Whew, it sure has been busy! Module 4 in our course information covered 5 weeks of HCI at least. Mainly, there were the multiple layers of task analysis. I have recently been exposed to my company's version of task analysis and I found out some very interesting things. Apparently, when you learn to do a job and have been doing it for several years, it becomes impossible to explain to anyone else.
Over the past several months we have had people observing our processes to both understand them and search for inefficiencies. Basically, they sit around watching what it is we do and how it is we do it - the classic task analysis model. In Module 4, identifying the tasks, describing the task, and identifying task scenarios are the 3 main processes involved in TA. I can describe what I do in very general terms (I am a Loss Mitigation Analyst) and identify some of the various tasks (I complete financial analyses and determine the best workout options within the constraints of investor guidelines and banking laws). But once you start to drill down each task step-by-step, while some intern is furiously scribbling down notes or try to create some sensible looking Visio flowchart, it starts to get pretty confusing. Especially when there are a million variables involved. I usually end up saying something like, "Well, you look at A if the account is B months past due, um, except for loans of type C, those you have to D before you look at A or E will happen, then you have to go back and F..." I propose that real life TA is much more complex than what Module 4 can possibly encompass. Once you begin breaking tasks into smaller and smaller pieces you start to really look at what's involved... then you want to re-evaluate your compensation package, then, man, you're just tired!
If I were to define the method they are using it would seem like a hybrid of the traditional task decomposition and knowledge-based task analysis. They spend a lot of time having us define each task and each tool involved in it and then trying to create a generic process flow for each loss mitigation option. They ask a lot of "hows" and "whys". This leads to even more scenarios , processes and tools. I do not envy them this job. One day I walked by the office that they were using and the walls were completely covered by sheets of paper representing these massive flow charts and tree hierarchies. Well, at least they were keeping busy...
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Norman 3 Course Blog
I was particularly intrigued by Norman's discussion on aesthetics. On page 151 he writes... [Frank Lloyd] Wright evidently wasn't very sympathetic about complaints. When Herbert F. Johnson... called Wright to say that his roof was leaking all over a dinner guest, the architect is said to have responded, "Tell him to move his chair." Now I happen to like Frank Lloyd Wright's designs very much. But not enough to sit under a deluge of water for the sake of beauty.
But we do like pretty stuff. When I think of a Mac vs. a PC, the Mac is more attractive, sleeker, newer looking. Its probably contributing significantly to its moving up in the market share vs. PC. PC is still the 300 lb. gorilla in comparison, but Mac is steadily chipping away. What exactly is the use of a matching suite of computer peripherals? Is my laptop better because my mouse, mouse pad and printer are the same lime green? No. But it is attractive.
Some argue that aesthetics make products more fun to use. In an article/blog from Usability Post, Dmitry Fadeyev says, "We get happiness and enjoyment from a lot of beautiful products. Take cars for example. Any car would get you from point A to point B (hopefully), but we just won’t have as much fun driving a Lada as an Audi." Well I don't really know what a Lada is, but I have driven some UGLY cars in my day. I have a lot more fun in my gold, sporty V6 than in those days when I drove (or sometimes pushed) a primer gray 1983 Renault Alliance with the right side mirror hanging by a thread!
Fadeyev, D. (2008). Do UI Aesthetics Matter?. Usability Post. Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://www.usabilitypost.com/2008/09/17/do-ui-aesthetics-matter/.
But we do like pretty stuff. When I think of a Mac vs. a PC, the Mac is more attractive, sleeker, newer looking. Its probably contributing significantly to its moving up in the market share vs. PC. PC is still the 300 lb. gorilla in comparison, but Mac is steadily chipping away. What exactly is the use of a matching suite of computer peripherals? Is my laptop better because my mouse, mouse pad and printer are the same lime green? No. But it is attractive.
Some argue that aesthetics make products more fun to use. In an article/blog from Usability Post, Dmitry Fadeyev says, "We get happiness and enjoyment from a lot of beautiful products. Take cars for example. Any car would get you from point A to point B (hopefully), but we just won’t have as much fun driving a Lada as an Audi." Well I don't really know what a Lada is, but I have driven some UGLY cars in my day. I have a lot more fun in my gold, sporty V6 than in those days when I drove (or sometimes pushed) a primer gray 1983 Renault Alliance with the right side mirror hanging by a thread!
