patton user story to user interface

8/8/2019 Patton User Story to User Interface

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Jeff Patton [email protected]

www.AgileProductDesign.com

Please join a work group of 4-6 people – thanks.

Collaboratively designing and testing user

interface that help your users succeed

Copyright is held by the author/owner(s).

OOPSLA 2007, October 21–25, 2007,

Montréal, Québec, Canada.

ACM 07/0010.

from UsetoUser

Interface

from UsetoUser

Interface



©Alistair Cockburn2005-6

PEOPLE Learn Skills in a 3-stage Progression:

Follow / Break Away / Achieve Fluency

Level 1:following(shu)

Learn “a technique that works”

(Success = following the technique)

Level 2:breakingaway(ha )

Learn limits of the techniqueLearn to shift between techniques

Level 3:fluent( ri )

Shift techniques at any moment

Possibly unable to describe the shifts



© 2006-2007 Jeff Patton, All rights reserved, www.agileproductdesign.com 3

We’ll be using a process miniature to explore and practiceproduct design techniques

We’ll practice each technique in an abbreviated manner

You’ll get just enough time to feel what the technique is like to practice –

but not enough to practice it well

Practicing it well, takes… practice

Pay attention to what’s working and what’s troublesome for you

about the technique




Section 1: Starting With Use

13:30 – 15:00

User Experience Distilled Using Garrett’s Elements

Model

Exploring Use Elements of Use: User, Goal, Context Use Cases, Task Models, User Scenarios

The User Story

Identifying User Needs as Canonical Components

The Interaction Context & Component Placement




User Experience is Built From DependentLayers

Jesse James Garrett’s Elements of User Experience




The Surface Layer Describes Finished VisualDesign Aspects

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy


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The Skeleton Describes Screen Layout andFunctional Compartments in the Screen

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



Structure Defines Navigation from Place toPlace in the User Interface

task panes

modal dialogs

modal wizards

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



The Places in the User Interface are Built toSupport User Tasks

user tasks:• enter numbers• enter text• enter formulas• format cells• sort information

• filter information• aggregate information• graph data• save data• import data• export data

• print• …..

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



Business Goals Drive User Constituencies andContexts Supported To Form Strategy

business goals:• displace competitive products• motivate sale of other

integrated products• establish file format as default

information sharing format

• …user constituencies:• accountant• business planner • housewife• …

usage contexts:• office desktop• laptop on airplane• pda in car • …

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



Garret’s Elements of Ux Stack Applies to the User Experienceof Other Complex Products

These layers of concerns apply

not only to software but a

variety of products.

In particular, products that

support a wide variety of user

tasks benefit from this kind of

thinking.



Let’s Look At a Product We All Use: The Place We Live

goals:• live comfortably• eat well• stay clean• be healthy• keep up with Jones’s

• …user constituencies:• me• spouse• child• …

usage contexts:• suburban neighborhood• near good schools• near shopping• …

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



What might I do to reach my goals?

user tasks:• store food• prepare food• eat food• sleep• bathe

• store changes of clothing• stay out of rain• entertain guests• entertain self • …

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



Arranging tasks by affinity allows me to think about contextsthat best support tasks. Contexts in a home have commonnames we all know.

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



When designing a particular interaction context –a kitchen for instance – I optimize layout and tool choices tosupport tasks I’ll do there.

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



I’m going to spend a lot of time here, I want my experience tobe as pleasant as possible…

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



Understanding the relationshipbetween goals, tasks, & tools is critical

Software Product

Goals

Tasks

ToolsFeatures

one or more users engaged

in many tasks in support of a

common high level goal is

often referred to asworkpractice

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy



Garrett’s model provideshelpful guidance for tool builders

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy Goals

Tasks

Tools

• Business Goals• User Model with

User Goals

• Architectural Goals Based

On Context of Use

•User Tasks & Activities, or Use Cases• Technology Independent

• Navigation Map

• Page Wireframes• UI Design Guidelines




Today we’ll place our focus on tool-building: thestructure, skeleton, & surface

Surface

Skeleton

Structure

Scope

Strategy

User InterfacePrototyping Activities




Getting started with a UI design problem

Read the Barney’s Information Kiosk problem onpages 35-36

Begin thinking about: Business goals

Users and their goals

The types of user tasks users would likely choose to reach their goals

A kiosk tool that might support those tasks

(5 minutes)

As a workgroup discuss the users, goals, and

most likely tasks performed on the kiosk Try to talk about tasks without talking about the kiosk (tool) – this

can be difficult

(5 minutes)

Barney’s




To design a tool, we first need to understand use –the preceding layer

Elements of Use:

A Type of User Actor

User Role

User Profile

User Persona

User Goal If I as a user accomplish this goal, I’ll consider myself successful.

