Homework

1
Homework

• Homework  Due Thursday, October 10
• Do a role analysis and task analysis for a system
  that meets the same needs as the BamaMail system
  is designed to meet.

2
Orchestration and Flow

• Cooper, About Face, Chapter 11

3
Flow

• Flow (DeMarco and Lister)
• A condition of deep, nearly meditative
  involvement
• A gentle sense of euphoria
• Can make you unaware of the passage of time
• Extremely high productivity

Create a software interaction that promotes and
enhances flow Avoid flow-breaking or
flow-disturbing behavior
4
Quiz

• Identify at least two ways that human-computer
  interaction can create flow

5
Create Flow

• Approaches for creating flow
• Follow mental models
• Direct, dont discuss
• Keep tools close at hand
• Give modeless feedback
• Dont stop the proceedings with idiocy
• Dont confuse questions with choices

6
Follow Mental Models

• User mental models are rarely aligned with the
  implementation models
• Users build a mental model of cause and effect to
  gain insight into the machines behavior
• Help them build a good one
• Indeed, give them a good one!

7
Direct, Dont Discuss

• The ideal interface is NOT a two-way dialog with
  the user
• The computer is a machine, not a person
• The user is in control, directing the machine
• The ideal dialog is more like using a tool
• For example, the user does not expect a tool to
  interrogate them with a dialog box
• For example, use direct manipulation
• Point at what we want
• Grab and drag and drop
• As a general rule, the better, more flow-inducing
  interfaces are those with plentiful and
  sophisticated direct-manipulation idioms

8
Keep Tools Close at Hand

• Most programs offer a set of different tools to
  the user
• Different modes of behavior that the program (and
  user) enters
• Offering tools is a compromise with complexity,
  so
• Ensure that tool information is plentiful and
  easy to use
• Make transitions between tools quick and simple
• Put tools on palettes and toolbars
• Report on tool status and on the status of the
  data being manipulated
• But dont stop or obscure action to do so
• Consider a pilots heads-up display

9
Modeless Feedback

• When providing information or feedback, use a
  modeless technique
• A dialog box is modal the dialog must be dealt
  with before the tool can return to its normal
  state
• Status bars are modeless
• Having to hunt for information or tools is modal
• Different users will want different tools to be
  modal
• Configurable tool bars and status bars

10
Orchestration

• No matter how cool your user interface is, less
  of it would be better
• The ultimate user interface is no interface at
  all
• Consider an orchestra without a conductor
• Each musician may know their part
• But when they play, there will be noise, not
  music
• By analogy, all the parts of a user interface
  must be orchestrated to provide flow
• Work together toward a single goal
• Achieve a coherent interface
• Orchestration harmonious organization

11
Finesse

• Do more with less
• Less is more
• Reduce the number of elements in the interface
  without reducing the power of the program
• Indeed, increase the power of the combined
  userprogram system
• Make tasks easy for the user
• Even if they are hard for the programmer to
  implement
• The right design may be easy for both!
• Finesse the problem away
• For example, instead of limiting file
  manipulation by providing a File Open dialog,
  give the user the shell!
• This also gets rid of Save As, etc.

12
Invisibility

• When a novelist writes well, the craft of the
  writer becomes invisible
• Likewise, when a program interacts well with a
  user, the interaction mechanics become invisible,
  leaving the user face-to-face with his goals
• There is no right or wrong
• Only more or less effective ways to accomplish an
  objective
• But there are guidelines and examples
• And experience

Good user interfaces are invisible
13
Possibility versus Probability

• Consider the dialog box in Figure 11-3
• Almost every time, I want to save my changes
• If I didnt want to save a change, I would
  immediately undo the change rather than trusting
  my memory
• If I really messed up and should have saved, the
  software should provide an undo behavior
• Design for the probability that I will save, not
  for the possibility that I wont
• Those who have become reliant on the poorly
  designed behavior will be saved by the undo
• Offer just the function, not all the permutations
• If I need a permutation, I will seek it out
• So dont clutter up my normal behavior with
  options

14
Probability versus Possibility

• Print button on Word toolbar
• Too little information?
• Excel 4.0 Delete what? Formats, formulas,
  notes?
• Focus on what WILL get used without loading up on
  what MIGHT get used
• But somewhere, do accommodate the might happen

Dont put might on will