Project Preparation

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Project Preparation

• Loren Terveen
• CS 5115, Fall 2007
• September 12

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Objectives for today

• Hear about a set of project ideas
• Deadline next Wednesday, September 19
• Projects must be defined and
• Groups must be formed

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Hall of Fame / Shame

• James Greensky
• Fall 2006 Student

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Blood Pressure Monitor (Aneroid)
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Hall of Shame

• Very difficult to impossible to form any
  conceptual model
• Absolutely no constraints or few visibility clues
  as to how to use the objects or even how they
  relate
• Some affordanances, but without a conceptual
  model they dont make sense
• No feedback as to using the devices correctly
• Must remember exactly how to use the devices
• Very large Gulfs of Execution and Evaluation
• Other Gulfs
• - Even if you know how to use the device, very
  hard to execute the correct action
• sequences without errors to obtain the
  results
• - Easy to position cuff wrong, but the arrow
  helps
• - Also easy to put cuff on too tight or too
  loose
• - Easy to forget valve is open
• - Needs full user attention to hear and
  remember results
• - Interpreting the results requires previous
  knowledge
• - Do the results make sense or is the cuff on
  wrong, better adjust cuff and retest
• - Was the pressure for no heartbeat systolic or
  diastolic, often referred to by
  non-professional users of the device as simply
  the top and bottom numbers

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Blood Pressure Monitor (Digital)

• Much easier to form a conceptual model for the
  device due to a unified structure
• Being able to form a conceptual model makes all
  the difference
• Affordances make more sense
• Much easier to figure out and after remember how
  to use the device
• Much better visibility and feedback due to
  display
• No longer requires users full attention
• Can easily see the results and KNOW that the top
  number is systolic and the bottom number is
  diastolic
• Less susceptible to error but

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Hall of Fame???

• Errors can still easily occur due to improper
  placement or fit of cuff
• Easy to hit on/off button instead of start which
  instantly turns the tester off
• Still need to have previous knowledge to
  interpret the results
• - Is ???/?? normal, am I going to die???
• Start button could be coded better

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Blood Pressure Monitor (Wal-mart)

• Excellent conceptual model
• Excellent use of affordance
• Excellent use of physical constraints
• No Gulf of Execution

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Hall of Fame

• Buttons are culturally coded
• Can easily interpret and evaluate results
• No Gulf of Evaluation
• A good design can make you want to use the device

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Proposals

• Class Project Management System - Arun Agrahri
• Academic Calendar Builder - Jialei (Rebecca) Yan
• Revamping GRIT - Erik Bakke
• Social networking for online games - Matt Broten
• Interactive Campus Map - Vinod Krishnan
• Google Maps / Metro Transit - Mike Carver
• WebCT Replacement Adam Wolf
• Grocery Store Guide - Susuu Bordiano
• Hospital Registration System - Weijia Deng

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Proposals

• Gaming Convention Event Registration System -
  Mike Miller
• Craigslist redesign - Abby Riesterer
• Home management - Pradeep Narayanashetty
• Student Class Scheduler - Tyson Malchow
• UI for Memory Imparied Users - James Faghmous
• Image processing task-based UI - James Faghmous
• Interactive Image Quiz Maker - Fernando Torre
• Facebook Textbook Sharing/Buying/Selling - Paul
  Allex

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Online Class Project Management

• Arun Agrahri
• agrahri_at_cs.umn.edu

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Motivation

• Current Mechanisms for Choosing Project and Group
• Class Discussions
• Online Class Bulletin Board
• Social Networking
• Recommendations from others or Prof.
• Current Mechanism for Managing Project
• There are many but
• They are poorly designed
• Not Specific
• Solution
• User Friendly
• Unique Features
• Manageable

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Some Proposed Features

• User Profile Maintenance
• Users can create threads and discussion forums
• Users can add partners for any event by searching
  people adept in specific skills like Programming,
  Writing, Creativity etc
• Bulletin Boards -Teams can use this to share
  their ideas, queries..
• Scheduler for Project Management
• Code Version management
• Many more to come.

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Sample Look
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EXPECTATIONS FROM GROUP MEMBERS
COMMITMENT INTEREST TEAM SPIRIT
A

Arun Agrahri agrahri_at_cs.umn.edu
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Academic Calendar Builder

• Jialei (Rebecca) Yan
• yanxx106_at_umn.edu

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Project Idea

• Add course info to a Calendar
• Hw due day, exam date, etc.
• Group course info together
• See all the info in one page
• Customized interfaces
• Colors, fonts, etc.