Look for goals that motivate the use of software

Context of Use Where and when will I be when I’m trying to accomplish this goal?

What other activities might I be engaged in when I attempt this goal?




Modeling Use

Various types of models are used to capture whatwe understand about users engaged in tasks in

pursuit of a goal. Workflow Model

Use Case User Task Model

User Scenario

User Story




activity

User Interface Designers Often Use “User Tasks” toDescribe What People Do

Tasks require intentional action on behalf of a tool’s user

Tasks have an objective that can be completed

Tasks decompose into smaller tasks

Activities are used to describe a broader goal, one that might use many

tasks, any may or may not ever be completed.

“Read an email message” is a task, “Managing email” is an activity.

task

task task task task




Use Cockburn’s goal level to understand theabstraction level of a user task

Start to think aboutuser interface

design at sea level

or above.

* from Cockburn’s Writing Effective Use Cases




A Agile User Story Might Model Use... It’s Easier toDesign User Interface if it Does

Originally eXtreme Programming described a user story as asmall amount of text written on an index card to function as areminder for a conversation between developer and customer.

From Wikipedia:“A user story is a software system requirement formulated as one or two sentences in the everyday

language of the user.”

The user story form credited to Rachel Davies in Cohn’s UserStories Applied combines user, task, and goal:

As a[type of user]

I want to[perform some task ]

so that I can[achieve some goal]

As aharried shopper

I want tolocate a specific CD in the store

so that I canpurchase it quickly, leave, and

continue with my day.




U s er

S t or y

User stories may describe user tasksor the tool that supports them

Software Product

Goals

Tasks

Tools

As aharried shopper

I want tolocate a specific

CD in the store

As aharried shopper

I want toenter a CD title

into the search

box and initiate

a search

More task-centric:

More tool-centric:




Favor user task-centric stories to base UIdesign on

Especially during early scoping and release planning project stages

Especially before prototyping and testing proposed user interfaces

Be prepared to split task-centric user stories as necessary to: defer expensive-to-implement user interactions for future release.

to break up large user interface construction into more manageable pieces.

Stories may become more tool-centric over time, and closer to

development time

Defer tool-centricity to the latest responsible moment




Constantine & Lockwood’s Essential Use Case or “TaskCase” is an easy way to begin to describe tool use

A use case focusing on the interaction between user and system

Avoid describing what the user specifically does by focusing on the user’s intention

Determine the system responsibilities based on user goals and expectations

User Intention System Responsibility

Step one

System response

Step two

System response




Activity: Write an Essential Use Case

Review the business problem from your handouts (4-5 minutes)

As a team, using supplies on the table, write an essential use case for:

User: Casual Browser

Task: Find most current release for a particular artist

As a casual browser

I want to find the most current release for a particular artist

so that I can get more information to make a buying decision.

(10 minutes)




Begin to envision a solution by writing a userscenario

A user scenario tells a story about a main character with aproblem or goal

The scenario describes how our character reaches their goal

using the proposed product

The scenario includes important facts, external context

important to use, and goals and concerns of our character

The scenario should include interesting plot points that help

us envision the more important aspects of the system

The scenario can gloss over uninteresting details




User scenario:Field Manager enters daily shift performance reports

Field Manager’s Scenario

The shift has just ended and his reps are coming up with their totals. They

have printed sheets with totals written on them. Steve quickly looks

them over and signs them off. His assistant manager brings him other

sheets with totals he’s signed off.

In between visits by reps, Steve opens his Field Manager Workbench on his

laptop. After logging in he sees today’s date and the planned number of

applications his reps should be gathering – 180 for today.

He also sees yesterday’s numbers, and last week’s numbers, and the last

30 days in graph that shows applications relative to approval rate. Last

week’s numbers were bad, and it’s the last week of the month, so Steve

knows he’s got to do well today.

