Work Simulation for HCI

  • 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

    Job Vacancy Image

    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


    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?

    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.

    Client

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

    Web Sites

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

    Client Web Site

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

    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.

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Job Application
    ● Brief explanation of the decision tree

  • Requirements

    Congatulations Notice
    sms from boss
    email from boss

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Persona
    ● Scenario
    ● Brief 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


    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

    Correct

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

    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

    Second Question

    The client wants a search facility, is this

    Correct

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

    Wrong

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

    Third Question

    The client wants a product listing, is this

    Correct

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

    Wrong

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

    Fourth Question

    The client wants a secure app, is this

    Correct

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

    Wrong

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

    Fifth Question

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

    Correct

    Correct – authentication is something that the user interacts with.

    Wrong

    Wrong – authentication is something that the user interacts with

    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.

  • Prototyping

    Boss email 2
    Memo from Boss 1

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Brief explanation of the decision tree
    ● Storyboard

    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.


    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…..

    Prototyping

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

    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

    Given a situation where you had to produce a prototype quickly for a client which would you choose?
    Sketch, Lofi and Hifi Example

    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.

    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.

    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

    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.

    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.

    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

    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.

    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.

    Prototype Type

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

    Evolutionary

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

    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.

    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.

  • Design

    sms from boss 2

    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.


    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?

    Decisive

    Colorful and Stylish NIKE sneakers

    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

    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

    Activity Mood Board

    Associations = Fitness, health, activity, play, competition

    Activity Mood Board

    You have added a range of images to your mood board

    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.

    Colourtful Nike Sneakers Colourful Baseball Boots Black and white sneakers

    Update from client

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

    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?
    Activity Mood Board 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?
    trainer update board

    The End

    Success!

    You have some colourful activity related images to work with.

    Mood Board

    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

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Brief explanation of the decision tree
    ● Submit diagram

  • Human Factors

    email from boss 4
    Memo from boss 2

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Requirements list

    View Flyer

    Human Factors Flyer

  • Prototype

    Email from boss 6

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Prototype

  • Boss Away

    sms from boss 3
    email from boss 4

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Screen shot from the accessibility game showing success
    ● Screen shot from ethics game showing 100% success

    Instructions

    This game is designed to simulate cognitive disability to give the player a small insight into what it might be like to navigate a complex web site if you had such a disability.

    You are going to be shown a page divided into a game to play and a web site.

    The idea is to play the game navigating the ‘player’ without crashing.

    At the same time you should attempt the tasks using the web site.

    Good luck!

    INTRODUCTION

    Welcome to the ethics quiz game. Some of the question answers are scored 0 some 5 and some 10. Every question has one 10 score question. Your aim is to get a maximum 100 score. You wont know what your score is until you get to the end and click submit. You might not get 100% success first time through; this does not mean that you are unethical it may simply mean that your ethics are different from the question setter’s ethics. You should bear in mind it is only a game, intended to help you reflect on the types of decisions you might have to make at work.

    The boss has left the office for a week and left you in charge of your project……

    The client phones and wants to know when they will get their app - you tell them
    in detail what you have done so far and that progress has been good
    you would like to get feedback from them on a prototype before completing the app
    you don’t know they will have to wait until the boss gets back
    it will be finished as soon as it take to build them a great app


    A colleague working on another app tells you that they are sure that there is a significant error in your app in terms of the navigation will be too complex for users to learn. You tell them
    Keep working on their own app and don’t concern themselves with your app
    Ask them to send you an email explaining the key points of their concern
    Ask them what they would do instead and change it before the boss gets back
    Ask them to work with you on a user test for learnability


    A colleague who will be working on the implementation of you app asks you to decide who will be responsible for the evaluation of the project you decide to
    Ask them for recommendations for who will run the evaluation
    Ask them to give you an advice memo on the key things that the evaluation should test
    Hold a meeting and ask everyone to suggest who should be in charge and why
    Ask them to wait until the boss gets back


    You go to a conference for app developers where you meet an employee of a competitor business. The employee is drunk and offers to show you sensitive documents about the firm that they work for. You decide to:
    Read the documents but do nothing
    Read the documents and tell your boss what was in them
    Don’t read the document and say nothing
    Don’t read the document but tell your boss about what happened


    You go to a companywide meeting where the chief executive starts praising the visual design of an app you know to be flawed. Nobody at the meeting is contradicting the chief in any way. As the newest member of staff you are asked to introduce yourself and comment on the app the chief likes. You decide to say:
    The app looks really good
    The app is flawed and will have to be changed
    The app design should be tested in order to prove how good it is


    Whilst coming into the building you accidentally over hear some unfavourable information about a current app from one of you clients – they say that although the app is live the booking system is working. When you see the client you decide to
    Say nothing
    Avoid the them till you speak to someone
    Tell them about the problem


    A badly behaved client berates you about the app in an aggressive way – after a while they calm down and ask you to forget what they have said. You decide to
    Agree to say nothing
    Tell them to take their business elsewhere or you will complain
    Raise a complaint at work
    Report the behaviour at work but don’t raise a complaint


    At a meeting concerning accessibility testing of apps it is decide not to bother because it is too time consuming. You decide to
    Ignore the accessibility testing
    Re-schedule the accessibility testing
    Do the accessibility testing


    A fellow intern at the company friends you on Facebook, where you see they have made nasty comments about working at the company. You decide to
    Ignore the infraction as freedom of expression
    Leave an anonymous complaint so as to ensure that you don’t make enemies
    Suggest to the person to take it down
    Ask someone else to intervene


    You are assigned to check for Internet usage violation in the company’s server logs and you find that the company owner and another intern have violated the policy. You decide to
    Ignore both infractions
    Report the intern, but ignore the owner
    Warn the intern, but ignore the owner
    Report the intern, report the owner


    Check Your Answers     Final Score is:

  • Evaluation & Observations

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Advice Note
    ● Observation task

  • Heuristics & User Tests

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Heuristic task
    ● User test task

  • Reflections

    Submit using the 'My Portfolio' links:

    ● Reflections Report