Fadeyev, D. (2008). Do UI Aesthetics Matter?. Usability Post. Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://www.usabilitypost.com/2008/09/17/do-ui-aesthetics-matter/.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Module 3 Blog Post
I saw the coolest thing ever on 60 Minutes last week!!! Module 3 discusses the various user interfaces with computers... "In addition to keyboard input, pens, voice signals, and even thought patterns are being studied and used with ever greater efficacy." Well 60 Minutes had a story about the last interface that was so AWESOME!
The story focused on the developing technology that allows paralyzed individuals control their computers and wheelchairs with their minds! Yeah, I know, freaky right? One of the people interviewed was a doctor who had developed Lou Gehrig's disease at the age of 40. At this point he only has movement in his left eye. With the help of this brain control interface (BCI) that allows him to think about a letter, he can spell out words that the computer reads aloud. It was amazing and inspiring to see that he can now communicate with his wife and sons. Another woman who had a stroke that left her totally paralyzed, was able to steer her motorized wheel chair by just thinking about where she wanted it to go. The amount of freedom these people are being given despite their circumstances is just unbelievable.
Developing this interface would be much different than gathering ergonomic information. In Module 3 there's a figure that illustrates guidelines for optimal viewing angles. What would it be like to have to develop these parameters for BCI? Would ergonomic considerations even be an issue? What role would memory (or the lack thereof) affect this interface? I would imagine there are differences in the way that people think. How do you account for that? Maybe there would be differing BI interfaces for spatial thinkers vs. people that respond better to visual stimuli. It opens up a limitless horizon of possibilities.
It makes me wonder what it would be like to write a 10 page paper by just thinking about it. Maybe they can get this thing up and running by, say, mid-December...?
The story focused on the developing technology that allows paralyzed individuals control their computers and wheelchairs with their minds! Yeah, I know, freaky right? One of the people interviewed was a doctor who had developed Lou Gehrig's disease at the age of 40. At this point he only has movement in his left eye. With the help of this brain control interface (BCI) that allows him to think about a letter, he can spell out words that the computer reads aloud. It was amazing and inspiring to see that he can now communicate with his wife and sons. Another woman who had a stroke that left her totally paralyzed, was able to steer her motorized wheel chair by just thinking about where she wanted it to go. The amount of freedom these people are being given despite their circumstances is just unbelievable.
Developing this interface would be much different than gathering ergonomic information. In Module 3 there's a figure that illustrates guidelines for optimal viewing angles. What would it be like to have to develop these parameters for BCI? Would ergonomic considerations even be an issue? What role would memory (or the lack thereof) affect this interface? I would imagine there are differences in the way that people think. How do you account for that? Maybe there would be differing BI interfaces for spatial thinkers vs. people that respond better to visual stimuli. It opens up a limitless horizon of possibilities.
It makes me wonder what it would be like to write a 10 page paper by just thinking about it. Maybe they can get this thing up and running by, say, mid-December...?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Assignment 7-2: Norman 2 Course Blog Entry
A quick note on everyday constraints.... I love puzzles. Crossword, Picture, Word Find, Mahjongg... they're all great. I enjoy finding patterns in things - once you get the pattern, you're home free. I have lately become addicted to a game which has a picture divided into tiny little squares. You have to either rotate or swap the squares in order to make the whole picture visible. I look for words on signs, patterns in the floor of a room or in the clouds in the sky. Norman describes this approach to a novel object, using "information in the world, particularly if the design of the new object has presented us with information that can be interpreted... One important set of signals comes through the natural constraints of objects, physical that limit what can be done." (Norman, 1988) What if my puzzles didn't have that discernible pattern that I so diligently search for? What if the picture I was trying to construct was of some wacky modern art piece that I have never seen, and where the sky is not up and the floor is not down? I don't think I would like those kind of puzzles so much...
Norman, D. A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Doubleday.
Norman, D. A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Doubleday.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Module 2 Blog Post (2)
Once upon a time I was involved in helping our ITS department in setting up a VRU (voice reponse unit). At first I was just supposed to be The Voice. I ended up being much more involved because the poor guys setting up the VRU really had no idea what options should lead to what answers (logically speaking). Helping out with the design cycle from that end really got me excited about studying program and web design.
