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Lecture #1 INTRODUCTION

Lecture #1 INTRODUCTION. *39TUR Winter 201 3 /201 4 Testování uživatelsk ých rozhraní Adam J. Sporka. INTRODUCTION. Motivation. User Interface The part of a system (software, machine, device, …) that enables the user to control this system User carries a task through this interface

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Lecture #1 INTRODUCTION

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  1. Lecture #1INTRODUCTION *39TUR Winter 2013/2014 Testování uživatelských rozhraní Adam J. Sporka

  2. INTRODUCTION

  3. Motivation • User Interface • The part of a system (software, machine, device, …)that enables the user to control this system • User carries a task through this interface • A user interface must not: • disable or obstruct the purpose of the system • make users feel frustrated or stupid • Why all this? • Are not software engineers and developers skilled enough to make software that works AND is easy to use?

  4. http://xkcd.com/773/

  5. Motivation • User Interface Testing • Verifying that real users can use the system • Identification of problems that prevent real users from using the system • “What good is a phone call if you’re unable to speak.” • Verifying that the system reflects the user’s needs • Understanding how the real users (will) interact with the system • … and whether they will

  6. Humanists and Mechanists • C. P. Snow (1959) The Two Cultures • Two “camps” in the Western Civilization: • Humanists • Artists • Social scientists • Study the humans, praising humans • Having unrealistic trust in humans’ abilities • No interest in technology • Mechanists • Physicists, computer scientists, engineers, … • Study the technology, praising technology • Having unrealistic trust in performance of the technology • No interest in human, in her natural conditions • “Human is also some kind of a machine”

  7. Humanistsand Mechanists • Split apart: “They can’t talk to each other.” • Situation: • They do not perceive the world as a combination of people AND technology • No perception of the interaction between the people and the technology • Clash: • Humanists have no clue how technology works • Mechanists have no clue how the human works • “Somebody Else’s Problem” • Douglas Addams • Little understanding of what happens in between

  8. “In Technology We Trust” • London, 26 October 1992 • Situation • Automated emergency response telephone service • No assumption of duplicate messages • System overloaded, units dispatched late • 30~45 people died • Cause • Trust in technology with lives of people • No load testing, 81 known software issues, no contingency plan • Limited knowledge of how people call for help • Limited knowledge of how other people respond to these calls • Kim Vincente (2004) The Human Factor • http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/10/1026london-ambulance-computer-meltdown/

  9. “In Human We Trust” • 80-hr working week for the US medical doctors • Trust in super-human abilities

  10. Paradigm Shift – 1980s, 1990s • “It’s always users’ fault.” • Machines considered more expensive than people. • “The problem is between the chair and the screen.” • “Read The F***ing Manual.” "Always be wary of any helpful item that weighsless than its operating manual." – Terry Pratchett (Jingo)

  11. Paradigm Shift – 2000s, 2010s • “Nobody reads manuals!” • People are finally valued more than machines. • Time people spend with devices • People’s emotional state • “Systems should be self-explaining.” • “Don’t make me think.” • User-centered Design (UCD)

  12. Motivation • Courses in informatics so far: • How to create applications that perform function • Given inputs, produce outputs • Little care about the users • Technology viewpoint • The TUR course: • The applications are used by real users • How to detect that users will not be able to use the application by the authors’ expectations? • How to detect problems and how to provide a feedback to the authors?  User Testing • How to report problems in a trustworthy way?

  13. Motivation • It’s not code testing • Unit tests • Quality assurance, etc. • It’s not code debugging • We identify the problems of usability • We provide suggestions at the level of design, not implementation • It’s not performance tests • (at least most of the time)

  14. Motivation • When to test? • Don’t test the obvious • Well-placed test may show counterintuitive findings

  15. Examples of Obviously Bad Design

  16. Examples of Obviously Bad Design

  17. Examples of Obviously Bad Design

  18. Why test? These were things that were obviously wrong. The problems could be prevented at the design stageprovided that good practices. But are problems always this obvious? Sometimes even apparently good designs fail

  19. USA Presidential Elections 2000 • Palm Beach County's butterfly ballots

  20. USA Presidential Elections 2000 • The arrows clearly indicate the candidates • What can go wrong then?

  21. TUR 2010

  22. USA Presidential Elections 2000

  23. USA Presidential Elections 2000 • Pat Buchanan received more votes • 0.29 % … state-wide average • 0.8 % … Palm Beach County • Likely explanation: (when rejecting various conspiracy theories) • User interface problem • People who intended to vote for Al Gore actually voted for Pat Buchanan

