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Course summary,Q3 review

IS 403: User Interface DesignShaun Kane

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Admin• Assignment 9 extended from Friday until

Tuesday (our last class)

• Will accept resubmissions until Thursday, December 12

• Q2 back at end of class

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Upcoming events• Thursday:

– Quiz 3• Monday 1:59pm:

– A10: 3.5 minute presentation on your project• Tuesday:

– Assignment 9 (final design) due– Assignment 10 prez– Participation form (optional, by email)

• Wednesday: FREEDOM!

4Quiz 3 review

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Quiz 3 preparation• Covers content since the last quiz

– Interaction design– Heuristic evaluation– Usability testing– Mobile UIs– Accessibility– Audio and UI metaphors

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Q3: Interaction design• Principles of interaction design• Web site layout features (e.g. navigation)• Norman

– Gulf of execution, evaluation– Affordances, mapping, system status,

feedback

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Q3: Heuristic evaluation• Usability heuristics

– What are they?– What a heuristic evaluation is

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Q3: Usability testing• Guidelines for conducting a think-aloud• What a think-aloud is• Krug on user testing (not covered in class)

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Q3: Today’s class• Principles of audio UIs• UI metaphors (basics)

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Q3: Mobile UIs• Reading: Cui (what they did, high level

findings)• How mobile devices are different• Effects of mobility (at a high level)• Responsive web design: what it is

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Q3: Accessibility• What accessibility is

• Types of disabilities covered in class (and how to accommodate them)

• Assistive technology (screen readers and magnifiers)

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Q3: Today’s class• Summary• Using audio in UIs: when and how?• UI metaphors

(whatever we get to today)

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Today• Summary of class topics• Audio UI overview• UI metaphors

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Summary• What have you learned from this class?• What are the big ideas?

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Big ideas• Design methods• Design principles

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Design methods• User-centered design process• Research methods: interviews, affinity

diagrams, observation• Ideation: sketching, storyboarding• Prototyping• Testing

Prototype Done!User research Ideate Evaluate

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Design principles• Principles of visual design

– Grids, CARP, type rules, color theory

• Principles of interaction design– Mapping, feedback, affordance

• Accessibility / universal design

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The secret• These principles can be applied across

many domains– Designing audio– Designing physical interfaces– Designing databases– Programming– …

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Quick example• Designing for audio UIs

– What happens when we design for a device with no screen?!

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Case study: Roomba

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Applying design principles to audio feedback

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Applying design principles to audio feedback

• Contrast: major vs. minor key, tempo, volume,

• Repetition: finding dead roomba• Mapping: ascending, descending• Feedback: button press boop• Visibility: repeated light, beep• Recognition vs. recall: speech

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And finally…

Metaphors

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What’s a metaphor?Comparison between two thingsMountain of grading

Metaphors• Metaphors: Use of concepts and

properties which are already familiar to the user

• Usually interfaces that tie back to physical artifacts

• Why are they useful?

Metaphors• Why are they useful?

– Can help “jump start” user’s conceptual models

– “Instant knowledge” about how to interact with UI

– A way to introduce new technology

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Common UI metaphors?• Desktop computer• Mouse -> eats stuff, scares people, makes

holes• Inbox• Facebook

– “Like”– Poke– Send gifts, post on walls– Friends

Metaphor: Magic Cap 1994• Desktop or hallway metaphor

– Information is on paper: letters, files, drawers, roladex etc

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“Skeuomorphism”• Using visual identity

of a physical object to convey a metaphor

Microsoft Bob, 1995

http://www.telecommander.com/pics/links/application%20software/microsoft/Microsoft_Bob_1_0/Microsoft_Bob_1_0.htm

Microsoft Bob, 1995

Southwest Airlines

Examples of metaphors we see?

• Desktop• Folders• Documents• Trash can/Recycle bin• Accessories:

– Calculator– Clock– Notepad

Shallow Metaphor• Depth of the metaphor has to do with how

much of the metaphor you are capitalizing on• Shallow metaphors make use of the one

most recognizable aspects of something– Example: Search dog (XP)– Dogs are good at fetching things, so use image

of dog under search box– But dogs do other things:

• Chew newspapers eat files• Not return object to you share your search with

your friends• Other ideas?

Broken/Inappropriate Metaphor

• Not informative, may just be confusing– Example: Use a cat (cats don’t

fetch on command!)

• Why is a paper clip talking to me?

Mixed Metaphor• When two or more different metaphors coexist

– May seem related, but not actually – Can be confusing

• How do you eject a USB stick or CD in Mac OS X?– Trashcan metaphor: put items you are

done with in the trashcan– Empty trash when you are done

to delete them forever– What happens when I drag my USB stick

to the trashcan?

What about Twitter’s metaphors?

When to use metaphor?• Challenges:

– Cute vs. Functional– Shallow, mixed, or broken metaphors make

understanding metaphors more difficult– Can prematurely constrain interfaces

• But...with the right metaphor, learning interfaces can be much easier

Metaphor Guidelines• Do use metaphor sparingly, carefully, and respectfully.• Do take metaphors far enough—but don’t take them too

far.• Do make metaphors culturally appropriate.• Do make metaphors brand appropriate.• Do reinforce metaphors with visuals and media.• Do test your metaphors.

Full list of Dos and Don’ts: http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2008/10/the-magic-of-metaphor.php

Good Examples of Metaphor• Bump Top (CHI,

2006)• http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ODskdEPnQ

• Fold n’ Drop (UIST, 2004)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAWnIGo9Kro

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Activity (time permitting)• Pair up with a partner

• Find examples of good and bad metaphors on your mobile device

• Bonus: find examples of good/bad audio design

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Upcoming classes• Thursday: quiz :(• Tuesday: presentations :D

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Q2 overview• Mean 85.6• Median 88.3• Max 106.7• Min 55.0• SD 15.2

• Up slightly from Q1, but spread is larger

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