The HCI Life Cycle includes 8 steps and the first one may be the most difficult for a designer coming in from the outside. Knowing the end-users and their goals without knowing exactly what it is the end users do every day can be tricky. What questions do you ask? You can generally ask the user what they want the system to do but how do you know the detail to which they need the system to do what it does? How can the user describe how the system should work when they've never had a system to do what they need done? How do they know what to ask for when they've never had it in the first place?
I would love a system that lets me do what I do easily but to some extent, if I don't know what the possibilities are, its hard for me to describe what could help. What if there was a system that would interface with our existing system and outside systems to collect all the pertainent data I need, makes a decision based on the data, produces the needed documents, contacts the customer, follows up and files the required claims, while adhering to required timelines? Well first of all, I'd probably be out of a job. But how do I ask for such a thing? I'd have to describe every minute detail of my job and my thought processes based on thousands of pieces of data. Would the designer know what questions to ask me to get all the needed data? I'd hate for them to come back saying, "Why did this happen?" for me to only be able to respond, "Well you didn't ask me that?"
The HCI Life Cycle includes 8 steps and the first one may be the most difficult for a designer coming in from the outside. Knowing the end-users and their goals without knowing exactly what it is the end users do every day can be tricky. What questions do you ask? You can generally ask the user what they want the system to do but how do you know the detail to which they need the system to do what it does? How can the user describe how the system should work when they've never had a system to do what they need done? How do they know what to ask for when they've never had it in the first place?
I would love a system that lets me do what I do easily but to some extent, if I don't know what the possibilities are, its hard for me to describe what could help. What if there was a system that would interface with our existing system and outside systems to collect all the pertainent data I need, makes a decision based on the data, produces the needed documents, contacts the customer, follows up and files the required claims, while adhering to required timelines? Well first of all, I'd probably be out of a job. But how do I ask for such a thing? I'd have to describe every minute detail of my job and my thought processes based on thousands of pieces of data. Would the designer know what questions to ask me to get all the needed data? I'd hate for them to come back saying, "Why did this happen?" for me to only be able to respond, "Well you didn't ask me that?"
Friday, October 10, 2008
Module 2 Blog Post
Sensory Memory:
A funny thing happened on the way to my blog post.... I have a 2005 Dell laptop (Dude, I bought a Dell) that for some reason, runs as slow as molasses no matter how many times i defrag or what programs I remove. One trimester, the thing actually lost ALL of my data right before a big project was due. I was ready to put the thing in the oven and just bake it, but I changed my mind and was finally able to retrieve most of the data I needed. Then, last trimester the screen just went dark one day. Dell wanted $500 bucks to take it and fix it for me. Uh, no thanks. I ended up finding a small local business that found the problem and fixed it for less than $100 - parts and all! I realized that I couldn't afford for the thing to die on me in the middle of taking my classes so I broke out the credit card and bought a new laptop (NOT a Dell).
Now the old one, let's call her Spunky, still works so I see no reason to get rid of her yet. The new one, lets call her Spunkier, is AWESOME. I switch between the two depending on what I'm doing and what kind of mood I'm in. If I feel very patient and Zen and time is not of the essence I use Spunky. I'll haul her out on the porch or take her out to the park and work. Spunkier, I keep at home and use during times when internet usage is high (like now) and I can't wait for the computer to decide whether it wants to connect or not.
But Spunkier has some weird differences. It has a 10-key where Spunky does not. I didn't think that it would matter, I mean I use a QWERTY keyboard with a 10 key at work - no problem. I find myself typing whole words incorrectly because my fingers aren't in the right place. Using the 10-key while I'm sitting at a desk typing might be a little different than when I'm sitting in my bed with the computer on my lap. Who knew? The other difference is with the keys themselves. I have to push a little harder to type than with Spunky. I also have to go back and capitalize my "I's". Its like shift+i is just ignored the first time around some times on Spunkier.
Here's the point. My sensory memory has been trained one way on Spunky for the last 3 years. It makes the adjustment to Spunkier kinda difficult. That and the fact that I'm not the best typist in the first place...? Yeah.
A funny thing happened on the way to my blog post.... I have a 2005 Dell laptop (Dude, I bought a Dell) that for some reason, runs as slow as molasses no matter how many times i defrag or what programs I remove. One trimester, the thing actually lost ALL of my data right before a big project was due. I was ready to put the thing in the oven and just bake it, but I changed my mind and was finally able to retrieve most of the data I needed. Then, last trimester the screen just went dark one day. Dell wanted $500 bucks to take it and fix it for me. Uh, no thanks. I ended up finding a small local business that found the problem and fixed it for less than $100 - parts and all! I realized that I couldn't afford for the thing to die on me in the middle of taking my classes so I broke out the credit card and bought a new laptop (NOT a Dell).
