iphone apps project

Our team came up with three ideas for creating iphone or smart phone app:
1.car application: helps collect all the information about one's car like: expenses, gas, mileage etc; set up reminders when any technical checks needs to be made like oil change etc. So one can keep track on all the financial and technical aspects of the car, collect statistics, informations. This application helps collect information, analyze it and helps to take better care of the car. This is organizer for the car.
2. Photo editing app that is created to let user edit pics made with iphone like sign, fame, send, organize them.
3. shopping cart for a local grocery shopping.
 Jonas :"Then when your ready to go shopping you have the option to have it delivered or you can pull up a map of the store when you get there. So you can just see all the items you need on your shopping list on the map. Then you can just go straight to the items on the list and be out. Instead of looking for where everything is in the store. That or if you just need to find an item in the store you can look it up and find on the map of your store instead of looking for someone to point it out for you."

site

Site

week 6 reading assignment

Chapter #10 is about how to do usability testing.
Before testing observer has to make this test on his own, to be prepared ask right questions and sometimes give simple tasks like buying smth.

Before start test observer has to talk to users, ask about their occupation etc
During the usability testing observer has to give short simple directions and ask questions, trying to understand where a user gets stuck.
Most important is to define the areas that need to be reworked or fixed.
To do that person working as an observer has to ask right questions like:
"What are you thinking now, what would you do next? Where would you click first? etc"

Important is to make user think out loud, that is why we have to ask user all the time what is he thinking now.

All his or her actions will be recorded on the video tape. Making notes is still important. Person who makes testing can make short breaks between sessions to make notes.
Do not spend time on making a user muddling through smth that is already defined as a problem that need to be fixed.
In the chapter #11 author says how important is fixing a problems in a easiest way. Which means that how to fix problems with les changes.Sometimes just changing a wording or reducing a noise on the page may help  Team has to be focused on specifics.
https://www.cu.edu/irm/stds/usability/index.html

http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2010/03/dos-and-donts-of-usability-testing.php

http://www.codeproject.com/kb/tips/usability_testing.aspx

sketches

Thumbnail Sketches

project statement

Project Statement

wireframes1-4

Wireframes 1-4

Project 2 wireframes 5-10

Wire Frames 5 Till 10

week 5 reading assignment

According "Don't make me think" most of designers and developers tend to apply their own preferences and experiences designing web site. That means that they think that average user will act and like or dislike something what they like or dislike. In reality all the users are unique and there is no average user. So design should be developed basis on the general needs and practical reasons.

For that testing should be done on different levels of the work process. Right after start 1st test should be done. For shortening the budget hired group of people can consist of less people than usually. Let's say 8 people is a bigger group of people for bigger budget. 4 people is more than enough for a small testing. That can be even more effective in a sense of progress. Because if we use bigger group of people they will find more problems right at the start but will not pass to the next level. In case of smaller group of 4 people less problems will be found at this stage though after fixing those problems testing users will go to the next level and find other problems that need to be fixed.

Testing can be done in groups "Focus group" or individually"usability testing". First one is more effective for the early stages. Second one is effective during all the process. It needs to be done at different stages and as often as possible.

Who needs to be hired as testing users: At least once it needs to be group of target audience, the same time the process of hiring people for testing can be more loose. If site is being designed for specific target audience like women or kids than testing users from other groups will not be efficient.

http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/focus-groups.shtml

http://www.infodesign.com.au/ftp/UsabilityTesting.pdf

http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-usability/usability-testing.shtml

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html

AryshtaevaElena1

Web site redesign project, moodboard version 1

Here is the link on the site that Michelle and me are redesigning currently
 http://www.herbalmedicinehealing.com/store/default.asp

I am uploading my version of the mood board. Although I like more sort of "local" feeling of Michelle's version. I think my version doesn't have that feeling enough.