Requirements-definition User analysis

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Today’s objectives

User tasks | Task analysis Dreamweaver practice

Task Analysis

Users’ task

SOURCE: http://www.usability.gov/methods/process.html

www.usability.gov

Theory of action

Norman’s Theory of Action Proposes 7 stages of an activity

Establish a goal Form an intention Specify an action sequence Execute an action Perceive the system state Interpret the state Evaluate the system state with respect to the goals

and intentions

Theory of Action : Reading news on the web1. Set goal to find out about current news

decide on news website2. Form an intention

check out BBC website3. Specify what to do

move cursor to link on browser4. Execute action sequence

click on mouse button 5. Check what happens at the interface

see a new page pop up on the screen 6. Interpret it

read that it is the BBC website7. Evaluate it with respect to the goal

meets goals – read news

Theory of Action : Execution Turn on a light

1. Switch on button of lamp i.e. get more light (the goal).

2. To do this, one specifies how to move one's body,

3. how to stretch to reach the light switch and

4. how to extend one's finger to push the button.

The goal has to be translated into an intention, which in turn has to be made into an action sequence.

Theory of Action : ExecutionTurn on a light

Formulation of stages of execution:

1. Start with the goal, the state that is to be achieved.

2. Goal translated into an intention to do some action.

3. Intention must be translated into a set of internal commands, an action sequence that can performed to satisfy the intention.

4. Action sequence must be executed, performed upon the world.

Theory of Action : Evaluation After turning on light, evaluate if it is actually turned on. Judge how light affected our world. Formulation of stages of evaluation can be described as:

1. Evaluation starts with our perception of world.

2. Perception interpreted according to our expectations.

3. It is compared (evaluated) with respect to both our intentions and our goals.

Theory of Action : The gulfs Gaps between the user and interface

The gulf of execution The gulf of evaluation

Need to bridge gulfs to reduce the cognitive effort required to perform a task

Theory of Action : Gulf of execution Record a television show. You see the solution to the problem as simply pressing Record

button. However, to record a show requires, several actions :

1. Press the record button.2. Specify time of recording, usually involving several steps to change the hour

and minute settings.3. Select channel to record on - either by entering the channel's number or

selecting it with up/down buttons.4. Save the recording settings, perhaps by pressing an "OK" or "menu" or "enter"

button.

Difference between the user's perceived execution actions and the required actions is the gulf of execution.

Forgot my user name, I’ll get it here | User’s perceived execution action

Theory of Action : Gulf of execution

I need my Member ID? What’s that? | Required actions

Theory of Action : Gulf of evaluation

The gulf of evaluation Difficulty of assessing the state of the system and

how well it supports the discovery and interpretation of that state

Gulf of evaluation is small when system provides information about its state in a form that is: easy to get, is easy to interpret, and matches the way the person thinks of the system

Theory of Action : Gulf of evaluation

Amount of effort that the user must exert to interpret the physical state of the system and to determine how well his/her expectations and intentions have been met.

Goals, tasks, actions…

Goals, tasks, actions…

What's the difference? Goal - What the user aims to accomplish

E.g., purchase a book, locate information, get directions

Task What users believes must be done to accomplish the

goal E.g., browse product listing, enter credit card info

Action a task involving little or no problem solving

Goals, tasks, actions…

Donald Norman’s terms:The highest levels are activities, which are composed of tasks, which themselves are composed of

actions, and actions are made up of operations.

Goal: Make Web site with authoring tool Open Dreamweaver Make site definition Save page Make DB connection Up-load site View site

What about sub-tasks?

Goal: Make Web siteTask Hierarchy

Hierarchical Task Analysis

Borrow a book from the library

go to the library

find required book

retrieve book from shelf

take book to counter

321 4

0

access catalog

access search screen

enter search criteria

identify required book

note location

plan 0: do 1-3-4. If book isn’t on the shelf expected, do 2-3-4.

plan 2: do 2.1-2.4-2.5.If book not identified from information available, do 2.2-2.3-2.4-2.5

2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

Example: Goals, tasks, and actions

Goal: Get to Illinois

Tasks: Rent car, drive, get repairs

Action: Get gas

Example: Goals, tasks, and actions

Goal: Get to Illinois

Tasks: Rent car, drive, get repairs

Action: Get gas

The goal/task/action distinction is useful, but should not be applied rigidly

Discovery: Goals, tasks, and actionsGoal: on the Internet, buy either a purple stuffed dinosaur or a set of blocks for your two-year-old nephew. Your sister says either would be fine.

Discovery: Goals, tasks, and actions Task 1: Choose between a stuffed toy and

a set of building blocks

Action 1: Check Web for purple stuffed dinosaurs

Action 2: Check availability of the new blocks set

Action 3: Decide on one, based on price, availability, delivery, and gift wrap

Discovery: Goals, tasks, and actions

Task 2: Buy chosen toy

Action 1: Put toy into website’s shopping cartAction 2: Fill out billing and shipping information.

