Cog Walk through: Getting Started - part 2

Screen 4
1. Date format is not easy to read, though it is the standard format. Using something like “01-May-2008” or “May-01-2008” would be easier to read and not confusing as well.
2. The graphics of the calendar could be improved, more sleek


Screen 5
1.Doesn’t expand as expanded,
a.felt it wouldn’t just work sometimes
b.visual affordance that it would expand on clicking is low
c.Always selecting the country by scrolling down the long list is taxing, specially if your country is at the end of the alphabetical list. Can the software remember country, currency previously entered to preselect and put that selection in focus? This can avoid the scrolling.
d.Clicking on the small > triangle was a chance which is when I realized the list will expand, consider making the triangle 3-d to increase affordance to click or consider making the whole country name as the hot-spot to click and expand the options


Screen 6
1.Sentences can be shorter
for eg: To skip and do it later: click next.
2."open configuration DIALOG" sounds geeky, could use "Configure preferences now"
3.Text can be
a.more conversational instead of computer-ish
b.point based
c.short, crisp and direct
4.Nice to see keyboard functionality


Screen 7
1.too many things to be set
2.Can few main issues be differentiated from the rest? is "general" for that?
3.Too many tabs and too many windows, novice users could get confused.
4. Would like to see instant feedback like in case of setting up the views, like in windows "Apply is different from OK"

List of Financial terms that need explanation

Ledger
Reconcile
Institution
Account
Deposit
Transfer
Withdrawal
Payment
Deposit
IBAN while creating new account
Routing number
Checking account
Parent account?
Asset is an account?
Auto-VAT assignment?
Preferred Account?
Absolute limit in account limits
BIC in institution
Difference between Tax and VAT




... will add to list as I go over more tasks, also in the screens I will underline the terms as I come across them.

Cog Walk through: Getting Started - part 1

In this post and next series of posts are notes of cognitive walk through (refer to previous post) and UI Design ideas and suggestions for that context.



Screen 0
1.On first look it looks simple and straight forward to go ahead and set up your account.
2.Set up account equals creating new KMyMoney file. That is a little confusing concept.
3.Couldn’t find previously created and saved file. Probably the s/w could not remember the location where the file was saved, didn’t show recently used files as well. The location where the file was set to save by default was also a very deep and cryptic location. Came back third time to this point where I could not find the previously saved file. Fourth time tried to save the file with same name as previous, and it wasn’t allowed. That is when I saved the file on desktop and then on I could retrieve the file.


Screen 1
1.Go to My Financial summary doesn’t say anything – Should be disabled if not applicable as in case of no existing financial record.


Screen 2
1.Can this be skipped? If you skipped – can we maintain a “finish later” list? Does it remember half filled information? How to quickly get to “finish later” list?
2.Can these forms be smarter?
a.Auto fill
b.Drop downs for country
c.Format clues
d.Format checks
e.Forgiving formats: not strict
3.Nice to see “load from address book”


Screen 3
1.Nice to see “load from address book”, but couldn’t really understand how to maintain an Address book, is it part of KMyMoney or an application outside of KMyMoney
a.Content of the dialog box, can this be put in simpler words?
b.Rather than say unable to load, can it explain why it didn’t unload and say what would make it work?

Notes: Cognitive Walkthrough

from:http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs3302/documents/cog.walk.html

In the cognitive walkthrough, the sequence of actions refers to the steps that an interface will require a user to perform in order to accomplish some task. The evaluators then step through that action sequence to check it for potential usability problems. Usually, the main focus of the cognitive walkthrough is to establish how easy a system is to learn. More specifically, the focus is on learning through exploration. Experience shows that many users prefer to learn how to use a system by exploring its functionality hands on, and not after sufficient training or examination of a user's manual. So the kinds of checks that are made during the walkthrough ask questions that address this exploratory kind of learning. To do this, the evaluators go through each step in the task and provide a story about why that step is or is not good for a new user.

To do a walkthrough (the term walkthrough from now on refers to the cognitive walkthrough, and not any other kinds of walkthroughs), you need four things.

1. A description of the prototype of the system. It doesn't have to be complete, but it should be fairly detailed. Details such as the location and wording for a menu can make a big difference.

2. A description of the task the user is to perform on the system. This should be a representative task that most users will want to do.

3. A complete, written list of the actions needed to complete the task with the given prototype.

4. An indication of who the users are and what kind of experience and knowledge the evaluators can assume about them.

Given this information, the evaluators step through the action sequence (item 3 above) to critique the system and tell a believable story about its usability. To do this, for each action, the evaluators try to answer the following four questions.

A. Will the users be trying to produce whatever effect the action has?

Are the assumptions about what task the action is supporting correct given the user's experience and knowledge up to this point in the interaction?

B. Will users be able to notice that the correct action is available?

Will users see the button or menu item, for example, that is how the next action is actually achieved by the system? This is not asking whether they will know that the button is the one they want. This is merely asking whether it is visible to them at the time when they will need to invoke it. An example of when this question gets a negative supporting story might be if a VCR remote control has a hidden panel of buttons that are not obvious to a new user.