Steve clicks “enter rep performance data.” He shuffles his reps

performance sheets and grabs the first one.

5. The date is defaulted to today, and the shift is defaulted to‘morning’ since he hasn’t yet entered info for today. Steve

begins to enter the reps name, but after a few characters thesystem auto-completes his name.

6. The rep’s ID is already filled in, along with the code for thecredit card promotion they’re working on today.

7. Steve fills in the shift information for his rep. He then enters thetotal number of applications taken.

8. It looks like from the notes on this sheet that this rep left sicktwo hours early. Steve adds a note about this in the system.

9. Time passes as more reps bring in their sheets and Stevecompletes entering them in between conversations.

10. After all the sheets are done, Steve looks at a summary screenfor the day. It looks like he’s close to his goal. If the next shiftcontinues at this rate he’ll beat the plan by 5% or so. That’sgood.

11. Steve validates that the base pay is correct at $5 per app, andthat he’s set an individual bonus giving reps $50 each if theyreach 20 apps. Next to each rep he sees the calculated pay,base, bonus, and total pay for the day.

12. The annual sale at Macy’s has brought a lot of people in today.Steve chooses a “sale increases mall foot traffic” code to add tohis shift data sheet. Frank, his boss, has pestered him to make

sure he includes this type of information in his daily summaries.

Steven

• Credit Card Marketing Field

Manager

• Steven is a field manager

working at the local shopping

center. He’s in the middle of a

long workday supervising 13

reps who are busy talking to

people trying to convince them

to apply for a credit card.

i k kfl d l i




Leveraging your task workflow model, writea user scenario for your focal user

Begin to think of a kiosk that will make the life of your focal user better

Tell a story of typical use

Include interesting plot points

Include goals and pains of your user

Describe how the system helps the user overcome

problems or achieve goals




Identifying UI tools that allow the system to meet itsresponsibilities to its user as abstract UI components

For each system responsibility, what sort of tool will the systemneed to offer to meet that responsibility to the user?

Preliminarily decide on tools as abstract components. An abstract component (describe by Larry Constantine) refers to a general type of

component with a certain responsibility

Container: contains and presents information.

Action: allows execution of an action.

Actionable Container: contains and presents information and allows the information to be acted on through selection or manipulation.




Exercise: Identify the abstract components in youressential use case

Using post-it notes, identify abstract components to support your essential use case, and the

essential use case in your handouts.

Give each component a descriptive name that suggests its responsibility.

(10 minutes)

Selectable List

I t ti C t t G th




Interaction Contexts Gather Tools to Support Tasks

An Interaction Context is an abstract “place” in your software that supports a number of tasks.

When the goal of a user changes, it’s grounds for an interaction context change.

For our design problem possible contexts might be:

Starting Point: give the user a clear starting point for

starting a search for titles in the store.

Search Return: Evaluation: help the user decide if the

searched for items were the items she was looking for or an

easy way to reinitiate the search if not. Also aid in the quick

decision to buy any successfully found item.




Exercise: Build Up Interaction Contexts

As a group decide on and name your interaction contexts.

Use a name that suggests the type of tasks the context

supports.

For each interaction context set aside a sheet of paper orcard stock.

Relocate your post-it note abstract components to each

context. If components belong in more than one context,

write more post-it notes.

(10 minutes)

From Use



From Use to User

Interface

Jeff Patton

[email protected]

www.AgileProductDesig




Section 2: Designing &Validating For Use

15:30 – 17:00

Building a Paper UI Prototype

Testing the Paper Prototype

Usability vs. Visual Design

Williams’ Simple Visual Design Heuristics




Paper Prototyping Basics

Tools Card Stock (use for screen backgrounds and cut up for components) Index Cards (lined cards make great lists) Scissors or Xacto knife Cello tape Repositionable tape Pencils

Sharp felt tip pens Transparency film (great to write on)

Team approach Someone direct traffic Various people build components

Someone assemble the user interface from the components Someone continuously review what’s being assembled against your use

case – will it work?




