A tutorial on user-interface design
I attended the 'From use to user interface' tutorial at OOPSLA, which was presented by Jeff Patton. The approach outlined was the following. First, start by writing a scenario, with a specific user (and his associated persona) in mind. Go down to the nitty gritty details (fish and clam-level), as well as the broad scope (sea-level and above). In reality, you might have to create a few dozen scenario's to cover the entire use-space for your particular problem.
From the scenario, identify user interface elements that help the user execute the tasks required to reach his goal. For this, Jeff advocated using post-it notes, as they can be reordered on a board, and teared up when wrong.
Given the post-it notes create paper UI building blocks, such as labels, input fields, buttons, tables, etc. these should be sticked onto paper sheets, which represent the screens a user sees as he proceeds through his stack of tasks.
Final phase is the testing. Get a person to play the computer, a person to explain the scenario, and a few people choosing to pick the UI-elements. Finally, somebody should observe and jot down everything the testers have trouble with.
The next step is to repeat the above phases as much as needed until you are confident the user interface you designed meets its requirements.
In all, I think this can be a good approach, especially when a complicated user interface needs to be designed. However, I'm still partial to the paper cutting and sticking the components onto paper. It seems to me that this might be a little time-consuming. This is especially true when you need a lot of screens, and the problem you're dealing with is fairly complex. Basically, I think an electronical counterpart to the paper based cut-and-stick idea might work faster. Additionally, it seems as if the proposed approach is very hungry on people resources, so it might cost quite a lot to have a user interface designed in this way. And the testing phase seems to be quite awkward. But I'm no expert whatsoever. And a well-designed interface can of course rapidly earn its development price back because it can appeal to people, causing them to buy/use your application.
Via www.buytaert.net I read your experience with this OOPSA-tutorial. I am convinced participants are best of when they are seduced to participate actively. After recent drupalcon Barcelona Septh 19-23 I stayed in Spain to concentrate on writing content for a website. Far away from home, I made the occasion to read a few books which were on my ToDo-list for a too long time. E.g. the compact book on writing for new media: "Webschrijven, schrijven voor nieuwe media" ("schrijven" is dutch for "writing") from Liesbeth Tettero. (Only 125 pages.)
She writes clearly: first picture your targetgroup, then write the whole content. Only after that start to built your website. It sounds logical. And how often I do not start with sufficient plan myself? And how often I saw students and colleagues do the same? In stead I tend to start in a corner, without a suitable structure for building a site from begin to end.
In my experience it saves time to plan sufficient. I should more often start with a suitable structure. I using a lot another dutch book "Zakelijk communiceren" by Daniel Janssen c.s.. This book also states it is essential to start with writing a suitable structure7"bouwplan". (I often check comparable booktitles, and often this first making of a plan is adressed). And doesn´t is sounds logic? And how often I did not do a proper suitable plan? Me too often.
I am convinced to that Jeff Patton's approach helps for a better result.
And if you, Andy, have time to drink a coffee with me. Or a Duvel. I would like to come to area of Gent. (I suppose you are living in this area). Since I would love to hear about your experiences with this OOPSLA-tutorial. (I am living just above Antwerp). Do not hesitate to drop me a line, to see if we can work it out to mutual benefits.
Best regards, Roel Guldemond
P.S.
In your blog-entry a possible typo puzzled me. Written is: "a fish and lam-level". It made me think on a fish and a lamb. "Lamb" in dutch is "lam". Later I got the idea that a clam-level is meant. Writing out everything in fish and clam-level, that is what I tried to do last weeks in Spain. Helped with above mentioned books. And now back-upped by yourItkovia´s weblog-entry on OOPSLA experiences. Thank you for that!
Hi Roel,
Thanks for pointing out the typo. Consider it corrected. If you are interested I think the tutorial notes are stored somewhere on a disc the kind people at OOPSLA gave me in exchange for some amount of money. I'll try to get it to you.
-- Andy
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