  24. TUR: THE COURSE

  25. Lectures Theoretical lectures Introduction Background 3 Guest lectures Usability testing in the lab

  26. Seminars Devoted almost entirely to the semester project regular seminars lab work homework / consultations Assignments Task A: Cognitive Walkthrough(1 person per assignment) Task B: A simple quantitative study Task C: Test in the usability lab (4 people per assignment)

  27. Examination • A combination of theoretical questions and practical problems • Written preparation • Oral exam • 2 or 3 dates of exams

  28. Scoring • Semester projects: Up to 50 points • Exam: Up to 50 points • Some fundamental questions are “mandatory non-zero” • Some bonus points along the way • Activity in the class

  29. Follow-up Courses • Bachelor program: • PDA … mobile devices • Master program: • NUR … User Interface Design (Návrh uživatelského rozhraní) • PSY … Psychology of User Interfaces

  30. HUMAN—COMPUTER INTERACTION

  31. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) • “A science and an art of how not make the user angry while using technology”

  32. Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of the interactive systems from the perspective of use by the human. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Humans Design Tasks Technology

  33. A. Holzinger, TU Graz

  34. You will create real systems … used by real people User interface takes majority of the source code Over 50% (Some authors report as much as 80%) More than 50% of the implementation efforts go to the UI Risks of the bad UI Financial (your product won’t sell) Lives (air or factory disasters, …) Successful UI requires Good knowledge of the human’s abilities Good knowledge of the principles of the UI design Why study the HCI?

  35. Simplicity of learning to use the system To learn to use a similar system faster Recall To remember the way from one situation to another Efficiency To carry out the task quickly and efficiently Minimum amount of errors If encountered, inform the users on the cause and an advice how to proceed Satisfaction of the user The users is convinced that the task has been successfully achieved Usability (Nielsen, 1984)

  36. Usability Socialacceptability Utility Usefulness System acceptability Easy to learn Usability Efficient to use Cost Easy to remember Practical acceptability Compatibility Few errors Reliability Subjectively pleasing Etc. Source: Jacob Nielsen, Usability Engineering

  37. Usability Simplicity of learning to use the system System can be learned easily and fast Memorability = Recall (Easy to remember) Whether the user is able to use the system after a longer time Efficiency Once the user learned how to use the system, the system will be fast to use To carry out the task quickly and efficiently

  38. Usability Minimum amount of errors Preventing users from making errors If encountered, inform the users on the cause and give an advice Satisfaction of the user Subjectively pleasing The users is convinced that the task has been successfully achieved

  39. Design Implementation Evaluation UI Design Cycle

  40. Design “Every-day psychology” User-centered design: Understanding users and their needs Task-centered design: The execution of the task should not be split in multiple UIs Evaluation Rapid prototyping UI evaluation in cooperation with the users Qualitative Quantitative Implementation Techniques of informatics Phases of the UI Development

  41. Usability Testing Verifying that a product is usable We need some structure / framework We need metrics So that testers and designers of the UI can discuss the results So that the results of the test can be trusted Human behavior and actions are complex Difficult to analyze Individual differences Need for objective measurements Qualitative Quantitative

  42. Usability Test is an Experiment • Defined hypotheses / research questions • Defined conditions • Many kinds of usability tests • First impression tests • Migration of experienced users • … • Many possible objects of the usability tests

  43. Contexts of Evaluation (1) Design Testing in order to provide feedback to the designers and developers Purpose: Gain feedback for design (2) Product assessment Does a product fit the user’s needs? Purpose: “To buy or not to buy?” Product comparison Purpose: “Which model is better for us?”

  44. Objects of usability testing • Software tools • “Will people accomplish the tasks for which the tools are created?” • Web pages • “Will people find the information that needs to be presented?” • Hardware devices • “Can people use the device in the physical conditions for which it has been created?”

  45. Objects of usability testing • Non-IT objects • “Can people use their common sense to find out how to open / close the door / bottle / …” • (Public) Services • “Is the process of obtaining OpenCard reasonable and sensible?” • Buildings • “Can people navigate easily? Can people safely escape the building during an emergency?”

  46. Software products • “Is the software easy for the user to install?” • “Is the software suitable for the task?” • “Is the software easy to use?” • “Does the software recover from errors?” • “Does the user understand the underlying processes?” • etc. http://mike-austin.com/blog/uploaded_images/badui2-747337.jpg

  47. Web pages • “Will visitors understand what the web page contains?” • “Are visitors able to navigate?” • “Are visitors able to perform an on-line purchase?” • etc.

  48. Hardware devices • “Does a need to conserve electric power affect the user experience?” • “Can the telephone be used by a snowboarder wearing gloves?” • “Can the GPS be operated safely while driving?” • “Do I get the changeback?”

  49. Non-IT Objects • E.g.: Italian IC/EC trains – the emergency brake handle is too close to the luggage holder • Similar examples athttp://www.baddesigns.com

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