Human Computer Interface - Assignment Example

Table of Content HCI Principles 2 2. User Needs 2 2 Attention 2 2.2 Memory 2 2.3 Security 3 3. Usability and User Experience Goals 3 4. Process of Usage 3 5. The Look and Feel 5 6. Discussion Board 5 7. The Scenario Storyboard 7 7 8. Grid Plans 7 8.1 Home Page 7 8.2 Post Thread 8 8.3 View Postings 9 8.4 Registration Form 10 10. Post - Implementation Evaluation: 11 10. Screen Shots: 12 10.1 Homepage: 12 10.2 View Postings 13 10.4 Registration Form 15 12. Bibliography: 17 1. HCI Principles Human Computer Interface is of primary interest to many engineers and users of the computer and the web. The user who makes use of the web site should be enthused to keep visiting the site again and again. This can be achieved only if the site is made user friendly and makes sure that it serves the purpose it is intended to and helps the user realise the benefits out of it in line with its claims. There fore, HCI has become a very important consideration for all designers of websites and software applications. The theories surrounding the Human Computer Interface helps in understanding how and why people behave in specific way and what their expectations are. This would ensure the success of the site to a great extent. 2. User Needs The cross section of users who make up the visitors to the site will be from both men and women and from all walks of life. However, most of the users are expected to be computer literate and should be in a position to leverage some advantage out of using the site in their day to day activities. This means that the visitors are very aware of computer operation; they are not novices. 2.1 Attention The site should grab the attention of the users and also ensure that it forms a bulletin board that will invite people to keep coming back to the site for their day to day requirements. It should be comfortable to operate and should be in a position to catch the interest and attention of the user. 2.2 Memory The site should not expect the visitor to remember too many things. It should be in the normal course of work and not expect the visitor to the site to think and maintain details of the site or last visit information etc., which will make things more complex. 2.3 Security The information posted by the users should not be freely distributed or accessed by every body who comes in. It should be restricted at the same time available to users who are interested in it. 3. Usability and User Experience Goals The user shall be able to make use of the site without any prior operating knowledge or training. He should be able to read from the site and act upon it. The ease of usage should be in such a way it is self contained in itself and does not require any additional help in any other form. This shall also stick to the standard principles of colour choice, font choice and style choice. In line with this the site shall not be using more than three colours which will make the site more recognizable and comfortable to work on. Font shall be a convenient 12 point size, straight and ideally sans serif since that is more readable. 4. Process of Usage The user opens the home page of the site by entering the site address. At the home page, he has to enter the login name and password to gain access to the menu. Until then the menu will stay disabled. Once the person logs in successfully, then the menu is enabled and access provided to the user. The home page will have two sets of menu bars available for the user. One, on the right side of the screen and the other on the top of the screen. In the right side, the user will have the major options, view the postings, post a new thread, Frequently Asked Questions and the Contact Us. On the top you will find the Registration, Member List, New Posts, Photo Gallery, Search and Advertise. Some of the complex screen shots are shown below. A new user when he comes in needs to gain his user name and password by registering with the web site. Click on the registration link on the top of the screen. A new screen will be thrown open and the following data will be taken from you. 1. A username of your choice up to a maximum of 12 characters can be entered. 2. A password of your choice which should be at least 6 characters in length. 3. Your email id. 4. A yes or no confirmation whether you will need to receive the mails from the admin and from the other members in the forum or not. All these data need to be entered to confirm the registration. And the terms and conditions of the site need to be accepted. Only then the registration will be carried out and the user data will get stored in the database at site. The user will be sent a confirmation by email to the email address he has already given in the web site. Once the registration is complete, then the member is eligible to log in and start using the other features in the web site. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page provides the user with online help to clarify the questions that come up during usage of the site. All the postings can be viewed in the View Postings option that is available on the right side of the screen. Here all the postings are viewable that are posted by all the members of the forum. When you need to post a new listing, then you need to click the Post Thread option button. This will open a new screen, where you need to enter a topic for the thread of discussion you are starting followed by a description. This can also have a validity date up to which the posting will be maintained in the site. The screen for the New Postings looks exactly similar to the screen for the view postings shown below. The difference is that these are the latest 10 postings which are the only ones shown when you click on the new postings link at the top of the screen. Photo gallery, Search and Advertise are not currently activated. 5. The Look and Feel The site has a look and feel that is convenient to the eye and comfortable to work with for a long duration. As per the colour usage theories, blue is more subtle and user friendly. The colour also displays a set trend of bringing comfortable working environment. The major consideration that is in the minds of the designer is to ensure that the operation sequence of the user matches that of the designer. This sequence is reflected in menu structuring and in making sure the user gets a comfortable user environment. Once the structuring is made comfortable, then the user needs to have a comfortable work environment in terms of the fonts used and in terms of the colours employed. This has been chosen as per the theories of colour and font. It has been proven repeatedly that the font size of 10 and 12 points are the most comfortable to work with. Wherever possible, these two font sizes have been used. Moreover, it is also a known fact that sans serif style of fonts are more appealing and easier to read. The same has been done here as well. Most of the fonts are san serif. 6. Discussion Board In the discussion board, the following jobs were established before setting out to do the design. 1. Intent of the site. It was established that the site will cater to people who would like to discuss about the Human Computer Interface and would provide a bulletin board and a forum for posting their queries and to receive answers to them. This will also lead to a conversation that would be mutually informative and supportive. 2. Conceptual Model was decided. The conceptual model would form a memory map of how the site would appear and the same is brought in. This has been explained in the usage of the site at length. 3. Apply the Schneiderman's Principles of HCI to ensure that all responses are in line and the site has the basic requirements met. 4. Create if needed an appropriate CSS to proceed with the design so that we can avoid using tables. 5. Last stage was to choose the colour, font and the appearance of the site and where to position a picture and whether needed at all. All these points were decided and then accordingly the site was decided. 7. The Scenario Storyboard 8. Grid Plans 8.1 Home Page 8.2 Post Thread 8.3 View Postings 8.4 Registration Form 10. Post - Implementation Evaluation: During the post implementation evaluation the following points are noted: 1. The screens selected fits into the standard rules laid down to make the interface more user friendly and understanding. 2. The colours of the site being blue stands out as a comfortable work environment colour. 3. This uses all the eight rules of Scheiderman in giving appropriate feedback at the end of every action. Something which tells the user that he is on target. 4. Post implementation evaluation resulted in much greater satisfaction levels for the users. 10. Screen Shots: 10.1 Homepage: 10.2 View Postings 10.3 Post a Thread 10.4 Registration Form 10.5 FAQ 12. Bibliography: 1. Bonnie Skalid, Human Computer Interface Design, (1999), available at: http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/skaalid/theory/interface.htm 2. John Carrol, Judith Oleson, Mental Models In Human Computer Interaction, (1987), available at: http://darwin.nap.edu/books/POD266/html/R1.html 3. The Colours Theory. From Wikipedia. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_theory 4. Color Psychology. From Wikipedia. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_psychology 5. VisiBone. Webmaster Color Laboratory. Available at: http://www.visibone.com/colorlab/big.html 6. Bernard.M. the choice of font face and size. Usability News. 3.2. (2001). Available at: http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/3S/font.htm http://websitetips.com/design/ 7. Nielsen.J. How Users Read on the web. Grid Design. (1997). Available at: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html 8. Quick tips to make Accessible Website. Available at: http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/QuickTips/ 9. Mood Board. From Wikipedia. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mood_board 10. Stereotype. From Wikipedia. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotype 11. Brown.E. Software Interface Design. Module guide [CSH1075]. (2005-2006). Department of Computing. Anglia Ruskin University. 12. Brown.E. WebCT Online Discussion Board, eTivities. (2006). Anglia Ruskin University. Available at: http://webct.apu.ac.uk/SCRIPT/CSH1075C_2005-6_SEM2/scripts/student/serve_bulletin Read More