Chapter 2 Understanding and conceptualizing interaction Question 1

Chapter 2: Understanding and conceptualizing interaction Question 1

Understanding the problem space – What do you want to create? – What are your assumptions? – What are your claims? Right – In science it’s usually much easier to define the “problem space” you are working in. In ID, however, understanding “the problem” takes as much time as solving it!

A framework for analyzing the problem space • Are there problems with an existing product or user experience? • Why do you think there are problems? • How do you think your proposed design ideas might overcome these? • When designing for a new user experience how will the proposed design extend or change current ways of doing things? Problem: How to help students have a green dorm room? Step 1: How do they try to solve that problem now?

Conceptual model • “a high-level description of how a system is organized and operates. ” (Johnson and Henderson, 2002, p. 26) Question 2

Main components • • Metaphors and Analogies. Concepts Relationships Concept User Experience Goals.

Benefits • How do users understand the interaction model? • Not to become narrowly focused early on • Establish a set of common terms they all understand agree upon • Reduce the chance of misunderstandings and confusion arising later on

A classic conceptual model: the spreadsheet www. bricklin. com/history/refcard 5. htm

The Star interface

Interface metaphors • Designed to be similar to a physical entity but also has own properties – e. g. desktop metaphor, search engine Question 3

Benefits of interface metaphors • Makes learning new systems easier • Helps users understand the underlying conceptual model

Problems with interface metaphors (Nelson, 1990) • Break conventional and cultural rules – e. g. , recycle bin placed on desktop • Can constrain designers in the way they conceptualize a problem space • Conflict with design principles • Forces users to only understand the system in terms of the metaphor • Designers can inadvertently use bad existing designs and transfer the bad parts over

Interaction types • • Instructing Conversing Manipulating Exploring Right – Good old GNU Emacs – what type is this?

Instructing • Where users instruct a system by telling it what to do – e. g. , tell the time, print a file, find a photo • Very common interaction type underlying a range of devices and systems Right - The prototypical Instructing interface – The Linux terminal. Question 4

Conversing • Like having a conversation with another human • Examples include search engines, advice-giving systems and help systems • Also included, of course, is having a real conversation with another human, like texting! Right – Typical start of a help session in an application. Question 5

Manipulating • Exploit’s users’ knowledge of how they move and manipulate in the physical world • Virtual objects can be manipulated by moving, selecting, opening, and closing them

Direct manipulation • Proposes that digital objects be designed so they can be interacted with analogous to how physical objects are manipulated Right – DM in action. The perfectly intuitive interface?

Core principles of DM • Continuous representation of objects and actions of interest • Physical actions and button pressing instead of issuing commands with complex syntax • Rapid reversible actions with immediate feedback on object of interest

Why are DM interfaces so enjoyable? • Novices can learn the basic functionality quickly • Experienced users can work extremely rapidly to carry out a wide range of tasks, even defining new functions • Intermittent users can retain operational concepts over time • Error messages rarely needed • Immediate feedback • Users gain confidence and mastery and feel in control

What are the disadvantages with DM? • Not all tasks can be described by objects and not all actions can be done directly • Some tasks are better achieved through delegating rather than manipulating – e. g. , spell checking • Moving a mouse around the screen can be slower than pressing function keys to do same actions

Exploring • Involves users moving through virtual or physical environments Question 6

A virtual world

Extra Credit • Take a look at http: //ignorethecode. net/blog/2009/10/13/10_gui/ and write a review of the proposed mode of interaction. • Please turn in a. pdf file by 11: 59 PM Friday. Angel – Lessons – Drop Boxes - Extra Credit –Week 9. Question 7

Cartoon of the day From http: //search. dilbert. com/search? w=easy+to+use&asug=eas&view=list&filter=type%3 Acomic.