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Revamping GRIT

• Erik Bakke
• bakk0167_at_umn.edu

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GRITGrade Retrieval for the Institute of
Technologyor Gosh what a Really Irritating
Tool

• GRIT is the current online grade system used in
  the Computer Science department. It allows TAs to
  enter scores to the database and students to log
  in and view their scores. We propose to develop a
  replacement for the current system.

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Types of Users

• Students
• Check Grades
• Receive feedback from assignments/tests
• View statistics about assignments/tests to get a
  feel for how they are doing compared with the
  rest of the class

• Professors/TAs
• Provide a convenient way for profs/TAs to store
  grades
• Enter grades for assignments and tests
• Provide feedback for students

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Current Student Interfaces

• Frequently the weighted total is calculated at
  something greater than 100. Even when its
  right, the number is not accompanied by a letter
  grade.
• The data is not easy to read for all types of
  users (i.e. those who prefer a graphical
  representation)
• Unless the TA explicitly states it in the notes,
  there is no way to know where points were lost.
  This is partly because the system does not allow
  for sub-categories within an assignment. For
  example, say an assignment has a total of 20
  points. GRIT allows one field containing the
  total of 20 points. But those points are divided
  into the following groups 10 pts for completing
  the requirements, 5 pts for style, 5 points for
  compiling w/out errors. GRIT cannot convey this
  information.
• Extra data is displayed whether the user wants
  it or not.
• There is no way to switch between semesters,
  without leaving and coming back.
• Students cannot dispute grades from the system.
• Submitting assignments requires the use of yet
  another tool.

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Current Professor/TA Interfaces

• Paraphrasing CS Professor John Collins about
  GRIT
• I simply created a spreadsheet and then wrote a
  program to convert the spreadsheet into GRIT
  files. Does this sound simple?
• Some TAs have also voiced their complaints about
  interacting with the current system.

Why isnt this system simpler? Why is this
system only used by the Institute of Technology?
Is their a better way?
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Proposed Improvements

• Improved ease of use for Professors/TAs
• Allow the Prof/TA to enter and update scores
  easily
• Improved reporting for students
• Allow the student to view the data in more useful
  ways (including graphs), and allow the user to
  hide unwanted data.
• Improved interaction between TA and students
• Allow students to submit assignments directly
  from GRIT.
• Allow for things such as an easy way for students
  to submit a question or dispute related to a
  specific score directly from GRIT
• Provide a What you need to do for a(n) _ grade
  tool.
• Display the current best grade calculation for
  courses that allow different assignment weights
  based on dropping one or more other assignments.

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Social networking for online games

• Matt Broten
• mattbroten_at_gmail.com

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Social Networking Website for Online Gamers

• Description a social networking website tailored
  to online gamers.
• Features
• User profile pages
• picture, interests, clan/guild memberships,
  friends, message/comments area, gaming
  stats/ranks, image albums,
• Clan/Guild profile pages
• Logo, discussions, recruitment info, events,
  links to member profiles, image albums, links to
  allied groups, group stats/ranks,

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Social Networking Website for Online Gamers

• Features
• Search interface
• Find recruiting clans/guilds, users looking to
  join a clan/guild, events, users/groups with
  similar interests,
• Information aggregators
• Listings of events, clans/guilds, top ranking
  users/groups,

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Social Networking Website for Online Gamers

• Examples of Supported User Tasks
• Build/maintain a customizable user/group profile
  pages.
• Find groups/users/events relevant to gaming
  interests.
• Participate in discussions within user/group
  profile pages.

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Social Networking Website for Online Gamers

• Looking for
• a motivated developer with exposure to
• scripting languages (e.g. Ruby, JavaScript)
  and/or
• web frameworks (e.g. Ruby on Rails).
• Contact mattbroten_at_gmail.com

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Campus NavigatorInteractive Campus Map

• Vinod Krishnankrish055_at_umn.edu

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Background/Motivation

• Despite having maps, students still have trouble
  getting around the campus
• Some get confused with dual entrances/exits in
  buildings
• Buildings names are at the bottom (American),
  not immediately above the entrance (like in
  India, China, Japan, Singapore, etc.)
• But the U has a large international
  presence-cater to their needs too
• Get disoriented with directions-leads to
  frustration
• Gopherway maps are not self-explanatory (Caught
  in heavy snow? How do I know if the nearest
  building has a Gopherway or not?)
• How do I know if what I am looking for in the
  map, actually exists in the map? (Try locating
  TCF Bank on the map!)
• You have Radisson but not TCF (lots of
  information- redundant but not always what you
  are looking for)
• You are here how visible is this information?

