Assignment 06 | usability inspection of a design developed by one of your classmates

Design and Implementation of an Interface Prototype

This series of assignments involves designing a prototype of an interface for an information system and developing a description of that interface.

The design process involves six components

  1. identifying and describing the intended users of the system | due on 29 Jan | worth 10%
  2. identifying and describing the essence of the task to be supported by the system | due on 26 Feb | worth 20%
  3. making justifiable decisions about the design | due on 24 Mar | worth 20%
  4. graphical overview of the system and a prototype of the interface | due on 07 Apr| worth 20%
  5. usability inspection of a design developed by one of your classmates | due on 16 Apr | worth 10%
  6. a thoughtful response to that inspection | due on 02 May | worth 10%

The next phase of the assignment is for you, as a designer, to respond to the evaluation of your design.

As the designer, consider each of the five major points made in the evaluation.

  • If the point describes a strength of the design, comment on whether you will need to compromise other aspects of the design to maintain the noted strength.
  • If the point describes a weakness or problem, comment on some alternative design options and whether you would implement them.

Your response will be stronger if you draw on relevant principles of design, specific guidelines, or research findings published in the literature.

This assignment will be evaluated based on the selection of topics/points evaluated (i.e., whether they were the most important strengths/weaknesses of the design), the use of appropriate literature in discussing the strengths/weaknesses and how the weaknesses might be minimized, the reasoning used in discussing the strengths/weaknesses and how the weaknesses might be minimized, and the constructiveness of the tone used in providing criticism. In addition, the quality of the designer's response will be evaluated in terms of its use of appropriate literature/evidence, reasoning, and tone.

This task is due by 1100 hours on Friday, 02 May 2014. An electronic version of your comments should be provided to the prototype designer on or before that day.

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