Tidwell Course NotesCS 275 Page 1

Chapter 1: What Users DoWhen designing software interfaces, we must ascertain who will be using the software and why they will be using it.

Example: Desktop Day CalendarDescription: Small, sits in corner

of desktop display, allows viewing of current day information onlyUsers: Anybody

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More Calendar ExamplesExample: Daily PlannerDescription: Allow user to

mark planned meetings and notes to self

Users: Students, office workers, assistant producers

Example: Monthly PlannerDescription: Allow

user to enter month-long plans

Users: Project managers, team leaders, producers

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Additional Calendar ExampleExample: Yearly

PlannerDescription: Allow user to view entire year and edit far-reaching plansUsers: Upper management, executive producers

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Pattern #1: Safe ExplorationAllow users to explore an application without penalties

Example: In our “My TV Guide” application, users could return to a prior network and the entered data would be restored.

Execute

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Pattern #2: Instant GratificationAvoid discouraging delays without feedback

Example: In this “County Demographics” application, users are given a progress indicator (and possibly a county-by-county screen refresh) to indicate that the statewide demographics are still being tabulated.

Execute

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Pattern #3: SatisficingUse necessary & sufficient approach to labels, layouts, navigation, etc.Example: In this “Presidents” example, users are provided with the means to go forward and backward through the presidents, with additional choices provided only as they were needed.

Execute

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Pattern #4: Changes in MidstreamAllow users to interrupt processes and/or choose

alternativesExample: In one variation of the “County Demographics” assignment, an Application.DoEvents() method is used to facilitate user interruption of a time-consuming statewide demographic display.

Execute

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Pattern #5: Deferred ChoicesFor relatively unimportant information, allow users to

respond laterExample: In this “Meeting Scheduler” example, default values are inserted for some dates (e.g., today’s date for the current calendar, the next week for the range of possible meeting dates), allowing the user to alter them later if desired. Execute

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Pattern #6: Incremental ConstructionKeep users engaged in the “flow” of the application

Example: In the original version of the“County Demographics” application, the only visual feedback provided to users is the progress indicator; in the later version, a county-by-county fill also occurs.

Execute

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Pattern #7: HabituationHandle similar events similarly in different (& the same) applicationsExample: Various Microsoft products (e.g., PowerPoint, Access, Word) use the same basic Paste menu (Paste, Paste Special, etc.).

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Pattern #8: Spatial MemoryUsers tend to remember command locations, going there w/o readingExample: SIUE’s WebMail application has a link on the upper right of each e-mail folder’s display to return to that folder’s directory and an iconic link on the upper left to just go to the INBOX folder’s directory.

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Pattern #9: Prospective MemoryProvide users with the ability to return to unfinished

work

Example: Notepad reminds the user that recent changes will be lost if they’re not saved.

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Pattern #10: Streamlined RepetitionReduce the amount of repetitive, tedious activities the

user must doExample: Open File Dialogs and Save File Dialogs facilitate file access without forcing the user to search directories and folders for appropriate locations.

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Pattern #11: Keyboard OnlyBy preference or physical limitation, some people won’t use a mouseExample: This “Periodic Table” example provided consecutive tab indexes so the user can utilize the tab key to cycle through the entire table of elements.

Execute

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Pattern #12: Other People’s AdviceConsult with potential users and other designers for

interface feedbackExample: Our Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory in EB 3048 provides CS 321 students with the opportunity to have students examine and critique their applications.