Paper Prototyping Kit Demonstration




Finished prototypes are pieced together frommoveable and removable paper components




Exercise: Build Your Prototype

As a team within the short time-box, build your prototype tosupport the two user stories:

As a casual browserI want to find the most current release for a particular

artist-and- As an impatient buyerI want to find the location of a specific CD quickly

Suggestions: One or more people build components

One or more assemble the prototype using the components

Someone use the task cases to validate the UI supports these user stories

(15 minutes)




Preparing to Testing Your Paper Prototype

Identify test subjects Should match the characteristics and skills of our your target user constituencies Actual end users or stand-ins

Identify tasks to test

Assemble your test team facilitator

computer

observers

Coach the test team on the testing personalities: flight attendant

sports caster

scientist

Decide on test approach – single or paired subjects

Setup your testing facility




Run Your Usability Test

Facilitator introduces the team.

Facilitator introduces tasks to perform andgoals, then invites test participants to “thinkout loud” and begin.

Facilitator plays sports-caster; keeps subjecttalking, narrating when necessary.

Observers record data – use post-it notes tomake downstream analysis move faster.

When the test is complete observers mayask test participants questions.

Thank test participants.

Consolidate data. How many issues did you detect? Consider issues

as items you’d change.




Testing In Action




Exercise: Test Your Paper Prototype

(10 minutes)

casual browser, find the most current release for a particular artist

-and-

impatient buyer, find the location of a specific CD quickly


Facilitator introduces tasks to perform and goals, then invites test participants to

“think out loud” and begin.

Facilitator plays sports-caster; keeps subject talking, narrating when necessary.

Observers record data – use post-it notes to make downstream analysis movefaster.

When the test is complete observers may ask test participants questions.


Consolidate data. How many issues did you detect? Consider issues as items you’d change.




Exercise: Fix Issues

As a team decide on which of the issues youdiscovered to fix.

Adjust your prototype to prepare for you next test.

(10 minutes)




Exercise: Re-test Your Prototype

(10 minutes)

casual browser, find the most current release for a particular artist

-and-

impatient buyer, find the location of a specific CD quickly


Facilitator introduces tasks to perform and goals, then invites test participants to

“think out loud” and begin.

Facilitator plays sports-caster keeps subject talking, narrating when necessary.

Observers record data – use post-it notes to make downstream analysis movefaster.

When the test is complete observers may ask test participants questions.


Consolidate data. How many issues did you detect? Consider issues as items you’d change.




This isn’t just the right way to test, it’s RITE

Traditional usability testing focuses on: Identifying repeatable user misteps errors

UI concerns that may make the software difficult to learn, orlearned behavior hard to maintain

Reporting those errors back along with suggestions forcorrecting problems

The RITE method: Rapid Iterative Testing andEvaluation

First documented by Microsoft (Medlock, Wixon, Terrano,Romero, and Fulton)

Rather than focusing on number of errors identified, emphasizenumber of errors fixed

Required the capability to correct errors between iterative tests

For higher-fidelity prototypes or working code, this requiresdeveloper participation

Unraveling Usability Concerns From Visual




Unraveling Usability Concerns From VisualDesign Concerns

Usability is a measured characteristic of your software.

Typical usability tests measure: Task completion frequency

Task completion time

Errors or mis-steps

Professionals [and novices] can give their subjective evaluation onusability, but you can’t really be sure until you test [or ship].

Paper Prototype usability testing helps identify usability issues before the

software is built.

Visual design adds look and feel that may affect usability.

Don’t assume those skilled at visual design are also skilled at usability.

Layer in user interface concerns – like a




Layer in user interface concerns – like alayer cake

Start with usefulness: Utility first

Usability second

Follow on with designesthetics

Defer user stories about

design esthetics until

after the software is

useful

utility(does the software offer functionality to

support my goals?)

usability(can that functionality easily learned, and

effectively used?)

design esthetics(is the software fun, pleasant, exciting –

what is my emotional response?)

usefulness

Test First – Building Confidence into Software




Test First – Building Confidence into SoftwareDevelopment

Agile development’s test-first technique doesn’t justapply to code.

Use paper prototyping and usability testing to

validate that your user interface requirements areaccurate and the software you intend to build can be

effectively used.

Iteration and testing of user interface using low-

fidelity prototyping is faster than working code.