Task 3: Call sister; tell present is on its way

Action 1: Pick up phone/receiverAction 2: Dial phone number

What is a task analysis?

What is a task analysis?

Involves learning about:users' goals what users want to do on your sitehow they work. specific tasks users must perform to their goalswhat steps are need to accomplish those tasks

Usability.gov : http://www.usability.gov/methods/analyze_current/analysis.html

What is a task analysis?

Allows you to discover: tasks Website must supportappropriate content scopewhat applications site should include

What is a task analysis?

Assist you in:refining navigation or search to better support

users' goals or building pages and applications that match

users' goals, tasks, and steps.

What is a task analysis?

Makes it possible to:define functions to be included within system accurately specify the user interface

http://www.usabilitynet.org/tools/taskanalysis.htm

Some Ways to analyze tasks…

Some Ways to analyze tasks…

Goals, tasks, and actions Job analysis Task list Task sequence Task hierarchies Observing and listening to users

Think aloudRole play | Focus groups | Surveys

Task Analysis | Steps1. Identify task to be analyzed

After establishing good understanding of users and tasks.

Identify several representative tasks that the system will be used to accomplish.

Task Analysis | Steps

2. Break tasks down into 4 to 8 subtasks. Cover whole area of interest.

3. Develop concrete, detailed examples of tasks users perform (or want to perform).

Task scenario

Task Analysis | Steps3. Draw subtasks as a layered diagram.

4. Decide upon level of detail to decompose tasks.

5. Continue decomposition.

6. Produce written account as well as decomposition diagram.

7. Present the analysis to someone else to check for consistency.

Step 2 | Detailed examples of tasks | ScenariosTask scenario Detailed narrative description. Describes current use of the system. Often detailed and personalized

Task Scenario (e-tickets)

Mary is an 85 year old women who is traveling alone. Her daughter brought her an e-ticket so she could visit for the Christmas holiday. The lines are long. She approaches the e-Ticket machine and selects here flight… She has never used an e-ticket machine… she has an enjoyable flight.

Marty is a 35 year old executive, who is late for a meeting. His flight was canceled and he has been transferred to another airline. The lines are long… He is engaged in a somewhat hostile phone conversation with a rental car agency as he approaches the e-ticket counter…. he has an enjoyable flight.

Concrete use case

Similar to Task Scenario but not personalized

Essential use case

Describes task at high level of abstraction

Project

A task

Identify the major processes or tasks (e.g., money withdrawal and account inquiry) for which the ATM machine may be used.

For two of the major tasks (money withdrawal and account inquiry), write down the all the steps/tasks involved.

What impact on tasks/design?User Younger Middle Older

Age 12-25 25-50 50-80

Sex M/F M/F M/F

Phy limitations Varying height, hearing, sight

Some phy limits

Varying height, hearing, sight

Some phy limits

Varying height, hearing, sight

Some phy limits

Edu Minimal or none Only minimal Only minimal

Computer use Some Little or no Little of no

Motivation Very Maybe very Less motivated

Attitude Varies Varies varies

What impact on tasks/design?

Think of three people you know in these age groupsDo user characteristics impact your design?

Personas

Exercise: ATM scenario (1)

The task “withdraw cash using a card” can be described in a structured diagram and/or in a table format.

The table format allows the notation of additional information.

Textual notation describes the linear task solving process over time.

Scope of the task description was enlarged and additional subtasks were included.

Exercise: ATM scenario (2)

Scenarios

Task scenario Detailed narrative description. Describes current use of the system. Detailed and personalized

Task Scenario

Concrete use case for ATM

Essential use case for ATM

Techniques for observing and listening to users

Techniques for observing and listening to users – to learn about tasks Think aloud: talk while doing the job Role playing Focus groups Mailed surveys

Think aloud

Facilitating user comments (ask user):Could you tell me what options you are

considering?

Is anything in particular puzzling you?

What might you do next?

Think aloud

BUT: No feedback, positive or negative

No answers or hints If users get stuck, have them go on Neutral demeanor at all times

Things to measures about tasks

Time to locate a book at the Barnes & Noble website Time to fill in customer information and place order Number of times the Back Button is used, indicating that user

cannot find desired information Number of clicks to find the time of a TV show Percentage of tasks completed correctly Number of calls to support line Number of complaints, negative facial expressions, or

regressive behaviors (screaming at monitor, etc.)

Preference measures

Often obtained using a Likert Scale

Strongly disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

It was easy to find what I wanted

It was simple to choose size and color

I could pay for my purchase quickly