Sober IT Software Business and Engineering Institute New

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute New Mobile Applications - A User-Centred Approach Marko Nieminen Professor of User Interfaces and Usability (acting) Software Business and Engineering Laboratory Helsinki University of Technology http: //www. soberit. hut. fi/usability Marko. Nieminen@hut. fi HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Structure of the Presentation 1. Intro: mobile applications 2. Quick basics about usability 3. Characteristics of mobile applications/mobility 4. Some methods for focusing to user-centred issues in the development of new applications HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Intro: example HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute HUT Library: New Mobile Applications (Maijala 2003) § § HUT main library was the first library in Finland that has utilised mobile applications/services in library related activities: 95% of customers a own mobile phone. Currently 8 SMS based applications and 1300 registered users § § 1) Due date reminder (250/week), 2) Renewal of borrowed books, 3) Book arrival notice, 4) Checking of (own) currently borrowed books, 5) Checking of availability of a book with ISBN number, 6) Feedback/question channel to library, 7) Announcement of the new Science Online journal, 8) Payment of fine of books that are late In the future more interactivity with interactive GPRS/WAP Utility: automated activity, little maintenance/support; users feel that they are served well BUT: removal of unused services will eventually take place HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Problems/pitfalls? § Usability of mobile applications depends on several factors § Devices § input/output technology: non-standard keyboards, small and different displays § User Interface structure § § somewhat device dependent task/goal fit § Users’ Skills § ability to use both the device and the application/service HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Usability: A Quick Walkthrough of Basic Concepts HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Usability (Nielsen 1993) Functional and Organisational Utility Social Acceptability Utility System Acceptability Usability Price Practical Acceptability Learnability Effective to use Compatibility Reliability etc. Easy to remember Few Errors Subjectively pleasant HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Usability: ISO 9241 -11 user task goals Usability: extent to which goals are achieved with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction equipment effectiveness environment efficiency Context of use product HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Outcome of interaction satisfaction Usability measures

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Characteristics of Mobile Applications HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Mobile Contexts of Use - MOBIX § A currently ongoing research project at Sober. IT/HUT § § the topic appeared to be a very complex and many-sided no finalised conclusions yet available; some initial, though § Focus in the development of § § a framework for modelling mobile contexts of use a conceptual model of important socio-spatial factors (”attributes”, ”parameters”) that need to be considered in the development of mobile applications § http: //www. soberit. hut. fi/mobix/ HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY index. EN. html

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute We Need to Consider. . . (Dix & al. 1998) § Place/position vs. surroundings § Placement & motion of the objects* § Possibility for interaction/communication between objects § Awareness of other objects and their state *objects may be technical components (devices, applications) or human beings HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Mobility / Mobile Applications § Enable people to utilise (dynamic) information without the restriction of being in a specific location § Enable moving: No need for ”using while moving” but ”using in different places”; transitions between places are important § Applications enable the use of timely (”real-time”, ”awareness”) information; (instant/almost real-time) communication is important § Context, state & timeline (”process/activity path”) more important than with traditional applications Seem to require more thorough user/context/situation modelling than traditional work-related applications HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Communication/Collaboration Aspect § Mobile communication adds to the applications and services that provide collaborative functions § Web-based communities and collaboration environments may utilise the mobile aspect BUT not in all features: § Mobile services may be a subset or an extension to the base functionality in the web portal § Collaboration itself is a complex issue HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Supporting User-Centred Development Methodology HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Usability Engineering (Wixon & Wilson 1997) A process for defining, measuring and thereby improving the usability of products. HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Usability Design HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Detect the User! (and user groups/segments) If your application is supposed to be useful, somebody is going to use it! Detect, select and describe the users! HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Task Analysis (Booth 1989) For each important task: GOALS Identify goals and list important supporting tasks TASK INTRINSICS § Task identifier § Inputs and outputs § Transformational process § Operational procedures & patterns § Planning, decision points, problem solving § Terminology § Equipment TASK DEPENDENCY AND CRITICALITY § Dependency on other tasks & systems § Concurrent effects § Criticality of tasks (linked to dependency) HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY CURRENT USER PROBLEMS PERFORMANCE CRITERIA § Speed, Accuracy, Quality TASK CRITERIA § Sequence, frequency & importance of actions § Functional relationships between actions § Availability of functions § Flexibility of operation USER DISCRETION § Can the user control or determine pace, priority & procedure? TASK DEMANDS § Physical, Perceptual, Cognitive, Environmental § Health and safety requirements

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Situational Analysis (see Booth 1989) EQUIPMENT (what equipment) § does not meet performance criteria § does not meet specification § fails SURROUNDINGS § Physical environment § Social environment § Changes in surroundings POLICY § Changing laws, rules, standards, guidelines HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AVAILABILITY § missing data § missing materials § missing personnel § missing support OVERLOADS § too many people/machines using resource § too much data, information, materials, etc. INTERRUPTIONS § process breakdown § things missed/forgotten § restart required

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Question Summary § Who are the users of the application? § Where is the application used? § What do users want/need to do and achieve? § In what situation is the product used? § What information are needed when using the product? § How should the product serve the user in the use situation? § § § What are the users’ positions/titles? What are the users’ names? What/who is the user or organisation? In what environment is the product being used? What goals do the users have? What happens in a typical use situation? How do things evolve? In what stages of the task is the product being used? What other steps (than using the product) take place in the use situation? What is the most common situation? Experience? Training? What information are NOT needed? HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Usability Evaluation HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Usability testing § § Observation test § Real environment or laboratory § Method: Thinking aloud Videotaping Real § tasks § users Picture from: “Prosessinohjauksen uusien työkalujen käytettävyys ja käyttäjien osallistuminen suunnitteluun” (Paunonen 2000) HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Sober. IT Software Business and Engineering Institute Feedback/Follow-up § On the responsibility of the developer/service provider § § Process: how to manage How to react? How to improve? Mobile / server based applications make it a bit easier to follow the utilisation of the features via e. g. statistics. HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY