Studio 2 - iPod Usability Explorations and Reading Week 2

Ben Schneiderman’s 8 Golden Rules of Interface Design

To improve the usability of an application it is important to have a well designed interface. Schneiderman's "Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design" is a guide to good interaction design.

Strive for consistency

When a system is being used, each screen should look similar with the same type of language, such as an ipod – all the menus, prompts and other screens which are displayed use the same terminologies and display.

Enable frequent users to use shortcuts

After a while, a user will adapt to the system that their using and they will start to look for shorter methods, so they can perform tasks at a quicker pace of interaction. For example; When someone is using Microsoft Word and they need to copy and paste something to another document they can use function keys of Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V to do this method a lot quicker.

Offer informative feedback

For every action there should be some type of ‘feedback’ reaction, which lets the user know what is happening. Especially for actions that happen a lot less often, or a major event – they should let the user know what is happening and why. For example: A user has accidentally clicked on the ‘X’ to close a word document, the software prompts the user asking “Do you want to save changes to [document name].doc?” with the option of “Yes, No & Cancel”.

Design dialog to yield closure

When a user is performing tasks, their operations should have a clear start, middle and finish. Upon completion of a user’s task they should be provided with informative feedback – this allows the user to understand that a task has been completed, and they can start upon their next task.

Offer simple error handling

When designing a system, the developer should design it so the user can not accidentally click on something that will create a critical error. If this does occur, then the system should be able to detect the error and offer a very simple method for dealing with the problem, that the user can understand. For example; Microsoft Windows XP is designed so if a user created an error it has many various prompts informing the user, what has happened.

Permit easy reversal of actions

Allow the user the ability to go back a step encase of a mistake. This type of feature will make a user feel more relaxed about using the system, thus giving them the confidence to explore options that they wouldn’t normally use. For Example: In Microsoft Word, if the user accidentally deletes a few words or a whole page, the user can undo this by using Ctrl+Z.

Support internal locus of control

Make sure the user is in control of the system. That way the

user isn’t simply responding to what the system is doing and they are the ones who are telling the system what to do. This especially applies towards the experienced user, as they have a very strong desire for the sense of control over the system.

Reduce short-term memory load

The display for any system should be kept short, concise and straight-to-the point. As human’s we are limited in short-term memory processing, so we require that displays are kept simple and consolidated so that we; as users, can understand. For example; when using a word processor you can view multiple pages, however it will consolidate them so that it is easier for the user to view.

Usability Evaluation of an Apple iPod Nano

Task - To play a single track by an artist from a certain album.

Shortcuts

There are no possible shortcuts available to allow the user to shorten the time of selecting a specific song to play and listen to.

Dialog Closure

The iPod nano doesn't appear to have any closure of menus displayed. For the music player though, they menu has simple slide in transition effects when moving forwards/backwards throughout the music menus. In retrospect - transition effects whilst moving between menus could be seen as the opening and closing of different menu screens.

Consistency

The ipod nano has excellent consistency for a user, because the menu's, background, text style and visualisations never change. This is especially good for a first time user of an iPod Nano, because it allows them to become familiar with the ipod system. The following shows what makes the iPod very consistent:

• No Colour Change - whilst browsing through menu's there are no colour changes
• Simple Language - Plain English is used throughout (Albums, songs, artists etc)
• Locked Buttons - 'control panel' position is fixed
• Menu's - All the menu's are exactly the same (colour, text, layout, graphics etc)

Reduce Short-Term Memory Load
The entire system of the iPod is very basic, allowing the user to take in all of the information displayed to them at each menu level. Apple seem to have designed their iPod system to a very simplistic design, which allows almost any type of person to be their target audience.

Target Audience
I shall be choosing an age range of 12 - 22 year olds to be my target audience.

Instructions for Target Audience
The instructions to be used will be very simple allowing the users to concentrate more on the task and worry less about complicated instructions:

1. Press the middle button (circle) x2.
2. Artist folder should be displayed.
3. Run thumb or finger on outer circle in a clockwise direction to scroll down in menu (anti-clockwise to scroll up).
4. Once correct choice has been made press on middle button (circle) once.
5. Select 'All in Album' (this will display the entire list of songs from the album)
6. Repeat Step 3
7. Repeat Step 4

Analysis of Data
I will be concentrating on checking for user error's (how often they occur, timing etc). Once all data has been recorded I shall be comparing them with one another using age and interests, to see if there is any correlations between the two and easy of use of the iPod. I will also be looking into how to improve this experiment for future reference.

Schneirderman Satisfaction
The iPod Nano technology appears to satisfy the rules in my (non-byist) opinion. The only rule that it doesn't appear to satisfy is 'shortcuts' as the iPod nano doesn't have any short cuts due the simplistic nature of its system.

Reading Week 2
Usable-in-life - This refers to the ability to perform in real life situations and to find out if a device/product will work in a variety of everyday life scenario's.

Usability testing and evalutaion use this technique in order to test their products in a variety of circumstances which are not avaiable to a controlled area, i.e. laboratory. This technique will involve taking the device or product out into the natural enviroment in order to find out errors and difficulties that wouldn't get noticed within a lab-type environment. For example:

A user has been invited into a controlled environment within a research laboratory. Their task here is to test a product within a short-spaced time period and to perform actions requested by the researchers within this time period.

In that type of environment, most users would find them selves under a great deal of stress and would tend not to act naturally with the device given to them. This is mainly because they are not in their natural environment and often feel they are being watched , similar to an exam type situation. Where as; if the researchers have left the controlled area and entered into the tester's natural environment, the testing would more often than not prove to be a lot more worthwhile.

Usability-in-life vs Usability-in-itself

These concepts differ from each other vastly. They differ because one focus' on the internal usability of a device or product, where as 'in-life' will aim to focus on the post-testing of the device within the environment. 'In-itself' will focus on how usable the software is depending on a number of factors; consistency, reliability, shortcuts, longertivity, response etc.

IPod under the mircoscope

The iPod seems to meet all the requirments of both of the usability types of testing and in all circumstances. This is due the simplicity of the product; the menus, interface and general design of the device is easy to use in all situations in both controlled and natural environments.

In the natural enviroment the iPod is small but very effective as it interacts extremely well with a range of users where neither age, gender or user knowledge of the product effects its usability. The usability-in-itself is extremely good as well. The software and technology of the product is tested to its full extent in a controlled lab enviroment where the researchers can find out if anything need adjusting or improving. Using the latest and most up to date technology in these controlled environments Apple - the company who made the iPod; have assured that their product provides intelligent feedback, fail-safe interaction with the interface and a decent system recovery within its software.