Now the old one, let's call her Spunky, still works so I see no reason to get rid of her yet. The new one, lets call her Spunkier, is AWESOME. I switch between the two depending on what I'm doing and what kind of mood I'm in. If I feel very patient and Zen and time is not of the essence I use Spunky. I'll haul her out on the porch or take her out to the park and work. Spunkier, I keep at home and use during times when internet usage is high (like now) and I can't wait for the computer to decide whether it wants to connect or not.
But Spunkier has some weird differences. It has a 10-key where Spunky does not. I didn't think that it would matter, I mean I use a QWERTY keyboard with a 10 key at work - no problem. I find myself typing whole words incorrectly because my fingers aren't in the right place. Using the 10-key while I'm sitting at a desk typing might be a little different than when I'm sitting in my bed with the computer on my lap. Who knew? The other difference is with the keys themselves. I have to push a little harder to type than with Spunky. I also have to go back and capitalize my "I's". Its like shift+i is just ignored the first time around some times on Spunkier.
Here's the point. My sensory memory has been trained one way on Spunky for the last 3 years. It makes the adjustment to Spunkier kinda difficult. That and the fact that I'm not the best typist in the first place...? Yeah.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Assignment 4-1 Norman 1 Blog Entry (2)
Its a little funny reading the Design of Everyday Things in 2008 when it was published twenty years ago. In chapter 3, Norman poses a question to the reader, "Would you like a pocket-size device that reminded you of each appointment & daily event?" I laughingly realize that I would be completely lost without my BlackJack and hope, if Norman is still alive, he's found one for himself.
I've never been too good at remembering names and was only nominally better at numbers but these days?? Whew. If you've ever seen Disney's "Finding Nemo" I'm Dori. If you haven't seen it just know - I have NO short term memory anymore. I need constant reminding.
Norman says, "One of the most important and interesting aspects of the role of the interplay between knowledge in the head and in the world." I've tried to remember appointments by rehearsal. I've found it only works right before I go to bed but if I don't set up another reminder once I wake up, flash-bang, its gone! I've also tried transferring the knowledge to the outside world. The problem with writing things down on paper is that I would forget where I put the paper. So I became a Post-It addict. I had Post-Its on the bathroom mirror, bright pink ones in books, different sized ones in my wallet, animal Post-Its on the dashboard and the sun visor in the car. But adhesive only lasts so long.
But now, technology has finally caught up with my rapidly failing memory and given me the perfect reminding device - the Smart Phone aka Crackberry, iPhone, whatever your flavor. My phone knows and does everything. Do I have an assignment due? I don't know, I'll ask the phone. When is grandma's birthday? Better ask the phone. How do I get there from here? What's the lowest gas price? What movie did I see her in? Where am I supposed to be right now? Its all in the phone!
...now where did I put that thing anyway?
Norman, D. A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Doubleday
I've never been too good at remembering names and was only nominally better at numbers but these days?? Whew. If you've ever seen Disney's "Finding Nemo" I'm Dori. If you haven't seen it just know - I have NO short term memory anymore. I need constant reminding.
Norman says, "One of the most important and interesting aspects of the role of the interplay between knowledge in the head and in the world." I've tried to remember appointments by rehearsal. I've found it only works right before I go to bed but if I don't set up another reminder once I wake up, flash-bang, its gone! I've also tried transferring the knowledge to the outside world. The problem with writing things down on paper is that I would forget where I put the paper. So I became a Post-It addict. I had Post-Its on the bathroom mirror, bright pink ones in books, different sized ones in my wallet, animal Post-Its on the dashboard and the sun visor in the car. But adhesive only lasts so long.
But now, technology has finally caught up with my rapidly failing memory and given me the perfect reminding device - the Smart Phone aka Crackberry, iPhone, whatever your flavor. My phone knows and does everything. Do I have an assignment due? I don't know, I'll ask the phone. When is grandma's birthday? Better ask the phone. How do I get there from here? What's the lowest gas price? What movie did I see her in? Where am I supposed to be right now? Its all in the phone!
...now where did I put that thing anyway?
Norman, D. A. (1988). The Design of Everyday Things. New York: Doubleday
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