Assignment #6: Interactive Prototype 2
Assigned: March 19th, 2009
Due: April 13th, 2009
Objective: In this assignment, you will refine your interactive prototype based on the heuristic evaluation. You should also aim to provide enough functionality so that your prototype can be tested by users in a realistic way.
What to do:
1) Review the heuristic evaluation provided by the other group in the last assignment. Decide the elements that you plan to address based on both the other group's and your own assessment of each element's severity and fixability.
2) Decide the tasks that you would like to support during your user testing. The tasks should provide the user with a complete and realistic feel for how the eventual application will work (or, for large projects, how some specific aspects of the future application will work). The interface should support both high-level user tasks (decide where you want to eat dinner tonight using this interface), as well as specific, low-level tasks (use the interface to search for a restaurant open at 10PM).
3) Revise your interactive prototype based on the results of the heuristic evaluation and the user tasks that you intend to support. It is not essential that you implement all of the back-end functionality, or that you provide a completely refined graphic presentation (polished icons, visual design, etc.). However, your prototype should be complete from an interaction perspective - the user should be able to use all of the functions that he/she needs to perform the tasks that you have outlined. Moreover, the interface should provide sufficient functionality to be able to address any exploration the user might do to perform these tasks. Any potential user errors should also be handled gracefully. In short, the system should provide a realistic and complete experience for the user while performing the tasks you have described.
4) In class on April 14th, be ready with your interactive prototype. Prepare a presentation describing its functionality, and providing an overview of your experimental design. You will receive feedback from the rest of the class, including the TA and instructor, on your prototype and experimental design, including whether or not you have provided enough functionality to support testing with real users.
What to turn in:
The preferred method of turn-in is to create a page for your submission on the course Wiki, linked from your final project page. Create a dedicated page for your submission, including each of the following components:
1) Cover sheet including yourself and your partners' names, and your chosen focus. Note the time, duration and attendance of each brainstorming session. Include a paragraph about what each person contributed to the assignment [1/2 page].
2) The list of changes that you decided to make based on the heuristic evaluation. Include the original comment, the severity and fixability rating provided by the other group, your own assessment, and what you to did to address it. [1-2 pages].
3) Describe the tools you used to develop your prototype, how they helped and/or created additional obstacles [1/2 page].
4) Provide a link to your second interactive prototype, as well as directions about how to install and/or run it. Supplement with screen shots if required [1-2 pages].
5) Be ready with your presentation, supporting material and your interactive prototype to be presented in class on April 14th.
The total length of your report should be less than 4 pages. Brevity, clarity and focus on the goals of the assignment will be rewarded.
E-mail a link to your group's project page to the professor and TA before 11:59PM on Monday, April 13th.
Please contact the professor or the class TA using the course mailing list if you have any questions with this assignment.