Gabriel Spitz

Activity Flow Design - or -Organizing the users’ Work

Lecture # 11

1Types of activity flow

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Activity Flow Activity flow deals with the dynamic aspects of the User

Interface When designing the activity flow we need to:

Describes the way in which a specific outcome will be achieved using our UI

Describes the rules and regulations that will govern the flow Designing the Activity Flow is often referred to as interaction

design

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Activity Flow or Interaction Design Design of Activity Flow is based on our previously identified

use stories or user tasks and the use map which we created and which describe how tasks are organized to support a given activity

During Activity Flow design we decompose the tasks into a set of actions and organize them in a way that is: Logical – from a business perspective Meaningful – from a user perspective Integrated – from a work perspective

This organization will represent what we want the user to do in order to achieve a specific goal

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Focus of Activity Flow Activity Flow is concerned with what we want the user to

do – the sequence of actions to be taken It is separate and distinct from how we want the user to

accomplish a given task It is logical to assume that we:

First decide what we want the user to do Then decide how it should be done

In reality the two design steps – UI design and Interaction design are performed in parallel and inform each other

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What vs. How of an Activity Flow

Select the desired servicesSpecify departure citySpecify departure dateSpecify desired departure timeSpecify destination citySpecify Return dateSpecify return timeSpecify no. roomsSpecify travelers categories

Specifying the scope of a vacation

Entering Data

Selecting

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What is Activity Flow Design

Activity flow design focuses on how a unit of flows and how user actions are controlled

The flow or structure of the unit of work is often unique to a given application and business domain

In controlling users actions we often adhere to more generalizable principles that include: How actions are chucked – to support closure

E.g. Select Ship Pay The flexibility we give users in adhering to a

recommended sequence of actions E.g., Cannot enter shipping address before selecting an item

The guidance we provide users the user through the interaction E.g., user guide, bubble help, etc.

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1 1

2

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Good Flow Poor Flow

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Objective of Activity Flow Design

Is to help user navigate through the interface effectively and efficiently

It includes: The flow of users’ action at the interface and the

rules governing the flow The support that the interface provides to guide

and constrain users’ action

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How Should Activity Flow – Some Determinants

Business factors Sequence in which tasks have to be executed Privileges & Roles

Users’ factors Flexibility Closure Guidance

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Business Factors and Activity Flow Business factors are critical in determining the flow of

action within a component or information space Example:

Merchandise can be ordered for established customers only

Claims in access of $2500,00 must be handled by a senior consultant

Trip can not be saved without paying for it But, always question the validity and criticality of

business rules, particularly when they conflict with users needs

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Business Driven Activity Flow

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Activity Flow – Different Perspectives

Developer’s flow Open a folder Name folder Specify type of claim (car,

home, etc.) Enter identification info. Insert supporting

documents Save

• User’s preferred flow• Open a folder• Insert supporting documents• Enter identification info.• Specify type of claim• Name folder• Save

Creating a claim folder

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Issues in Designing Activity Flow - Behavior

Degree of flexibility offered in the order and manner in which tasks are executed

Number and nature of breakpoints offered to users during the interaction

Nature and extent of guidance offered users during task execution

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Activity Flow – How Much Flexibility

Instinctive answer Provide users with maximum freedom

Constraining the activity flow has several benefits Eliminate path that have no closure due to business rules

My system enables me to download applications, but then prevents me from installing them

Increase consistency of usage Always going through the same sequence of steps helps the

user build a coherent conceptual model of the application Reduce users’ mental workload

Eliminates the need to decide what should be the next task

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Activity Flow – Designing Flexibility From an interface designer perspective we provide or

limit activity flow flexibility through the type of flow we impose on user’s actions

Actions in an activity flow can be parallel or Independent

Actions in an activity flow can be sequential Actions in an activity flow can and often are a mix of

both

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Activity Flow Options

MS outlookParallel

WizardSequential

Excel GraphSequential, but – user can select the path

To Attach

Subject Content

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Sequential Activity Flow

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Adding an Image in PP- Mixed Activity Flow

Instruct – to insert

Select a shape

Modify Shape

Resize, Re-color, Add shape

Parallel

Sequential

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Activity Flow - Limiting Flexibility

When confining the activity flow to a specific path Make it visible

Avoid hiding dependency e.g., an account has to be established before an order can be placed

Adopt paths that are “natural” to users not to the computer You first select a document to print and then print

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Restricting Activity Flow

There are several ways to restrict or constraint the flow of users activity at the interface Leading them down a path – Wizard Blocking off certain paths – disabling commands Aiding them – task list Guiding then - Help

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Constraining Activity flow – Users Needs

Users feel that they need maximum flexibility in the order in which they perform a unit of work

However, constraining the Activity flow has several benefits including: Eliminate path that have no closure due to business

rules Increase consistency of usage Reduce users’ mental workload