C. Once users find the correct action at the interface, will they know that it is the right one for the effect they are trying to produce?

This complements the previous question. It is one thing for a button or menu item to be visible, but will the user's know that it is the one they are looking for to complete their task?

D. After the action is taken, will users understand the feedback they get?

Assuming the users did the correct action, will they know that. This is the completion of the execution/evaluation interaction cycle. In order to determine if they have accomplished their goal, the user needs appropriate feedback.

Layout and organization of the elements in UI

from "Patterns for effective interaction design" Designing Interfaces by Jennifer Tidwell

Most applications are organized according to one or more of the following approaches. Some use nouns and some use verbs.
(1) list of objects. eg: inbox full of emails
(2) list of actions or tasks. eg: browse, buy, sell, sell or register
(3) list of subject categories. eg: health, science, tech
(4) list of tools. eg: calender, address book, notepad

User patterns - A checklist for design review

This list is developed mainly from "What users do?" chapter of the book Patterns for effective Interaction Design- Designing Interfaces by Jenifer Tidwell

What is the role of an Interaction Designer?
Ans. Its enabling user to meet his goals rather than designing a particular form well, if need be... there should be no form at all.

Key points to learn about users:
- goals in using the software
- special tasks they do in this context
- language and words they use to describe these tasks
- skill at using softwares similar to what you are designing
- attitude to the task at at hand and type of SWs

Ways to get these answers,
- Direct Observation : puts you directly in to user's world, lot of context information and opportunity to see rather than relay on user's perception of himself in the task
- Case studies : gives views to few user types and particular scenarios... use them to build across spectrum of scenarios
- Surveys : good to get a quantitative feel
- Personas : helps to understand what to do once you gather the data.

Broad User categories based on general S/W usage expertise:
- Intermediate to expert: would use Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Code development environments, Sys admins for web servers
- Occasional User: Kiosks in tourist centers, museums, purchase pages for online stores, ATMs
- In the middle of the continuum: Microsoft office, Email clients, Cell phone apps

Finally the Patterns:
- Safe Exploration
help exploration without getting stuck or lost
(1)multilevel undo
(2)allow navigation backwards

- Instant Gratification
want to accomplish NOW
(3)instant feedback
(4)start with the "typical starting point", aniticipate what the user wants
(5)introduction is important
(6)avoid time taking processes: long registration forms, long set of instructions, slow to load screens, ads

- Satisficing
this is good enough, don't want to spend more time learning to do it better
(7) text: allow scanning and skimming through, no hidden imp instructions in huge text instructions, design text effectively: labels, short, point-wise, use vocabulary of the user
(8)layout: to communicate meaning; modularize, parse details: color and form, categorize
(9)navigation: provide escape hatches, avoid visual complexity, backward and forward navigation both are important
(10) handle old habit well: while redesigning take care of old habits, breaking old habits and learning something new isn't easy.

- Changes in Midstream
user changes mind about what to do
(11)provide opportunities deviate: dont loack the user into choice poor environment with no global navigation
(12)allow process to stop: allow "re-entrance", save and get back later

- Deferred Choices
"I don't want to answer that now, just let me finish", follows Instant gratification. reasons could be no information, or not interested in doing it now.
(13)Don't ask several seemingly unnecessary questions, allow "re-entrance"... make them accessible in relevant places
(15)pose questions in context, relate the questions to tasks
(16)use "good defaults"

- Incremental Construction
(17)processes go as much backward as forward: allow for incremental changes
(18)give feedback of the whole
(19)induce a state of flow

- Habituation
"that gesture works everywhere else why not here?"
(20)consistency across applications: frequently used actions become reflexive... be consistent with universal actions like cntrl+s for save
(21)increase efficiency: provide shortcuts for repetitive tasks and also undo for these traps

- Spatial Memory
"It was on the left corner, where did it go?"
(23)take care while redesigning of the spatial memory of the existing users
(24)one reason why dynamic menus dont work
(25)top of the list, bottom of the list are most remembered spatially, so make sure they stay put while considering redesigning

- Prospective Memory
"I'm putting this here to remind myself to deal with it later"
eg: sticky notes, windows left open, annotations to put directly into documents, flags
(26)allow for such reminders
(27)don't assume while auto-organizing/sorting
(28)recall last few objects, save - unfinished forms
(29)how can you gather reminders from different sources at one place?

- Streamlined Repetition
"I have to repeat this how many times?"
(30)allow for automation, eg: macros, find and replace in word application, cut, copy paste

- Keyboard Only
"Please don't make me use the mouse"
(31)tab traversal
(32)key board shortcuts
(33)for screen-reader s/ws
(34)key mode only is perticularly important from data entry applications

- Other People's Advice
"what did everyone say about this?"
(35)social aspect of the s/w
(36)learn by example, trends