Q5 Flashcards
What is a scenario?
A scenario is an informal story to describe human activities or tasks that allows exploration of needs and requirements.
What is a use case?
Although use cases focus on user goals, the emphasis is on user-system interaction, and alternatives.
What is an essential use case?
Essential use cases are a more general case than a scenario. It is described in 3 parts; a name that expresses the overall user intention, a stepped description of user actions and a stepped description of the system actions.
It is very rare that just one method of gathering data for requirements suffices. Give four distinct reasons why it may not suffice to merely ask potential users what they want.
- Users may not be able to say exactly what they want.
- They may not be sure if what they want is technically possible.
- They may need to be prompted by established implementations or prototypes.
- They may be fixated on the current way of doing things, and just want it automated.
Describe one way in which a design for an interactive product might differ if it is intended for a culture with a high, rather than a low, UA rating.
I would expect the product to be as simple as possible because uncertainty is to be avoided as much as possible.
Give an advantage and a disadvantage of using Video recording to gather data.
D: It can be quite expensive for both the recording and the analysis equipment.
A: A Video recording documents activities as they are happening, rather than relying on the memory of an observer taking notes.
Give an advantage and a disadvantage of using Questionnaires to gather data.
D: Those who respond may not give honest answers.
A: Can be used to obtain information from a large number of people.
Give an advantage and a disadvantage of using Computer logs to gather data.
D: There is very often plenty of probably irrelevant data.
A: The user will be unaware of the data gathering.
Give an advantage and a disadvantage of Taking notes during an observation session to gather data.
D: It is possible for data to be missed, especially if the note-taker fails to make a good record.
A: Observers document program activities as they are happening, rather than relying on memories of the events.
Give an advantage and a disadvantage of asking users to think aloud during an observation session.
D: Users will not want to appear foolish or silly, so may take some time in thinking about what they are going to say out loud.
A: Users will hopefully say the first things that come into their head.
List four reasons why asking users what they want from a particular interactive product, will not suffice when gathering an initial set of requirements.
- Users may not be able to say exactly what they want.
- They may not be sure if what they want is technically possible.
- They may need to be prompted by established implementations or prototypes.
- They may be fixated on the current way of doing things, and just want it automated.
You are designing an interactive product for users who have physical impairments other than visual or hearing. One such impairment is an inability to sit upright.
State two other possible physical impairments. For each of these give an example of one aspect of interaction the user may have difficulty with and outline a solution to this difficulty.
Physical impairment 1:
The user may not have arms or hands or be unable to use them for example.
Example of difficulty with interaction:
They will not be able to use a standard keyboard or pointing device.
Outline solution:
Special speech software for both text entry and computer control. The software would allow users to say ‘click play’ for example to operate the start of a media player.
Physical impairment 2:
Users may be confined to a wheelchair.
Example of difficulty with interaction:
They may need a particularly high style chair, or a particularly low chair and so cannot reach the computer equipment.
Outline solution:
Ensure that a height-adjustable desk is used to accommodate the wheelchair in question so that users can reach equipment.