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Solution

• The Campus Navigator will allow users to
• To find out exactly where they are (You are
  here depictions using a distinctly visible
  pointer (on screen) or an LED on a public display
  outside buildings)
• Ask what lies front of him/her, behind, to the
  left and to the right helps determine more
  precise position-oriented information (let them
  control and explore the interface)
• Give school-to-building mapping information
  e.g. Smith Hall is where the School of Chemistry
  is.
• Build a moderately sized database containing
  descriptive position information
• When you are frustrated, you just like to be
  instructed to your destination

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Solution (contd..)

• The system doesnt have to (and is not intended
  to)resemble Google Earth/Microsoft Virtual Earth
• Build a moderately sized database containing
  descriptive position information
• Reduced back-end volume, quick solution, UI can
  be made as simple as that of a pager
• Who cares about colorful pictures when you are
  out in the snow desperate to find a Gopherway?
• Questions/Suggestions???

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MetroTransit Google Maps

• Mike Carver

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MetroTransit Google Maps

• Why?
• More options
• More flexible
• Gives a Map
• Easier to Use

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Class Web Page Manager

• Adam Wolf

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WebCT Hurts To Use

• Iffy back button
• Mishmash of file types, fonts
• Feels like an exported directory

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Goals

• Follow web standards
• Minimalist design for accessibility
• Easy for students to get information
• Easy for faculty and staff to provide information
• Easy privacy controls (FERPA)?
• Included templates for items to increase
  cohesiveness
• Convenience features
• RSS/Email notification
• Export to iCal/Google Calendar

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Grocery Store Guide

• Susu Bordiano
• bord0081_at_umn.edu

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Problem What Can I Eat?

• Dietary restrictions difficult to manage
• Diabetes
• High Cholesterol
• Parents with children that have special dietary
  concerns
• Food Allergies
• Lactose Intolerance
• Personal eating choices
• Vegetarian
• Kosher Foods
• So much data to digest on the label

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One Solution

• Online Account
• Maintains users dietary needs
• Database of Food Items
• User search or selection from list/group
• Determine if foods match their profile
• Create a shopping list of compatible items, with
  aisle numbers
• Customizable Profile
• User can add food items to their Favorites
• System suggests recipes based on users custom
  profile

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Details

• Envisioned as a web-based system
• Parents can maintain profiles for multiple family
  members
• Children have moderate access their account and
  can add requested foods to a checklist for
  parents to review
• Special profiles can be created for religious
  observations/fasting, training for athletic
  events, etc.

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Hospital Registration System

• Weijia Deng
• deng_at_cs.umn.edu

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What?

• Purpose Provide the convenient way to fill in
  the personal health report, to make an
  appointment, to pay and buy medicine.
• Desired Features
• The registration interface for a patient
• SW Interface for the hospital operator
• The query interface for the patient

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How?

• (1) sign in, a new patient has to fill in the
  health report
• (2) Check the doctor, time constraint to make an
  appointment
• (3) either come to see the doctor or fill in the
  symptom online
• (4) record the suggestion or solution from the
  doctor
• (5) automatically calculate the debt
• (6) choose the method of buying medicine, the
  patient can buy the medicine online and the
  hospital will deliver it

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Gaming Convention EventRegistration System

• Michael Miller
• mill3608_at_umn.edu

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Games Convention Event Scheduler
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The Current System

• Each attendee makes a list of events
• Source Events Book or Con website
• Search is eyeball, Index, or Ctrl-F
• Options list kept via pencil or Notepad
• No good way to specify preferences
• In each time slot an attendee will get the first
  available event in their list
• Often theyd rather specify different schedules
  or give priority to events that arent on the
  first day.
• What about lynchpins?
• Submitted via mail or e-mail

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Solution Ideas

• Searchable Event List
• Title, game type, system, start time, etc.
• Schedule Builder with visual overview
• Create and compare different schedules
• Able to specify priority for events
• Most Desired Events/Event Ranking
• More flexible options for If my first choice is
  sold out
• If/then, option list, etc. (with complexity
  limit?)
• Preferably Web-based
• Submit online and share with friends

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Craig's List Redesign

• Abby Riesterer
• riest036_at_umn.edu

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Craigs List Facelift The Problem

• http//minneapolis.craigslist.org

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Why its so bad

• To view a post, the user must leave the listings
  page and navigate with their browsers back
  button to return
• While information is stored in a logical way,
  there is no easy way to mark posts as favorites
  or compare posts side by side
• Search capabilities are severely limited

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Even more reasons to redesign it

• Creating a post is a long, convoluted process
  where the feedback is sent to you via email, not
  immediately on the screen.
• No standard template for posters to enter more
  detailed information, like size
• Its ugly.

