Task Analysis andContextual Inquiry

IS 485, Professor Matt Thatcher

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Japanese Inventions

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Japanese Inventions

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Agenda Review Task analysis and contextual inquiry Next class

– creating a task inventory list– selecting tasks for prototyping– creating scenarios of actual use– sketching design ideas

The rest of the course is about– prototyping and evaluating design ideas

iteratively

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Review Team project

– team feedback– milestones

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Task Analysis Find out

– who the intended users are– what tasks they need to perform– in what context they perform them

Observe existing work practices of ordinary users

Develop user personas and scenarios of actual use

Try-out new ideas before building software

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Task Analysis Questions Who is going to use system? What tasks do they perform? What new tasks are desired? How critical are the tasks? How often do the users perform the tasks? What are the time constraints on the tasks? How are the tasks learned? Where are the tasks performed? How do users communicate with each other? What happens when things go wrong?

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Who are the Users? Identity

– in-house users are easy– need several typical users for broad product (or target

audiences) Background characteristics

– age, gender, education level, education training Skills

– experience with computers (in general), specific products or applications, similar products

– experience with specific software applications– experience with tasks that the new system will support

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Who are the Users? (continued)

Learning Styles– read documentation / manuals– ask others/watch others do tasks (e.g., tech support)– trial and error (exploring on their own)– what other learning styles are there?

Physical characteristics (or limitations)– color deficiency? – hearing/visual impairment? visual fatigue?

eyeglasses? – height? mobility impairments? others?

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Color Deficiency Example

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Who are the Users?(continued)

Cultural characteristics– nationality (e.g., icons, language, metaphors, colors,

stds)– geographic location (e.g., southwest US, northeast US)– industry culture (terminology, acronyms, work ethic)

» hospitals vs. financial services vs. manufacturing plant» e.g., what does ATM stand for?

– company culture– generations (e.g., touch-based screen of the the 1960s)

Motivational characteristics– willingness to change– openness to learn new tools and ways of doing tasks– what motivates them to perform the tasks

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Interface Hall of Shame(Globalization Issue from Norway)

Time Magazine Website (change of address form)

Byte Magazine Website

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Who are the Users?(continued)

Category User Characteristic

Age (use a range)GenderHighest grade completed(e.g., high school, college, MS, Ph. D)Subjects studiedMajor

Demographics

Left or right handed(e.g., may influence workplace design)Total time using computers in generalFrequency of useTypes of equipment used(e,g., hardware, input devices, output devices)Types of software usedFrequency of software usedOperating system used(e.g., DOS, UNIX, Windows 95, Windows 98, MAC O/S)

Computer Experience

Type of screen iteraction used(e.g., GUI vs. command-based)Total time at jobJob (or Task) ExperienceTotal time performing tasks system will supportNationalityGeographic location of users(e.g., will all employees using the system reside in one location or willthey be dispersed across the US or world)Industry culture(e.g., do users have a common language based on industry)

Cultural Characteristics

Company cultureMotivational Characteristics Willingness to change and openness to learn new tools and ways of doing

tasks (may require some observations)Vision ImpairmentsColor BlindnessHearing ImpairmentsMobility Impairments

Physical Characteristics

Other relevant physical characteristics depending on system(e.g., height, weight, hand size, speech impairments, etc.)Attitude toward computers in generalAttitude toward your type of product

Preferences

Learning style preference(e.g., read then do, try then read, learn by doing, ask others)

Others (This is where youimpress me most)

Whatever else that you may consider important later in the design processor that may provide insight into your users

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Milestone 1 Expectations Develop a user profile characterizing your

target users– background (e.g., age, education)– skills (e.g., job, task, computer, specific

applications, internet)– physical characteristics– cultural characteristics– goals and motivations

User Personas– story-like description of your target user– name, background details, experiences, etc.

