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Attributes Contributing to the user value of Call Closure through Multitasking |
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Note: Detailed attributes are also extracted for each of the other key user values |
1. User has access and is accessible at all times: |
Use the device everywhere |
Receive notifications of all types of messages in one device |
Leave someone a electronic note if they are on a call |
2. User has efficient communication management tools: |
Dispose of calls as they arrive |
Call someone directly from a message center |
Handle all messages through a graphical display |
Select options by touching on the display |
Add new information with single action |
3. User can screen for critical sources of information: |
Preset who gets through to me |
Identification of caller |
From the user feedback to scenario-based concepts, the team can also extract some of the following:
In addition to this information, other factors are equally if not more important in understanding how users do real work. The design team might also consider the following:
The above information, the key user values, and detailed product attributes are then used as the foundation for the Formal Design Stage, as metrics for design trade-off decisions, and as input for usability testing requirements.
4. FORMAL DESIGN STAGE
The set of design concepts, in conjunction with the information gathered in user values analysis and task analysis, provides the basis for the Formal Design Stage. The Formal Design Stage is characterized by the design and construction of detailed UI prototypes suitable for formal usability testing. However, a substantial amount of user interface design work will already have been completed prior to the Formal Design Stage, in both the Exploratory and Refinement and Analysis Stages. As well, when the design team reaches the Formal Design Stage, they will have internalized much of what is required to deliver a successful final product (this advocates having a single design team participating in and completing all of the stages of the design process).
4.1. ROLE OF SCENARIOS IN THE FORMAL DESIGN STAGE
In the Formal Design Stage, scenarios are used to move between the user information gathered in the Exploratory and Refinement and Analysis Stages and the first detailed version of an interface. Scenarios are built around the early product concepts (created in the Exploratory and Refinement and Analysis Stages), the task analysis from antecedent products, the list of key user values, and the detailed list of required product attributes. In the Formal Design Stage scenarios are used to choose, design, and verify the conceptual model and metaphors to be used in the final product.
Using a storyboarding technique, the high-level user interface for key features of the product to be rapidly mocked up. After these storyboards have been refined, they can be developed into a paper prototype (discussed below), detailing the key interface dialogues. The interface dialogue refers to the structure of the interaction between the user and the system.
Using a combined narrative scenario and paper prototype is a good technique to design and verify the high-level flow (dialogue) for the most important user tasks. The scenario and paper prototype is tested in usability sessions in which users are asked to follow a narrative scenario and interact with a paper prototype. The paper prototype is interactive; it changes with the story-line and reacts to the users input (the usability session moderator acts as a computer and constantly flips paper to update the paper prototype).
To give an example of a fragment of a Formal Design Stage narrative scenario:
Imagine you are walking down the hall on your way to a critical presentation when you receive notification that your boss is calling. While carrying on a voice call with your boss about modifying a few key details of the presentation, you receive a note from your sons school principal
This Orbitor scenario/paper prototype was used to test the multitasking capability of one of the designs. It allowed the design team to develop an understanding of the cognitive load imposed on the end user by such features as multitasking. The discovery of the human limitations of multitasking early in the Formal Design Stage was highly beneficial.
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