context Librarians do many chores, such as re-shelving books, tidying up the library, helping clients find books, sort new holdings, etc. One of their chores is to work the counter, which is the emphasis of this project.
Work Context The library varies greatly in the number of patrons that visit it During quiet periods: Staff do routine chores and only go to the counter when a client approaches it During busy periods: One staff member is always at the counter, and calls other staff to the counter when the line-up starts growing Line-ups routinely grow to about 3-5 people, with longer line-ups being rare Customers rarely have to wait more than 5 minutes before being served
Uses of the Envisioned System The system will handle routine counter work, which now includes: Helping staff answer customer requests Telling clients their status (i.e., what books the have out, what fines they have pending, etc.) Checking for late fines and informing clients Collecting fines Providing new library cards Checking for expired cards Renewing library cards Phoning people who have overdue books
System Constraints The library already has a well-maintained computer system that contains all the holdings in a reasonably fast database. The library does not expect to change this system, and requires that the new system links to it. The library also has several ancient Pentium-powered PCs running Windows XP which are already located in the counter. They expect that your system will be built on that platform. There is a modest budget of $2000 for additional equipment if needed.
What do we have so far? Background & Environment What the system will be used for System constraints Identify potential users and prioritize them Work contexts Task examples Tentative list of requirements Must, should, could, and not include
Concrete Task Examples TCSD
Concrete Task Examples For details on what makes a good task, read the assigned readings, as well as the assignment specifications, along with Appendix 1. Go to the work site: Interview staff and end users Observe people doing real tasks If not possible: Be as realistic as you can Defining good tasks is fundamental for your success on the next steps!
Concrete Task Examples Say what the user wants to do NOT HOW Don t make assumptions about the interface (now is not the time to start thinking about the interface) Be specific Describe a complete job Based on a realistic situation Don t write a task example that only talks about searching for the patron s library number
Concrete Task Examples These examples were created by talking to the library staff and observing them at work: Joan Hart, a regular and experienced library employee, is working behind the counter. Marie Smith, a regular library customer brings three books to the counter {The Lions of Al Rassan, Ender s Shadow, Self-Help Books for Dummies} and asks that they be checked out. Marie doesn t have her library card so Joan finds Marie s library number, checks out the books for her and reminds Marie that she has some late fines to pay. Marie says she will pay for them next time. Joan gives Marie the books, and Marie leaves.
Discussion This is a fairly routine task, as validated by Joan: Books are checked out, and the client is reminded of late fees. It also illustrates some working practices: Most clients do not have their cards, and expect librarians to look them up. This is acceptable library policy. Similarly, staff can choose to allow customers to defer paying their fees. Joan is also a typical system user, while Marie is a typical client.
Concrete Task Example #2 Joan s next client is River Tam. River is a regular library patron and is somewhat notorious for exceeding book checkout limits, returning books late, never having her library card, and accumulating library fines. She is returning 5 books (2 which are overdue) {The Miko, Macbeth II: The Revenge, Against the Giants, The Necronomicon, and The Complete Works of Bill Waterson}. When Joan starts checking them in she notices that one of the books is missing its bar code number. She looks up the title, checks it in, and sets it aside for repair
Concrete Task Example #2 while she is doing this, River brings 3 more books {Cooking for Psychics, The Last Light of the Sun, Great Weapons of World War II} and 4 CDs {Big Shiny Tunes 2, Abbey Road, The Soundtrack from Top Gun and Def Leppard: Greatest Hits} to the counter. Joan starts checking out River s holdings. She notices that he has reached the maximum level of a $10 fine in overdue books. She tells River about the fine, and she reluctantly pays it. After checking out two of River s books, Joan notices that River has already reached the maximum number of allowable books to be checked out and asks River if she can check the rest out on her son s account, and she says yes. She continues using her son s account until all books are checked out. River then asks if she can renew any books that are overdue: 3 of them are, and Joan does this for her.
Concrete Task Example #2 Complex task that contains many situations that, while less routine, are still important. Contains some elements of: Library policy (e.g., dealing with maximum fines) Some workarounds (e.g., accounts that have reached the maximum number of check-outs) And some less routine situations (e.g., damaged books)
Requirements Absolutely must include: Rapid check-in and check-out of holdings Lookup of books Status of customer holdings (e.g., books checked out, books overdue, fines) Ability to clear fines Should include: Could include: Exclude: Make sure you explain why each item falls in each category!
First Presentation Outline Background & Environment Why is the system needed? What the system will be used for System constraints Financial, technical, legacy system, OS Identify potential users and prioritize them Typical, occasional, unusual Work contexts Setting and typical situations for the users Bring 1 task example with discussion Select a frequent and important task from your main user group Tentative list of requirements Must, should, could, and not include
Task-Centered System Design 1. Identification 2. User-centred requirements analysis 3. Design through scenarios 4. Evaluate via task-centred walkthroughs
Design Exercise Try it!
Design Exercise Get together in groups of 3 Brainstorm ideas Sketch designs for the library system The best way to come up with good ideas is to come up with LOTS of ideas!
3. Next Week
First Presentation Date: Jan 24/26 Length - 5 to 7 minutes You will be cut off Use PowerPoint or PDF and load material on the lab computer
Presentation Outline Background & Environment Why is the system needed? What the system will be used for System constraints Financial, technical, legacy system, OS Identify potential users and prioritize them Typical, occasional, unusual Work contexts Setting and typical situations for the users Bring 1 task example with discussion Select a frequent and important task from your main user group Tentative list of requirements Must, should, could, and not include
Design Exercise Each group will present steps 1 and 2 in their respective tutorials I will present an example walkthrough for steps 3 and 4. Please start working on your projects NOW!
Thanks! Any questions? You can find me at: kta@ucalgary.ca