Evaluate Interactive Systems Design for Usability and User Experience

Goals

LO 1 Understand and demonstrate the ability to apply principles from human-computer interaction to interactive systems design.

LO 2 Evaluate interactive systems quantitatively and qualitatively for their ease of use by target customer groups.

LO 3 Understand and demonstrate the ability to apply the principles of user interface design and information architecture to trans-mediated and multi modal interactive systems.

Title

Evaluate the given system in terms of usability and user experience goals, and interaction design principles.

Task details You will be responsible for the evaluation of a specified interactive system.

Based upon your understanding of Chapter 1 of the Interaction Design textbook (Preece, Rogers and Sharp), choose five usability and/or user experience goals which you think will be useful in evaluating the functions help me find a product and the asking if and when a product is in stock, if not available on the shopfloor. You must choose at least two usability goals, and two user experience goals in the five you will discuss.

The usability goals must be drawn from effectiveness, efficiency, safety, utility, learnability and memorability. The user experience goals must be drawn from satisfying, enjoyable, fun, entertaining, helpful, motivating, aesthetically pleasing, supportive of creativity, rewarding and emotionally fulfilling.

Write a short paragraph for each goal you have chosen for each task (10 paragraphs in total), justifying why the goal is particularly important to these designs.   Your justification must take into account the purpose of the applications, the characteristics of the users and the types of information that is gathered by the application. Your justification should demonstrate a clear understanding of that goal – a definition of the goal on its own will not suffice.

For each goal justified, include a plausible measurable usability and user experience criterion.

There are six design principles described in Chapter 1 of the Interaction Design textbook (Preece, Rogers and Sharp)

Draw a low fidelity prototype for the task of help me find a product reflecting the usability and user experience goals discussed in Sub Task 1 for that part of the system. As you produce your user interface, indicate clearly how each of the six design principles are being followed by referring to particular user interface controls and associated behaviour. You should illustrate through different ‘screenshots’ or in storyboard format how customers will interact with the interface in order to get somewhere.

Marking Guide Criteria Issues Mark Marking breakdown where appropriate

Goals Is there an understanding of each of the usability and user experience goals discussed

Have you selected and justified relevant user experience and usability goals in the context of the design problem presented?

Relevance of choices made and justification for usability and user experience goals (15)

Is there an understanding of each of the interaction design principles? 12

Application Is the good use of design principles applied and illustrated in the low fidelity prototype produced?

Design Prototype Quality: does it represent the key tasks indicated in the design problem?

Explanation of how it is used from a user’s perspective (8)

In addition to the assessment criteria above the following table may assist you in understanding how we arrive at your final mark. Indeed your final mark should agree with the following grade descriptors, but note that the assessment criteria are the main means of assessment.

Limited conceptual understanding with possible interpretation deficiencies.  Inappropriate arguments leading to unreliable and invalid conclusions/recommendations

Some confusion in purpose & aims of evaluation and design task.  Some overall structure and conceptual understanding. Some indication of valid use of goals and principles but arguments sometimes irrelevant, illogical or with unsupported assertions.

Demonstrates a limited but accurate level of understanding design presented in a basic manner in terms of goals and principles. The answer contains relevant interpretation and critical understanding especially at the upper end of the marking range.

Demonstrates accurate knowledge and understanding of the subject presented in a coherent manner.  The answer contains good evidence of application and interpretation of goals and principles.  At the upper end there is evidence of thoughtful and critical understanding of the design problem and design decisions.

Demonstrates accurate knowledge and understanding of the subject presented in a coherent manner.  The answer contains good evidence of application and interpretation of goals and principles. There is evidence of thoughtful and critical understanding of the design problem and design decisions. Design proposal is innovative with a clear human-centred perspective.

The assignment demonstrates scholarship through a depth of insight and understanding of relevant material, which is logically structured, accurate and well referenced. Originality of thought and application is evident. Demonstrates accurate knowledge and understanding of the subject presented in a coherent manner.  The answer contains good evidence of application and interpretation of goals and principles. There is evidence of thoughtful and critical understanding of the design problem and design decisions. Design proposal is innovative with a clear human-centred perspective.