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April 11th: More on the Inner
Workings of HAL:
Modes, Defaults, and Reference Values
Announcements
Plan for this evening
The Wonderful World of Machines
This is our last discussion on HAL. As I said earlier this semester, HAL and The Inmates aren't technical communication textbooks. This course was traditionally a usability course, but I'm moving it towards an anti-usability course (slowly). I want you to leave the course with questions to ask about finding out who your users might be. We've pointed out the artificial nature of this course's boundaries--we don't cover all of technical communication theory--but our focus has consistently been on trying to think as a user. Logon to Moodle and respond to the following prompt:
What benefits, generalizations, and pitfalls (notice the "and") do you foresee when making assumptions about users or trying to think as they do?
These last 3 chapters (that we're covering) in Taming Hal: Designing Interfaces Beyond 2001 discuss the hazards of not providing users with an overall understanding (or correct abstraction) of the interface. You'll have to make a judgment call about how much and how little information to give users regarding the structure of an interface. Certainly, giving too little information can be problematic for users, but providing too much information about an interface can be confusing for users. How so?
Let's also think about the following issues:
- Initialization (p. 124): (initial mode or reference values) configuration on start up.
- Mode (pp. 122-125): the displays of an interface--video, audio, flight map, etc.
- Reference Values (pp. 124-125): the selections a user can make within a mode--levels, choices, channels, etc.
- History Settings (p. 125): the previously selected reference values on from the previous setting.
- Default Settings (pp. 125-126): the action that occurs (the machine reverts to) when a user fails to interact with an interface.
- Notice the difference in the definition of "default" that Degani gives and our understanding of "default settings" for software such as Microsoft Office.
- In Word 2003, for instance, the default font size and typeface was Times New Roman 12pt.
Chapter 8 topics:
- Alarms no one can hear
- No back ups--can you expect users will have back up plans.
- GIGO-Garbage in Garbage Out
- False interpretations of the facts
- Design flaws in machine-machine interaction
Chapter 9 topics:
- Expectation to use Walk-in interfaces
- History settings and multiple users
- Browser history
- Security vs Convenience
- Users should be aware of the structure of devices...but how aware?
- The future will "grant" us more user interfaces
- Where might you find them?
- Where are some that you think mark our culture?
{Think instant gratification, consumerism, (the idea of) freedom, leisure (entertainment), etc.}
Chapter 10 topics:
- Population stereotypes of the Internet
- Browsers
- Forms
- 'http://' vs. 'https://'
- Bankrate.com
- Is it unethical to go against user expectations?
- eCommerce and the web
User Document #2
I know, I know, I should have these finished by now, but I like to be thorough as opposed to quick. I have noticed some trends, though, and want to address them, so you can avoid doing the same things on User Doc #3.
User Doc #2 Preliminary concerns:
- Make your document the appropriate length to explain the procedure
- Try not to have your docs look like assignments
- "Google Images" is not a source
Provide the URLs at the very least
- The preliminary document IS important
- Is it unethical to go against user expectations?
- eCommerce and the web
Persona specific:
- Personas with no names: this is a a major red flag.
- Personas with no pictures: another red flag.
- Figure X: Image of [Persona's Name]
You should also cite where the images came from.
User Test for User Document #3
Now is the time for your final user test. Make sure you reviewed the guidelines on the assignments page. I would like all of you to have three users tests for your documents because I'm giving you more time. Make sure you give the user the post-test questions. Don't have those...get moving on that! Also, turn in the results of your post-test questions (filled out with user names on them) next week when you turn in your User Doc #3. If you don't have 3 copies, have them do electronic versions (word doc), and print them out for next week.
Persona Research Considerations
I do recognize that this is a new assignment and not the kind you're used to in technical communication classes. I was lenient in grading these, but I still had expectations. This assignment was a research assignment. You had to do two types of research for your discussion--personal observations and traditional research. If you had no sources, that was a problem. I could easily guess what were your personal observations, but, without in-text citations or referring to outside sources, I had no clue if you did research. Your "References" or "Works Cited" sections are supposed to have citations for research you did--like in a library or using a library database. This is a 4000/5000-level class--you're expected to know how to do traditional research. You didn't need a ton of sources, but having one per persona is a bare minimum. Again, you are required to be able to do research in 4000/5000 level courses.
Below is a list of other things to think about when doing your assignment:
- Personas with no names: this is a a major red flag.
- Personas with no pictures: another red flag.
- Figure X: Image of [Persona's Name]
You should also cite where the images came from.
- Using 'I' is ok to describe your personal observations.
- Specifics not ranges: your personas aren't an age range; they are a specific age.
Unfortunately, we don't have time for revisions, so the above considerations are very important to consider. If you're totally lost about them, it will make me think you need to read Cooper more thoroughly. As a direction, though, in Cooper's book, page 123 begins the discussion of personas, and page 131 has examples.
Those of you who have the tendency to turn stuff in late should remember that this assignment is one fourth (or fifth for 5181 students) of your Major Assignments grade, which is 40% of your overall grade. Also, an assignment loses 10% for each class it's late.
Before We Go...
We're just about done with the semester. Next week we have HAL presentations from the 5181 students (who also are turning in their Bibliographic Essays), and all of you will have your User Doc #3 turned in.
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Aaron
A. Toscano's Homepage
