Work Simulation

Work Simulation for HCI

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Start
Requirements
Prototypes
Design

Home

The work simulation is series of tasks designed to give you the experience of working in HCI.

You will be presented with ten ‘to-do’ lists of tasks. Most of the tasks you will respond to using the portfolio facility on GCU Learn (Blackboard).

The module also has learning resources including lectures and exercises that will help you learn about HCI and to complete the business simulation tasks.

Please read the case study document to find out more about the work simulation
Getting Started

First Steps

Decision Tree

Look at each of the decisons, testing first what you think is best and then what you think might not be helpful

Begin

Start

You have been asked to produce a design for a downloadable app for a garment manufacturer wishing to sell fabrics anywhere in the world

What is your first step?

Look at existing garment
sales based app   Ask the client
for more information

Apps

Highly specialised manufacturer based sales apps aren’t that common they tend to do business via a web site expecting that their clients are other business which will have access to PCs.

Look at similar
web sites   Ask the client for
more information

Client

Clients frequently don’t have a great deal of knowledge about technology – you will have to be more precise…

Ask the client if they have
any apps that already exist in mind   Ask the client about
the users of the app

Web Sites

Web sites tend to provide a complete catalogue with a lot of information.

Look at client
web site   Ask the client for
more information

Client Web Site

The client’s web site is set up to sell to other businesses.

Ask the client if they have any
apps that already exist in mind    Ask the client about
the users of the app

Success

You find out that the client wants to sell directly to the customer not just to other business – this is important as it is the customers requirements that you will be designing for.

Asking about the users is probably the best starting point as you are focusing on who will be using the app.

Return to start

Submit using 'My Portfolio' the following:

● Job Application

● Explanation of the decision tree

To-do List One

▣ View job advert

▣ View job confirmation

▣ Examine decision tree - ‘first steps’

▣ Submit for Assessment
Requirements

Submit using 'My Portfolio' the following:

● Persona

● Scenario

● Explanation of the decision tree

Function & Non-Functional Requirements

Decision Tree

Look at each of the decisions, testing first what you think is best and then what you think might not be helpful

Begin

Start Question

Your requirements list should contain both functional and non-functional requirements. Thinking about requirements in this way can help you to create a more comprehensive list. The client wants a colourful visual identity, is this

Functional   Non-functional

Correct

Correct – while visual identity is undoubtedly important it is not part of the function of the site.

Start Question   Second Question

Wrong

Wrong – visual identity is not a function of the app i.e. you wouldn’t expect to see it as a menu item or button

Start Question   Second Question

Second Question

The client wants a search facility, is this

Functional   Non-functional

Correct

Correct – a search facility is a function of an app.

Second Question   Third Question

Wrong

Wrong – a search facility is a function that the use can interact with

Second Question   Third Question

Third Question

The client wants a product listing, is this

Functional   Non-functional

Correct

Correct – a product listing is a function of the app where a user might select this as a menu item.

Third Question   Forth Question

Wrong

Wrong – a product listing is a function of the app where a user might select this as a menu item.

Third Question   Forth Question

Fourth Question

The client wants a secure app, is this

Functional   Non-functional

Correct

Correct – security is not a specific function of an app where a user might select this as a menu item.

Fourth Question   Fifth Question

Wrong

Wrong – security is not a specific function of an app where a user might select this as a menu item.

Fourth Question   Fifth Question

Fifth Question

The client wants the user to be able to authenticate as a registered user, is this

Functional   Non-Functional

Correct

Correct – authentication is something that the user interacts with.

Fifth Question   The End

Wrong

Wrong – authentication is something that the user interacts with

Fifth Question   The End

Requirements End

Success
You should now write a definition of functional and non-functional requirements using the questions to help you and put the definition in your simulation portfolio.

Return to start

To-do List Two

▣ View email from your boss

▣ View SMS from the boss

▣ Examine decision tree - ‘requirements’

▣ Submit for Assessment
Prototyping

Submit using 'My Portfolio' the following:

● Explanation of the decision tree

● Storyboard via separate assessment link

Prototyping

Decision Tree

There are not always clearly right or wrong answers – just strengths and weaknesses – explore the tree to help you think about the circumstances when each option will be most effective.

Begin

Start

You have been asked to produce a downloadable app for a garment manufacturer wishing to sell fabrics anywhere in the world. If you were asked to communicate your design ideas early in the project would you…..

Create the app as fast as you
can and use trial and error showing
the client different versions of the
app until they are happy with it    Create a basic prototype of the
app and then consult the client
using the prototype

Prototyping

Prototyping Is an effective way of communicating your design ideas. It give the client something concrete to look at helps the designer try out new ideas.

Fidelity   Start

Trial and Error

Trial and error implies that you are going to spend time and money creating a complete app. If the client wants substantial changes you may have to discard a great deal of work. However if you already have a similar app you can use it as a template for the new one, thus actually saving time and money.

Fidelity   Start

Fidelity

Given a situation where you had to produce a prototype quickly for a client which would you choose?

Lo-fi   Hi-fi

Lo-Fi

Lo-fi prototypes are quick and easy to make as they lack the detail present in Hi-fi. However if the client wants clarity instead of speed Hi-fi is better.

Limited Functionality   Fidelity

Hi-Fi

Hi-fi prototypes usually take longer to produce than lo-fi. However they can help the designer to communicate more complex ideas with grater clarity.

