A.Hornof -- 11/13/07
CIS 443/543, Fall 2007
CRN: 11350 (for 443), 11360 (for 543)
Due: Wednesday 11/28/07, at the start of class.
Purpose of assignment:
Working in your groups, evaluate your system with a user observation study. Identify problems with the interface. Propose design modifications to address these problems.
A few key points:
The user observation study participants should not be computer science students or students in this class.
Follow all of the guidance provided in Chapter 7 for conducting user observation studies.
Write a script that you will follow each participant. Turn in the script with your evaluation. The script should incorporate all of Apple Computer's guidelines for Involving Users in the Design Process.
Videotape your user observation study. Reserve and check out a video camera and tripod from UofO Library Media Services, at 346-3091. In case you need to demonstrate that the checkout is required is for a class, you can just show them this assignment. The CRN is at the top of this page.
Test the camera setup before the actual user test to make sure that you will be able to clearly capture what is displayed on the screen, and clearly hear what the user is saying. Schedule the user test and reserve the equipment in advance. You may need to reserve the equipment one week in advance. Contact the instructor if you have any trouble reserving and checking out the equipment.
Turn in for grading the following in a document-sized envelope with your names on the outside:
Also, each student should separately submit a Group Member Evaluation.
Prepare two or three overhead transparencies that show some interesting results and conclusions based on your user observation study, and that describe modifications you would make based on your user observation study. You will show these transparencies when you demo your projects in the last week of class.
The report should be about 10-15 pages long, and should have (a) page numbers that run continuously from 1 to n with no interruptions or overlap in page numbers and (b) a table of contents that points the reader to the sections listed above. This is to in part to encourage groups to assemble all of the components a day in advance, as you should, and have everyone read the document before it is turned in. Everyone in the group is responsible for everything in the document with respect to Good Writing as discussed in the syllabus.
STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT:
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PART I. Introduction |
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A. Brief description of your system |
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B. Usability requirements and goals for testing and evaluation |
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PART II: Testing and Evaluation of the User Interface |
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A. Brief description of how you tested your design with users |
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Describe the videotaped usability study. |
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Who were the participants? How did you choose them? |
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What tasks did they do? How did you record it? |
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What was the script that you used with each participant? |
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How did you analyze your data? |
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B. Overview of was observed. |
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C. What was observed with respect to usability goals and requirements |
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D. Specific usability problems that were observed |
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What were they? Why did they occur? |
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E. Proposed changes to design as a result of the testing |
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PART III. Conclusions |
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A. Summary of testing and evaluation results |
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B. Is the design working? Identify possible improvements and extensions. |
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C. Reflect on what you learned from the assignment and/or entire project. |
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This assignment is derived from Professor Sarah Douglas' UO Fall 1998 CIS 443/543 Assignment #4.