10/17/01
Agenda
Intros
Warm-ups
Show n-tell
In-class rapid redesign: last weeks/this week’s readings
Break!
Announcements/biz
Internship mtg.times
Panfora by Jim
IDEO visit: carpool coordinator to be e-mailing class
Design dilemmas?
Project 2 (Dan)
Intros: name and favorite edtech toy
Swan publishing: write novels and mold own heroes, can add educational content
Review of last week (see last weeks notes!)
How did we feel about last week’s readings?
Caroll reading was tough. Language was complicated, concepts complicated. Method is useful and widely used but writing was too complex. A textbook is to be published Oct 22nd by Rosson and Caroll on scenario based design AND it is much easier to read.
Redesign project:
The task: in small groups brainstorm on the design of a traveler’s translator ‘thing’. One person will be designated to move to new group. The group will then present design to newcomer and newcomer will ask ‘what if’ questions. The group can commit to new idea. Map out a design process.
Return to large group: What would your design process be based on last week’s reading? Return to small groups and flush out ideas based on this week’s readings. Think about how the tool will help people learn a new language or culture.
How does the design evolve from user-centered design to learner-centered design?
Design 1:
Form: Flip cell phone- (so wouldn’t feel stupid standing in street), touch screen to write on, input characters, antenna is the pen, male and female voices, speech recognition, talk back feature,
Features: everyday phrases, culture etiquette, scaffolding- accept a close pronunciation and then expect accurate pronunciation (learner centered).
Scenario based process:
- Task analysis to build scenarios: where to be used, empirical data collection (travel to sites)
- Build artifact based on task analysis
- Claims analysis: questions to generate claims
- Iterate
- Sell, sell, sell!
Does this process involve/interact with users? Important point that users are not part of scenario based design.
How do you do a claims analysis without a user? Use scientific theory to justify claims. Need to state trade offs, this is how you determine redesign.
Design Team 2:
Form: Pashka! Talking puppet, hand held, screen will be on the stomach, Internet connection, cartridges that provide country specific information, male and female voices, characters, outfits.
Features: everyday phrases, translations, voice recognition, speech and text presentation of language, cultural etiquette, and travel information on sights.
Participatory design process:
- Design studies: choose 12 travel agents to survey and interview, gather input, research market, travel books, language tapes, define the user (business or leisure). Hire 2 travelers to be part of design team.
- Build Prototype: puppet team, web team, database/input team
- User testing: multiple perspectives, involve both natives and travelers
- Iterative
What audience are you designing for? Will adults actually walk around with this puppet? Two audiences: business and leisure travelers. Puppets will change appearance to suit.
One idea for implementation: taxi cab: puppet will be in taxi and you can use it to help upon arrival in foreign country.
User centered v. learner centered: design tried to address both- puppet will require that the user repeat phrases before continuing to perform.
How would you select users to participate in design? Select large number of travelers and travel agents and then narrow participants.
Design team 3:
Cutting corners design:
The group recognized that they’re a lot of existing tactile tools around. Referenced past handheld scanning device.
Idea #1: Handheld scanner that can scan newspaper articles or menus. An audio component will be included to speak words and phrases.
Idea #2: Phone idea- call into data center that instantly responds with an answer.
Features: language phrases, issues that are useful. Maps, cultural information, iconography.
Cutting corners process- basically trying to determine what is most important first. Start with dictionaries… With iterations, expand on ideas. Add speech capture function to switch from user centered to learner-centered perspective.
Did you have any thoughts on how to mock quickly to cut corners? Determine what is most important early on. Then, begin to build out. Choose the most important features that you really want to highlight.
Design team 4:
Informant design process:
Form: Speech to text to speech device, palm pilot, form factor to be evaluated and designed with informant help, sociologist and anthropologists on team. Translation device for basic interaction not for high-end business.
Features: Speech to text feature to make sure translation is accurate. Potential GPS system, know where you are, read signs, menus.
Process:
Define Domain and Problems: Narrow market/audience to business travelers to U.S. or Japan. Will fill need, these people willing to pay for such device.
ID team members or informants. This process recognizes that it is important to use gatekeepers in design process: local or native informants: concierges, taxi drivers, gatekeepers and specialists like linguists, cultural sociologists.
Design team: instructional designers, network administration,
After defining problem and team, role-play scenarios with various informants to inform design, travel with them, id user profiles.
Then, begin prototyping. Advocate low-tech prototypes, this is an organic process, respect informants but not equal to designers.
Computer based prototypes- emulate prototypes.
This process forces you to think of informants and design team.
Thoughts from Deb:
Give it a name! Always make up a name for tool/product in design process. A name helps users conceptualize and is essential when presenting an idea for a product.
User testing: sketches are essential. Always have sketches ready for your users! Gives them something tangible. Describe couple of features and allow your user to explore and brainstorm use of product. It is ideal to not give too much information to user. Allow user to bombard with questions and possible features. Now what?
Remember: ideas are cheap. Brainstorm really fast. Always be able to throw out ideas!
Project 2: DAN!
Tasks to accomplish tonight:
- Clearly define the mission or goal of this project. We are both the users and designers.
- Skeleton framework for the project
- What parts of the project you would like to be involved in
Important point: end site is not going to involve flashy graphics, animations.
Brainstorm to reach goal #1:
- I would use this website to avoid design mistakes and learn from others’ advice.
- The goal of this project should be to get access to the field of experts and inspire aid for Master Projects.
- People outside of our program should get from our site: an understanding of the contributions of Stanford LDT students and understanding of the program connections between industry and community.
- We can make this project fun by including jokes. To clarify, jokes during the process, not necessarily in the finished product.
Mission statement is built around these three concepts. Dan to refine mission statement and post to panfora.
Skeleton Framework: how we envision the roles involved
Do we have a metaphor for this? Magazine, book, should we have a metaphor that works into this concept?
Dan’s thoughts: we have a design category, content category, end users category. Small team to act as users, they come up with scenarios, act as outsiders, research on other users.
To help with retention include graphical representation.
One thought: not good to separate roles b/c we are both designers and content specialists. Can we have a blended holistic approach? Implications: take different pages that work around that section. Groups around themes rather than design and content. Could be design themes: we can all participate from beginning to end on various themes.
Look at design approaches we have learned so far and decide collectively which approaches we want to use. Which are appropriate?
Perhaps small groups based around each method. Allow for learning and then articulate challenges, process to large group.
Why are we interviewing these designers? Perhaps divide groups and material based on these thoughts.
Project groups are organized around design method (6 methods: groups of 2-3 who will be responsible for presenting information on design method, share experience of using this method)
The six methods:
- participatory design
- informant design
- scenario based
- reflective
- cutting corners/prototyping
- learner-centered
(Include design rational, visibility)
Project groups organized by findings from interviews.
Project groups organized by design, content, user tasks.
Idea: click on inspiration and see highlights on unique thoughts. Synthesize!
Idea: top ten things to avoid- cuts across all methods and interviews.
We need some sort of inventory of what already exists. Within inventory are our individual interviews, last years website, class notes…
Idea: skins for website- user can choose preferences for website. Does this mean creating 4 interface designs?
To do for next Wednesday:
- Graphical representation of a brainstorm: what splash page should look like, metaphor? and organizational framework
- Be thinking about design methods about which you want to be a part of. Come with 3 choices.
- Review existing site and think about what already exists, provide feedback-pros/cons.
- Respond to mission statement.