Limited Functionality   Fidelity

Limiting Functionality

Prototypes by their nature have limited functionality, however it is possible to be strategic about how to organise functionality. Given a situation where the client is unclear about exactly what they want i.e. they want you to help them decide, which of the following would you choose?

Horizontal   Vertical

Horizontal

Horizontal prototypes typically have functionality spread across a range of functions but with none of them working fully. This can lead to a clearer overall picture for the client.

Limiting functionality   Prototyping and the client

Vertical

Vertically limited prototypes will tend to have one or two categories of function working, e.g. authentication or order processing. This approach can be useful if you are trying to innovate in one particular area and want to be clear with the client what you are trying to achieve.

Limiting functionality   Prototyping and the client

Prototype and client

The approach you take to working with the client is extremely important. Given a situation where you are working with a client who has previously worked on an app and is very clear about what they want, which of the following would you choose?

Designer led   Collaborative with client/users

Designer Led

It is usually appropriate for the designer to lead the prototype development process when the client is unsure about what options are available to them and how they might be organised. However it is usually preferable to collaborate with the client/users as early on in the design process as possible.

Prototyping and the client   Prototype Type

Collaborative with Client/Users

Enabling the client/users to be involved in the design process can lead to more responsive design and enable you to save time and effort by not having to work on feature the client/users are not interested in using.

Prototyping and the client   Prototype Type

Prototype Type

Given a situation where creating a finished project quickly is of high importance which of the following would you choose?

Evolutionary   Throw-away

Evolutionary

An evolutionary prototype is where the prototype develops into the finished project. This approach is usually most effective where time is on he essence.

Prototype Type   The end

Throw-away

A throw-away prototype is not used as part of the finished project. This type of prototype works best when it is imperative that the design matches the analysis completely and that this can be validated early on in the process.

Prototype Type   The end

The End

Success
When deciding what to do about prototyping there aren’t any clear instructions about what approach to take.
You have to decide what will be the most effective approach to helping you arrive at the app the client wants.

Return to start

To-do List Three

▣ Examine decision tree - ‘prototyping’

▣ View email from the boss

▣ Submit for Assessment
Design

Visual Design in Mind

Decision tree

We are looking at key design decisions that are intended to help you think more creatively about your visual design. There aren’t really any ‘wrong’ decisions as such rather there are a series of ideas which may help you to approach the task more successfully.

Begin

Anyone can design

Imagine you have been asked to create the visual design for a sports wear web site. You have come up with the idea of featuring trainers (shoes) prominently in the design. What do you do next?

Move decisively and find
some trainer images    Procrastinate about the idea
put it to the back of your mind

Decisive

Ok, you have a visual starting point. However you should bear in mind that designers are usually quite open minded about designs particularly when they are starting a project, don’t be afraid to change your mind. As you are settled on the ‘trainers’ idea it is time to work it in to the elements of a design – do you want to

Think about trainers   Back to start

Procrastinate

OK, you are hoping to come up with a better idea than the ‘trainers’. Good designers (and original thinkers) frequently procrastinate. Keeping an open mind can be useful.
However it might also be useful to help the process by creating a mood board – this can be as simple as a word document with screen shots, images, fonts and colours that you think might work for your design

View your mood board   Back to start

Activity Mood Board

Associations = Fitness, health, activity, play, competition

You have added a range of images to your mood board

Update from client   Back to start

Trainer Mood board

As you are currently working on trainers it would be useful to think about how that could influence your design. To do this you should create a mood board – this can be as simple as a word document with screen shots, images, fonts and colours that you think might work for your design. Here are the images currently in your mood board.

Update from client   Back to start

Update from client

Your client has clarified that they want a bright vibrant design that promotes the ideas of activity

Update activity
mood board   Update trainers
mood board

Activity Mood Board Update

Good news, your mood board does cover the idea of activity, but it isn’t bright or vibrant. So what do you do?

Re-colour your
favourites images   Go back to
client update

Trainer Mood Board Update

Good news, your mood board has bright and vibrant images, but a pair of empty trainers isn’t very active. So what do you do next?

Use the colour
palette on new images   Go back to
client update

The End

Success!
You have some colourful activity related images to work with.

This decision tree is intended to be fun, but it does have a serious point to make. Reflect on what that might be and put your answer in your portfolio

Back to start

Submit using 'My Portfolio' the following:

● Explanation of the decision tree

● Submit diagrams

To-do List Four

▣ Examine decision tree - ‘design’

▣ View sms from the boss

▣ Submit for Assessment

Home

Getting Started

First Steps

Start

Apps

Client

Web Sites

Client Web Site

Success

Requirements

Function & Non-Functional Requirements

Start Question

Correct

Wrong

Second Question

Correct

Wrong

Third Question

Correct

Wrong

Fourth Question

Correct

Wrong

Fifth Question

Correct

Wrong

Requirements End

Prototyping

Prototyping

Start

Prototyping

Trial and Error

Fidelity

Lo-Fi

Hi-Fi

Limiting Functionality

Horizontal

Vertical

Prototype and client

Designer Led

Collaborative with Client/Users

Prototype Type

Throw-away

The End

Design

Visual Design in Mind

Anyone can design

Decisive

Procrastinate

Activity Mood Board

Trainer Mood board

Update from client

Activity Mood Board Update

Trainer Mood Board Update

The End