Early Software Prototyping forUsability tests using low cost toolsfor teaching purposes

Benedikt SalzbrunnMichael TesarKerstin StöckelmayrRobert Pucher

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Contents

Introduction– Motivation, teaching Usability & UCD

Centerpiece– Classification of prototypes, prototyping tools, practical

example

Conclusion– Experiences, future directions

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Motivation

Users refuse to use software designed from a solely technical point of view

Examples like iPhone® or iPad® are suitable to convince a large community that it is not the technical solution by itself

Difficult to use products get into troubles immediately when essentially easier to use products show up

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Teaching Usability Engineering and UCD

Bachelor programs– Computer Science

4th semester: User Centered Design 5th semester: Software Usability (elective course)

– Business Informatics 5th semester: Software Usability (elective course)

Master programs– Game Engineering and Simulation

3rd semester: Human Computer Interfaces and Usability

– Multimedia and Software Engineering 2nd semester: Software Usability Basics (elective course)

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Classification of prototypes

Low- vs. high-fidelity prototypes

Horizontal vs. vertical

Characterization besides fidelity– purpose of the prototype, product type, project type and

phase of the project– visual refinement, breadth of functionality, depth of

functionality, richness of interactivity and richness of data model

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Prototyping tools

Commercial vs. non-commercial software solutions Office-suites

– OpenOffice, iWork® and Microsoft® Office® Programming environments

– Microsoft® Small Basic®– Microsoft® Expression Blend®

Graphical tools– GIMP– Inkscape

Special usability software

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Practical Example

Project goals– Development of a user interface for text and video

communication via television– Make video calls, join videoconferences, read on screen

messages, simple calendar function– Target group of potential users: senior citizens who want to

stay in contact with their friends, relatives and families Team

– 11 students (8 bachelor’s degree students and 3 master’s degree students)

– 2 lecturers from the Department of Computer Science

User Profiling

Ensuring user friendliness and adequacy of the user interface

Women and men above the age of 60 years Capability of reading (in order to follow on-screen

instructions) Understanding of the system language (German) Possible physical or mental limitations Disease(s) which affect the use of technical equipment Technology-remote users

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User Centered Design Process

Explorative / Iterative approach

Existing interface was never shown

List of required features

Design of multiple paper prototypes in small groups

Repeated presentation and review

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User Centered Design Process

Radial and constantly present menu emerged as a central control

number of menu levels was set to a maximum of two

sub-menu concepts have again been designed in small groups

proposals were transferred into Microsoft® PowerPoint® slideshow with over 300 individual images

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User Centered Design Process

Review of the low-fidelity computer based prototype– Tests with five subjects out of the designated target group

aged between 61 and 68 years– Some design elements and wordings have been revised

Prototype redesign and finalization– Microsoft® Small Basic® for

interactivity– Pop ups, error messages and event

simulation– Remote control design

CallMedication

Call lists

Messages

Welcome

1 new message3 missed calls

Call

CallBack

Family & Friends:

Karli

Meinrad

Anneliese-Maria

Nachrichten

Hang up Accept

Sonjacalling

Addcontact

Sonja

Hang up

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Final Usability evaluation

Tests with a total of twelve people; all tests were performed in senior living communities

Tests were conducted on a laptop and an LCD TV Participants were faced with the challenge to complete four

main tasks

The overall impression of the prototype was positive The simple design of the remote control was received well Linguistic arrangement, neutral wording and the selected

symbols were considered suitable

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Project experiences

Iterative development process

High level of quality throughout the whole project lifetime

Detailed user profiling is crucial

Two steps of usability evaluation turned outadequate and necessary

Choice of appropriate test environments is important

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Conclusion and future directions

Teaching students UCD and Usability Engineering in Computer Science degree programs is mandatory

Large choice of cost efficient and easy to useprototyping tools

Solutions vary in terms of prototype functionality, design and later software integration

Importance of prototyping tool choice needs to be taught– Integration of Usability prototyping into current courses– Development of new courses for additional degree programs

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Thank you for your attention

If there are any questions please

do not hesitate asking them

Benedikt Salzbrunn

Department of Computer Science

University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien

www.technikum-wien.at