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What Tasks? Important for automation and new functions Measure the following:

– relative importance (or criticality) of tasks– relative difficulty (or complexity) of tasks– how often users perform each task (frequency)

» optimize system for the most important/frequent tasks and it will improve the perception of good performance

Observe users– interviews are not enough– users forget tasks and important details or have

problems communicating what they do all day– on-line billing example at the dentist’s office

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What are the Time Constraints on Each Task?

How fast must users complete each task– determine the amount of time users will feel is

acceptable for completing each task with the new system

– what functions will users be in a hurry for?– which can wait?

Is there a timing relationship between tasks?– task 2 and 5 must occur before completing task

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How are Tasks Learned? What does the user need to know? Does the user need training?

– academic– general knowledge / skills– special instruction / training

Or is the system a “walk up and learn” system (e.g., kiosks)

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Where is the Task Performed? Office, laboratory, point of sale? Effects of environment on users? How much space do users have? Lighting? Noise? Temperature? Do they have wet, dirty, or slippery hands? Customers under stress? Confidentiality required?

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How Do Users Communicate With Each Other?

Who communicates with whom? About what? Follow lines of the organization? Will a re-

design go against it? Example: assistant to manager

– installation of computers changes communication between them

– people often prefer to change their computer usage than their relationship

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What Happens When Things Go Wrong?

Is information lost? Are customers dissatisfied or lost? Does the company lose money or time? Can users recover easily? (e.g.,

alternatives) Does someone die? E-mail?, Microsoft Word?, Y2K?, electricity

outages, Therac-25?

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Involve Users to AnswerTask Analysis Questions

Users help designers learn – what is involved in their jobs– what tools they use– i.e., what they do

Developers reveal technical capabilities– builds rapport & an idea of what is possible

(sketches)– user’s can comment on whether ideas make

sense How do we do this?

– observe & interview prospective users in the work place!

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Contextual Inquiry Way of understanding users’ needs & work

practices Master – apprentice model allows user to

teach us what they do!– master does the work & talks about it while

working– we interrupt to ask questions as they go

The Where, How, and What expose the Why

“Think aloud” and “probing questions”

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Principles Context

– go to the workplace & see the work as it unfolds– people summarize in interviews, but we want

details Partnership

– master-apprentice relationship, yes; other models, no

» avoid interviewer/interviewee (stops work)» set expectations at the start

– partnership allows more apprentice interaction» alternate between watching & probing (withdraw and

return)

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Principles(continued)

Interpretation– good facts are only the starting point

» designs based on interpretations

– validate & rephrase» run interpretations by the users to see if you are right» share ideas to check your reasoning» people will be uncomfortable until the phrasing is right

need to be committed to hearing what the customer is really saying (“Huh?”, “Umm…”, “Yes, but…”)

» show them your initial user profiles and task lists have them make comments, corrections, etc. even this stage of design is iterative

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Thoughts on Interviews Use recording technologies

– notebooks, tape recorders, still & video cameras Structure

– conventional interview (15 minutes)» introduce focus & deal with ethical issues (sign consent forms)» get used to each other by getting summary data» maybe come up with an initial task list before visit and discuss up

front– transition (30 seconds)

» state new rules – they work while you watch & interrupt– contextual interview (1-2 hours)

» take notes, draw, be nosy! (“who was on the phone?”)– wrap-up (15 minutes)

» summarize your notes & confirm what is important Master/apprentice can be hard

– do your best

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Contextual Inquiry Materials Recruiting script Interview guidelines Site visit script User profile questionnaire Data logging sheet

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Analyzing the Data Affinity Diagramming Ad hoc procedures

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What Users Might Say “This system is too difficult” “You don’t have the steps in the order we

do them” Do not take comments personally

– you shouldn’t have a personal stake Goal is to make the system easy to use for

your intended users

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Summary User-centered design is different than

traditional methodologies– leads to solving problems up front (cheaper)

Know thy user & involve them in design– answer task analysis questions before

designing» who, what, where, when, how often?

– use contextual inquiry (or other ethnographic methods)

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Next Time Creating a task inventory list Selecting tasks for prototyping Creating scenarios of actual use Sketching design ideas