IAT 334
Interface Design
Task
Analysis
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SCHOOL OF INTERACTIVE ARTS + TECHNOLOGY [SIAT] |
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Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 1
Agenda
g Task Analysis
g Evaluation
g Predictive evaluation
– Heuristic evaluation
– Discount usability testing
– Cognitive walkthrough
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 2
Task Conformance
g Task coverage
– Can system do all tasks of interest?
g Task adequacy
– Can user do tasks?
– Does system match real-world tasks?
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 3
Task Analysis
g Analyzing how people do their jobs
– Go to their environment
– Learn about, analyze and describe their
tasks
g Examine users’ tasks to better
understand what they need from
interface and how they will use it
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 4
Task Analysis
g Gather data about what users need
to do or accomplish
…then…
g Represent data for interpretation and
use in design decisions
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 5
Information to be Gathered
g Information about users
g Description of environment
– where the tasks will be performed
g Major goals of the job
– what will result in a successful end
state?
g User preferences & needs
– before they even start: coffee, pen,
notebook, log sheets…
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 6
Task Analysis
g Broad Focus
g Observe users of current system(s)
g Generate requirements
– Hierarchical task analysis
– Knowledge-based task analysis
– Entity-Relationship model
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 7
Data Gathering Techniques
1. Observation
2. Interviews & Contextual Inquiry
3. Ethnography
also…
4. Surveys & Questionnaires
5. Focus Groups & Expert Debriefing
6. Competitive Product Review
7. Documentation mining
8. Data logging
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 8
Information to be Gathered
g Tasks & Subtasks:
– Physical
– Cognitive
– Communication
g Conditions under which these tasks are
done
g Results/outcomes of tasks
g Requirements to perform task:
– Information
– Communication with others
– 2011
Jan 13, Equipment IAT 334 9
1. Observation
g Watch users do what they do
– Typically from a distance
g Record with videotape
– May require coding video later
g Take lots of notes, sketches
g Focus on specific task-relevant
behaviors in notes, but later convert
to abstract subtasks
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 10
2. Interviews
g Engage the user more than just
watching
g Structured interviews
– Efficient, but requires training
g Unstructured
– Inefficient, but requires no training
g Semi-structured
– Good balance
–2011
Jan 13, Often appropriate
IAT 334 11
Semi-Structured Interviews
g Predetermine data of interest
g Plan for effective question types
– How do you perform task x?
– Why do you perform task x?
– What information do you need to…?
– Who do you need to communicate with to…?
– What do you use to…?
– What happens after you…?
– What is the result or consequence of NOT…?
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 12
3. Ethnography
g Deeply contextual inquiry
– “Wallow in the data”
g “Live among” the users
g Understanding the full complexity of
behavior, in its complete social
context
g Note: Techniques based in sociology
and
Jan 13, 2011 anthropology--the
IAT 334 study of 13
Comment
g Techniques 1-3 are similar, but differ
in how “plugged in” or engaged the
observer gets
g There are Pros and Cons of all these
techniques
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 14
More!
g Often used in addition:
4. Surveys & Questionnaires
5. Focus Groups & Expert Debriefing
6. Competitive Product Review
7. Documentation mining
8. Data logging
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 15
Existing System
g Usually task analysis involves an
examination of an existing system,
process or practice
g Watch what they do and how they do
it
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 16
4. Surveys & Questionnaires
g Subjective answers in a quantitative
format
– What does this mean?
g Questions:
– Exploratory vs. confirmatory
– Open-ended vs. categorical (exhaustive)
– NB: If you ask it, use it. If you won’t/can’t use
it, don’t ask it.
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 17
Questionnaires
g Likert scale common
Evaluation Questionnaire
Please complete the following questionnaire by indicating how strongly you agree or disagree with the
following statements. Your responses will be kept confidential and will be used only for improving the
interface that you worked with in this experiment.
1. I felt that the computer agent’s help was worthwhile. 1-----2------3------4------5------6------7
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Agree
2. I found the computer agent to be intrusive. 1-----2------3------4------5------6------7
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Agree
3. I found the computer agent's help to be distracting. 1-----2------3------4------5------6------7
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Agree
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 18
Typical Questions
g Rank the importance of each of these
tasks (give a list of tasks)
g List the four most important tasks that
you perform (this is an open question)
g List the pieces of information you need to
have before making a decision about X, in
order of importance
g Are there any other points you would like
to make? (open-ended opinion question;
good way to end)
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 19
5. Focus Groups
g Structured Interview with groups of
individuals
– 3 to 10 persons
– Use several different groups with different
roles or perspectives
– Manage the interaction
• Avoid few people dominating the discussion
g Focus on preferences and views, not
performance
g Relatively low cost, quick way to learn a
lot
Jan
Audio
g 13, 2011
or video record,
IAT 334
with permission 20
6. Competitive Products
g Looking for both good and bad ideas
– Functionality
– UI style
g Why are they successful or
unsuccessful?
g What does successful really mean?
– (Note: Successful does not equal
usable)
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 21
7. Document Mining
g Documentation
– Often contains description of how the
tasks should be done
– Standards docs
– Manuals
– Histories
– Best Practices
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 22
8. Data Logging
g Automatically tracking:
– Keystroke/mouse clicks
– Timers
– Logs of transactions
– Physical location/movement trackers
• Cell phones
• GPS
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 23
No Existing System
g Gather documents, talk with
knowledgeable people, etc.
g Can still be useful to help generate
requirements
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 24
Task Analysis Focus
g Not on internal cognitive state of
user (more on that in the near
future)
g Focus on observable behaviors
– Observe users, what they do, and how
they do it
– What are the practices, methods, steps,
objects, …, used?
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 25
Now that you have observed…
g You have piles of notes, hours of
video, surveys up to here…
g How can you digest and represent
the data, to turn it into
information?
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 26
Describe Tasks
1. Task Outlines
2. Narratives
3. Hierarchies & Network Diagrams
– Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA)
– Entity-Relationship Diagrams
4. Flow Charts
5. Card Sorting
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 27
1. Task Outline
Using a lawnmower to cut grass
Step 1. Examine lawn
a. Make sure grass is dry
b. Look for objects laying in the grass
Step 2. Inspect lawnmower
c. Check components for tightness
1) Check that grass bag handle is securely fastened to the grass bag
support
2) Make sure grass bag connector is securely fastened to bag adaptor
3) Make sure that deck cover is in place
4) Check for any loose parts (such as oil caps)
5) Check to make sure blade is attached securely
d. Check engine oil level
1) Remove oil fill cap and dipstick
2) Wipe dipstick
3) Replace dipstick completely in lawnmower
4) Remove dipstick
5) Check that oil is past the level line on dipstick
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 28
2. Narratives
g Describe tasks in sentences
g Often expanded version of task
outline
g More effective for communicating
general idea of task
g Not effective for details
g Not effective for branching tasks
g Not effective for parallel tasks
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 29
3. Hierarchies & Networks
g Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA)
– Graphical notation & decomposition of tasks
– Tasks as sets of actions
– Tasks organized into plans (describes
sequence)
g Network / Entity-Relationship Diagrams
– Objects/people with links to related objects
– Links described functionally and in terms of
strength
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 30
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 31
Hierarchical Task
Decomposition
g Decompose task into
– Subtasks
• Multiple levels
– Plans describing ordering and conditions
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 32
Common Plans
g Fixed sequence
g Optional tasks
g Waiting for events
g Cycles
g Time-sharing -- parallel
g Discretionary
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 33
Entity-Relationship
g Object-based methodology, with a
real stress on relationship between
objects and actions
g Involves
– Concrete objects
– Actors
– Composite objects
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 34
Example
g Task: Develop design for final project
– Objects - Pens, paper, drawing tools,
etc.
– Actors - Mary, Bob, Sally
– Composite objects - The “team”
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 35
4. Flow Charts
g Flow Chart of Task Steps
– Combines Entity-relationship (network)
with sequential flow, branching, parallel
tasks.
– Includes actions, decisions, logic, by all
elements of the system
– Abstracted
– Mature, well-known, good tools
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 36
5. Knowledge-based Analysis
g List all objects and actions involved
in a task, then build a taxonomy of
them
g Often times, work with domain
expert to get help
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 37
Methodology
g Sample:
– Get 3x5 cards
– Put different object/action on each
– Don’t worry about repetition at this
point!
– Group into piles, subpiles, etc.
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 38
Utility
g This type of task analysis can be
very useful when you’re writing a
manual or some documentation
– Taxonomy --- Document sections
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 39
Methodology
g Often list attributes, actions of
objects
Object: pen simple
Attribute:
color: red
writing: on/off
Object: Mary actor
Actions:
M1: make a sketch
M2: organize meeting
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 40
Use
g Produce documentation
– Training, manuals, tutorials
g Requirements capture and system
design
– Helps you define requirements
document
– Helps decide what should be included
g Helps interface design
– Hierarchical breakdown might feed
menu design
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 41
Summary:
Data Gathering Techniques
1. Observation
2. Interviews & Contextual Inquiry
3. Ethnography
also…
4. Surveys & Questionnaires
5. Focus Groups & Expert Debriefing
6. Competitive Product Review
7. Documentation mining
8. Data logging
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 42
Summary:
Describe Tasks
1. Task Outlines
2. Narratives
3. Hierarchies & Network Diagrams
– Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA)
– Entity-Relationship Diagrams
4. Flow Charts
5. Card Sorting
Jan 13, 2011 IAT 334 43