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I propose

• Task-centered interface that streamlines the
  search process
• Emphasize user accounts to allow storage of
  favorites, preferences, etc
• Sort options so users can look at the
  closest/cheapest postings first
• A new color scheme

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Home Management

• Pradeep Narayanashetty
• pnshetty_at_cs.umn.edu

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How is it going now....
I need to clean up my cupboard this weekend. .
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Solution . .

• A one-stop app to address your daily needs
• A web-based tool useful for people who live
  together/interact regularly
• Message board
• Reminders
• Personal Notes
• Lending/Borrowing management

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UI Challenges . .

• A plain web application is no real challenge
• Challenge to provide a user friendly interface
  that consumes minimum time
• Customizable interfaces mean better interfaces !!
• Availability of real users and hence better
  understanding of users needs and problems
• And more . .

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Student Class Scheduler

• Tyson Malchow
• malc0033_at_umn.edu

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Student Class Scheduling System

• Problem Students have many class options per
  semester, and no easy way to determine the best
  possible schedule.
• Solution Create a website that would help
  aggregate all their data into one simple
  interface a system that would let them quickly
  and easily view schedule options for their
  selected classes.

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Student Class Scheduling SystemFeatures

• Allow for classes both required and optional
  wanted classes
• Allow for constraints both time and credit load
• Quick access to register for selected courses
• Fast, simple-yet-powerful UI
• Possible integration with friends schedules and
  classes
• Even allow for class commenting whats good,
  hard, easy, requirement-fulfillment, etc. A
  one-stop place for creating your schedule

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1. UI for Memory Impaired Users2. Image
processing task-based UI

• James H. Faghmous
• Depts. of Computer Science - Neuroscience
• University of Minnesota Twin Cities

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Overview

• An Interface for mentally impaired individuals
• A task-based UI for image processing software

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Keeping them involved An Interface for mentally
impaired individuals

• Why bother?
• Five million people in the United States have
  Alzheimers Disease (AD). 2.5 million are at the
  early stages of the disease
• Early onset of AD starts as early as 35
• Not as productive, but still individuals with
  feelings nonetheless
• Need to keep these individuals involved

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One Approach

• Take advantage of Minneapolis resources VA
  Medical Center (patients, caretakers) to design a
  prototype
• Use a touch-screen interface
• Could adapt to additional memory impairment
• Open for suggestions

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A task-based UI for image processing software

• Why bother?
• Advanced image processing applications offer
  hundreds of functionalities
• Difficult to carry out simple tasks without
  prior software-specific training

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One approach

• Use open source image processing software
• Develop a task-specific filter. Display buttons
  related to task only.
• Not to be confused with the effect option

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Interactive Image Quiz Maker

• Fernando Torre
• fernando.torre_at_gmail.com

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Interactive Image Quiz Maker

• Purpose Interface for designing quizzes that are
  based on an image or set of images. Areas or
  points on the images are selected and users
  answer questions based on them.

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Applications

• Mainly for use in education in areas such as
  Geography, Anatomy, Code Error Identification,
  etc.

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Features

• Quiz content editor that can modify images to be
  used, selections on parts of the image, and
  answers to questions.
• Score presentation.
• If possible, Quiz presentation editor that can
  modify the look and feel of the quiz.

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Facebook Textbook Sharing/Selling/Buying

• Paul Allex
• alle0473_at_umn.edu

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Facebook Textbook

• Description Application that allows students to
  buy, sell, or swap textbooks on Facebook
• Functionality Uses U of M and online textbook
  databases to make searching and selling as easy
  as possible

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Facebook Textbook

• Problems with bookstore
• Price
• Buyback policy
• Benefits of Facebook Textbook
• Price
• Searching made easy
• Convenience

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Instructor/Student Airplane Scheduling
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Instructor/Student Airplane Scheduling

• No interface to match the schedules of
• Student
• Instructor
• Current Plane Reservations
• Upcoming 100-hr/50-hr maintenance (can be sudden)

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Instructor/Student Airplane Scheduling

• Painful Student and Instructor spend 25-30
  minutes staring at computer
• Two weeks from Thurs at what time?
• Solution Student/Instructor work out scheduling
  at their leisure Web UI
• Students propose flight arrangements
• Instructors approve finalize schedule
• Everything done at ones leisure