Block 3

Question 1

Conceptual model

Answer 1

Meaning high level description of how a system organised and operates

Describes only what people can do with system and what concepts they need to understand how to operate it

Question 2

Conceptual model components

Answer 2

Has four components -

1. Metaphors and analogies
2. Concepts and tasks users will be exposed to
3. Interrelationships between concepts
4. Mappings between concepts and user experience

Question 3

Benefits of conceptualising design

Answer 3

Encourages design teams to -

Not become too narrowly focused early on and avoid being committed to particular implementation

Establish set of common terms everyone understands and agrees upon

To clarify priorities

Question 4

Conceptual model of interaction

Answer 4

Can be constructed at different levels of design, focusing on different perspectives on the product

Different conceptualisations of design lead to different interface choices

Question 5

Mental models and other frameworks

Answer 5

Design is process of interpretation, of design context into requirements spec, of the spec into conceptual model, of conceptual model into interaction model and so on

Each interpretation step must preserve (or improve) coherence of conceptual model

Question 6

Norman’s gulfs of execution and evaluation

Answer 6

Gulf of execution refers to gap between what user wants to do and what product allows them to do

Gulf of evaluation refers to gap between what interactive product does and what user perceives that it does

Question 7

Other cognitive frameworks

Answer 7

Used to be though that mental model all in a given user’s mind

Over the years this was perceived to be an oversimplification of how people make sense of situations

Question 8

key interface concepts

Answer 8

Symbolic vs direct manipulation, embodied interaction, multiple platforms, context awareness

Question 9

Symbolic vs direct manipulation

Answer 9

Symbolic you must know how to enter info and remember what it is you need to enter

Direct allows users to manipulate graphical objects using gestures and physical actions that correspond loosely to way they manipulate physical objects

Question 10

Core principles of direct manipulation

Answer 10

Three core principles -

1. Continuous representation of objects and actions of interest
2. Rapid reversible incremental actions with immediate feedback
3. Physical actions and button pressing instead of issuing commands with complex syntax

Question 11

Embodied interaction

Answer 11

GUI and VR interface types involve contrasting techniques

Strong connection principle underlying both interface types

Term used by interaction designers for kinds of interactions that take advantage of body’s contributions to cognition, and of its situation in an environment

Question 12

Embodied Cognition

Answer 12

Term used by psychologists to draw attention away from abstract symbolic thinking towards more bodily-centred and situated ways of understanding one’s surroundings

Question 13

Multiple platforms

Answer 13

Designer must allow for use over multiple platforms in some instances. E.g. Web browser (Different screen or device)

Question 14

Context Awareness

Answer 14

User no longer sole source of input
Now info gathered and analysed automatically without initiation by the user

Context in which interaction with tech takes place is of great importance

Shifts interaction away from model of user instructing computer, to interactive device that does things initiated directly by user

Question 15

Context awareness devices

Answer 15

Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer, GPS, Proximity sensor, World-facing camera, User-facing camera, Microphone, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Fingerprint sensor

Question 16

Thinking about interface design

Answer 16

Valuable to have some conceptual tools

Different interface types should not be considered as a disconnected catalogue

Question 17

Prototyping

Answer 17

Can come in many different shapes, and can be created from many different materials, but purpose is to represent design idea concretely

Building prototypes done for number of reasons. help during stakeholders discussions, try out feasibility of idea etc.

Producing prototypes helps designers choose between alternatives

Question 18

Using scenarios

Answer 18

Purpose of drawing scenario storyboards is to help designer consider design decisions and alternatives from user’s perspective

Question 19

Prototyping screen-based interfaces

Answer 19

Many design ideas assume user interacting with some type of screen-based interface

Question 20

Interface sketches

Answer 20

Draw mobile interface sketches if required

Question 21

Interface storyboards

Answer 21

Need to show actions, interactions and user experience over time

Simple way to accomplish this is to create interface storyboard

Question 22

Other low-fidelity prototyping

Answer 22

Wizard of oz technique - Person uses prototype that is non-functional, while behind the scenes another person changes the interface

Question 23

Digital-physical prototypes

Answer 23

Designing where interface not screen based

Could use photos and notes to help create scenarios

Different prototypes help explore different aspects, and one prototype can’t do everything

Question 24

Conceptual model

Answer 24

1. Main concept that underlies product; could be in the form of a metaphor
2. Type of tasks or activities user expected to carry out
3. Important aspect of user experience

Question 25

Interaction design framework

Answer 25

Idea ; Metaphor ; Model ; Display
Error ; Scenario ; Task ; Control

Top row shows overview, bottom row shows details

Question 26

Idea

Answer 26

Main underlying idea for interaction design

Question 27

Error

Answer 27

Problem it seeks to address or outcome it is aiming to avoid

Question 28

Metaphor

Answer 28

Embodies basic idea of how users will understand and experience interaction

Question 29

Scenario

Answer 29

Gives quick glimpse of context

Question 30

Model

Answer 30

How users will understand working of the system

Question 31

Task

Answer 31

Specifies what actions they will actually perform with interactive device

Question 32

Display

Answer 32

How device will look

Question 33

Control

Answer 33

How user can manipulate display

Question 34

About the framework

Answer 34

Allows us to put together important concerns that together form conceptual design

Combines both general overview with details

Once all elements gathered, they can still change. Framework makes it easy to iterate

Question 35

Design becoming concrete

Answer 35

Conceptual design must eventually become concrete. Gradual process with lots of iteration