Instructions Part 1: User and Task Analysis (This task is worth 11 marks/50) a. Identify and describe One primary Persona for your application. Include all components of the persona description, as discussed in the lectures. Note: This application can serve a wide variety of users and as such, may have multiple primary personas. The persona you choose will guide your consideration for the subsequent steps in this exercise. (3 marks)) b. Identify and describe one primary and one secondary tasks/use cases in the system (primary tasks are important and frequently used functions by your primary persona, secondary tasks are desirable but are of less importance to your primary persona than primary ones). Provide a brief (text) description of the task/use case and the outline of the steps in the basic flow scenario and TWO alternative flow scenarios of the use case. (4 marks) Note: Tasks such as Register/Login should not be used as an example of any use case. These supplementary functions are designed to allow a user to access the main functions of the system. c. Produce Two State Transition Networks (STNs) to describe the interaction flow in your use case scenarios (for both the basic and two alternative flows in each use case). Use an abstract depiction of the screens with no detail on design elements of the interface. Your STNs need only depict states and user actions between states in the use case scenarios. (4 marks) Note: Generally speaking, an interface state changes when an event occurs. For example, an entry of text in a text field, a click of a button, etc. Your STNs need to depict all possible states of interaction in the use case scenarios. Part 2: Interface Prototype (This task is worth 24 marks/50) Design and prototype a user interface for your application that demonstrates clearly the two use cases you defined. The interface should include enough user interaction to allow it to be demonstrated to a user. For each use case scenario, you need to produce the following. a) Detailed screen design(s) for every state in the STN. (Snapshots of the screens (or photos) from the interface you built for your prototype are sufficient). Indicate the mapping between the screens you include and states/actions on your STN (ensure you have a complete set of screens for your STNs). b) For EVERY screen/state, i. Describe the interface elements chosen. ii. Justify the layout used, e.g. by an appropriate choice of design pattern, or to satisfy a specific usability principle. iii. Indicate which features you used to provide feedback. iv. Indicate how the design deals with user error. Axure and Balsamiq are the prototyping tools supported by our Teaching Associates. Interface designs produced using these tools are sufficient for this exercise. You are free to choose other toolkits or programming languages to develop the interface. However, no additional marks will be awarded for using more sophisticated tools or programming languages. (12 marks for every use case- a total of 24 marks) Part 3: Heuristic Evaluation (This task is worth 15 marks/50) For every use case, do a heuristic evaluation of the individual states of the interface, identifying all usability issues. Report on the usability issues in an objective manner and present the issues in a systematic and standard format using the templates (Excel spreadsheet) provided and discussed in the lectures. Your report should include, a) the usability problems you identified with some justification of the severity score assigned to the problems and your suggestions for addressing the issues you identified in subsequent revisions of the interface, and, (8 marks) b) the good design features that should be maintained in any subsequent revision of the application. (7 marks)
All applicants go through a series of tests that check their level of English and knowledge of formatting styles. The applicant is also required to present a sample of writing to the Evaluation Department. If you wish to find out more about the procedure, check out the whole process.