Iterate to learn in the fastest medium available



William’s 4 Basic Design Principles

Visual Design Basics

Robin Williams’ The Non-Designer’s Design Book

Good Visual Design




Good Visual DesignObserves 4 Simple Principles

Learn the principles

Recognize when you are and aren’t using them

Apply them to help users achieve their goals

CR

A

P

ContrastRepetition

Alignment

Proximity




Proximity

Proximity communicates affinity – distance communicates lack of affinity.

Group related items together.

“Clumps” of items can feel like one item.




Alignment

Alignment communicates association

Nothing should be placed on the screen arbitrarily. Every item should have

a connection with something else on the screen – after all if it’s on the same

screen it’s associated.

3 Horizontal Alignments: Left Center Right Center alignments are visually the weakest




Repetition

Repeated elements blend in.

Repeat some aspects of the design throughout the entire application.

Repetition can be thought of as consistency. Appropriate repetition makes the

application appear cohesive.

Elements that repeat each page become static – or “visually persistent.” As

users move from place to place in your software, they need only observe what’s

changed.




Contrast

Contrast communicates importance.

Use contrast to focus the users attention, to guide him/her through the

application.

Contrast, or don’t. If two items are not exactly the same, make them

different – really different. Subtle difference isn’t contrast, it’s perceived by

users as tension in the screen and often looks like a mistake.



From Use to User

Interface Jeff Patton

[email protected]





User Experience Words

User Centered Design refers to a class of methodologies where design decisions are

based on some tangible user model. That user model must bebased on the research of the users of the application.

Interaction Design refers to the specific choices of user interactions we make to allow

users to meet their goals in the software. Interaction Designersare generally User Centered Designers.

Visual Design refers to the design of the visual appearance of software,advertising, or other commercial products. Visual Design focusesa bit more on esthetics. Visual Designers are often NOT UserCentered Designers.





Usability Usability refers to the ability of a specific type of user to be able to

effectively carry out a task using a product.

Usability is usually measured through testing. Given a number of testsubjects that reflect the type of user that will use the application:

how many successfully complete a task.

on average how quickly do they complete that task.

on average how many user errors are made while attempting tocomplete that task.

Usability Engineering refers to the practice of usability. Usability Engineers often have much

in common with testers. While they may design the user interface,

often their emphasis is on evaluating the user interface and makingrecommendations for improvement. Usability Engineers are generallyUser Centered, but they may not be Designers.





Information Architecture refers to the structuring of information so that it best supports the

consumption by its target users. An IA professional is oftenconsidered a counterpart to an Interaction Designer where InteractionDesigners focus on how people use computers to accomplish work,and Information Architects focus on how people leverage information

to support goals.

HCI or CHI Human-Computer, or Computer-Human interaction refers to the study

of how humans and computers interact. An HCI professional may bea researcher, a designer, a psychologist, or anyone who might focus

on human-computer interaction as part of their work or study.





User Experience refers to the overall experience a user has with a product. This

experience doesn’t stop at the use of the product but startswith the advertising and presenting of the brand through thepurchase to the use and the day-to-day feeling the user carrieswith them about the product.

User Experience Professional may refer to any of the roles already discussed. Someone

whose day-to-day practice focuses on improving some or allaspects of user experience.

We are all directly or indirectly User Experience Practitioners…how professional we are at it may be up for discussion.

Usability Refers To The Ability of a User To




Usability Refers To The Ability of a User ToEffectively Execute A Task Using a Tool

While Visual Design certainly can affect usability,it’s quite possible for a product to have pleasing

visual design, but intolerable usability.

Don Norman’s The Design of Everyday Things




Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics

Visibility of system status (keep the user informed)

Be forthcoming - don’t hide information

Match between system and real world (user language and real world conventions) Watch your language

User control and freedom (easy exits, undo and redo) padded corners, hand rails, and safety nets

Consistency and standards same thing the same way

Error prevention

Recognition rather than recall (reduce remembering with visible options, actions,and instructions)

Flexibility and efficiency of use (customization and support for advanced users)

Aesthetic and minimalist design (reduce irrelevant or rarely needed information)

Help in recognizing, diagnosing, and recovering from errors

Good help and documentation

Jakob Nielsen’s Usability Engineering



From Use to User

Interface Jeff Patton

[email protected]


patton user story to user interface

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