Interactive Design 7th Pass (iii)

Interactive | Design article author: Jiang Wei email:jamewe@yahoo.com.cn qq:355905 personal website: it2media.nease.net. Reprint please contact the original author

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Following the 4 elements of interaction, the following questions are discussed separately:
1, how to find the target users and explore the user interaction needs
2. How to identify and use interactive elements
3. How to design and use interactive logic
4. How to authenticate and test the interaction through interactive cost

(i), find target users and explore user interaction needs

Let's first look at how to determine the target user.
Verify that the target user is generally considered from a business perspective, that is, who buys my software products from the market? Who are the possible buyers? Who are the potential buyers?

In the target user's determination, may refer to the similar product user group.

Once you have identified the user base, you have the characteristics of the user base. Like what:
Age, professional characteristics, computer use experience, similar products use experience, hobbies, etc.

By identifying the user base, you can find "typical" users. The so-called typical user is belong to the user group classification, compared with the typical representative of the user description. Descriptions of typical users can be more accurate than user groups. For example, age can be accurate to the year, computer experience can be described as familiar with Windows basic operation (click, Keyboard, drag, right mouse button) and so on. Typical users can provide samples for early-stage software interaction qualitative testing and quantitative testing as well as validation tests later in the software development.

With the user group description, you can do some interactive mining. For example: questionnaires, polling, interviews, direct user observation, and so on. Through the interaction mining of the target user group, we can understand the requirement and understanding of the target users ' interaction with the software we are developing.

The interactive mining of this period is often accompanied by the investigation of software functions and the investigation of software positioning. Therefore, it will not clearly reflect the user's interaction requirements for our software.

When we find a typical user, we typically use three ways to tap the user's need for software interaction: Focus groups, scene tests, and expert groups.

Focus groups generally have the following composition:
A neutral moderator, a typical user 5-7, a recorder. Also need to prepare whiteboard, projector, camera, folder and other equipment.

Focus groups can be done in two ways. One is the contrast, the other is a single.

The contrast is to put together multiple software interaction modes with the same function or similar functions, and to make comments and suggestions to the participating users by means of projection, explanation and demonstration.

A single type is the interaction of several key functions of a software (generally not the full functionality) with participating users.

Focus group should pay attention to the problem is: the moderator to maintain neutrality, guide users to provide advice rather than guide the direction of user opinion, pay attention to balance the time of different users speak, active atmosphere. The overall time is not more than 2 hours is advisable. Need to be in a relaxed environment. If you need to record the focus group process (transcripts or images, etc.), you need to obtain prior written consent from the participating users.

Focus groups can only qualitatively interact with each other, and it is difficult to quantify interaction problems.

The scenario test is generally composed of the following methods:
More than one participant focus user, each test. Assist a person. In addition, it is necessary to prepare a room that conforms to the software usage environment, a room that can observe the behavior of the user (the room is the best user can not reverse observation), one or more cameras, test scripts, user test reports and other equipment.

Before the scenario test, you need to set up a list of software features that need to be tested according to the software features. This list text describes the tasks that need to be done by the user. This task list needs to be combined with the logic that the user actually uses.

The host's main responsibility is according to the SOFTWARE function setting, prompts the user to carry on the operation, when the user encounters the Question Time asks the user the feeling, when the user cannot complete the task the prompt user.

Because the host is generally sitting behind the user, so the observer can be more intuitive to feel the user's current state. The observer can also play the role of a recorder, recording the user's performance and language in different tasks.

Scene test needs to pay attention to the problem is the host to let users try to relax, do not prematurely prompt the user how to proceed, but ask the user's thinking and feelings. Before testing a user, be sure to clearly describe the environment, software, and tasks that he or she will face. Users are allowed to participate in the test in writing and allow the test video to be kept. Observers must be careful not to allow users to notice their own existence, so as not to affect the test results. No more than 2 hours per user test time.

Scene testing can be qualitative and quantitative test problems. However, because only one user can be tested at a time, the sample size is limited. Suitable for the software functional stereotypes after the operation of the prototype or version after the.

The Expert group generally has the following components:
Moderator 1, the relevant domain interface design or user research experts 3, typical users 3. Also need to prepare whiteboard, projector, camera, folder and other equipment.

Before working on the panel, first identify the list of software features that need to be discussed. Provide an interactive presentation document based on the list of required discussion features.

The main responsibility of the moderator is to encourage the participating experts and typical users to discuss the current issues and record the most opposing views according to the predefined list of functions.

The responsibility of participating experts is based on the positioning and function of the software, from the angle of interaction design, art angle, the realization point of view and suggestions.

The user's task is to make comments and suggestions on the software interaction design from the user's point of view.

The main purpose of the expert Group is to discuss the problems in software interaction, and propose solutions or methods to solve them with the advice of experts and users.

Expert test should pay attention to the problem is: can not choose the high administrative level of the artificial experts. Because the relationship between their positions will affect the final conclusion. You cannot choose an overly introverted and extroverted user. They all have an offsetting effect on the outcome of the discussion. The moderator should be careful to grasp the way and direction of the discussion. Don't let the discussion turn into a dispute or talk too long about a problem. The other is not to let users know that there are experts here.