203 CR

DESIGN FOR USABILITY 2

HEURISTIC EVALUATION

Prepared by:

Mohammad Afif Fahim Bin Hairani

Prepared for:

Ms Intan Nadiah bt Abd Hakim

Introduction

First of all, the subject is compulsory for student of year two who is study Bsc (Hons) in Multimedia Computing of Kolej Poly-Tech Mara Ipoh. The student is required to choose a website and evaluate the website also do a complete documentation regarding to Heuristic Evaluation or known as Usability Audit according to Jakob Nielsen heuristic evaluation.

Next, GeForce website has been chosen by the student and need to be evaluated according to Jakob Nielsen heuristic evaluation. After that, there are a few information about GeForce website. GeForce website is built to show the latest games that has been released followed by year. Besides, GeForce website also provide latest graphic card download for those who are using NVidia graphic cards and by downloading latest graphic driver, they could get latest updates of graphic driver. Moreover, GeForce also must be installed in the system which using the Nvidia graphic card because it provide helps and optimization for the game installed. Community and forums also available on GeForce website and it is the place whereby the users and consumers of Nvidia graphic card can give feedback also report some bugs and improvements.

A heuristic evaluation is a usability inspection method for computer software that helps to identify usability problems in the user interface (UI) design. It specifically involves evaluators examining the interface and judging its compliance with recognized usability principles (the “heuristics”). According to heuristic evaluation, the evaluator will evaluate the chosen website followed by 10 heuristic evaluation characteristic. The first heuristic evaluation is visibility of system status. The second heuristic evaluation is match between system and real world, user control and freedom, consistency and standards. Moreover, the next heuristic evaluation is helps user recognize and recover from error. Furthermore, aesthetic and minimalist design. Last but not least, help and documentation. 

1. Visibility of System Status

Visibility of system status based on Jakob Nielsen’s heuristic is “The system should always keep users informed about what’s going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time. “ (Jakob Nielsen, 1995). It means that the user could know anything happen while using the website. Usually, the website should have and give the commands or instructions to the user if the user lost or do not know to navigate around the website. The causes is the user will be able to do based on the instructions and commands given in the website.

As an example is GeForce website. If the user would like to check or download the graphic driver for their desktop or notebook product, the user could choose whether manual driver search or auto detect GPU used. Next, if the user choose option which is Auto Detect GPU, the java plug in which is used in GeForce website will check. The user could know their GPU detect by looking the progress bar which is checking the system. Once detected, the website will offer a suitable graphic driver download for the user. In addition, if the user failed in using Auto Detect GPU, the user can manually download the graphic driver by choosing Manual Driver Search. Once the user got the suitable graphic driver, the user freely download them by clicking download button. Below is the Picture 1 shows the evidence of visibility of system status heuristics applied.

Picture 1

2. Match between System and Real World

According the term of match between system and real world based on Jakob Nielsen, “The system should speak the user’s language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in natural and logical order.” (Jakob Nielsen, 1995). Most of the website developer or maker should build a website with simple design and simple language. The website must have instructions to make the user more understand during fill the form. As an example, “below fields are optional” make user know it is optional to fill the form.

Next Match between system and real world of heuristic evaluation proof can be seen in term of enter your details field. Based on instructions given in the form, the user can know which textfield can be filled according to the types such as first name, last name, address, email address and so on. Besides, the identity if website itself. The website is all about graphic driver, so the user can know the relationship between the website and graphic driver. Besides. GeForce website is well known by all the consumers through the world and the users are already familiar with website. As example of the picture below, to those user who want to subscribe news from GeForce, the user can fill the form. The picture is the example of match between system and real world. 

Picture 2

3. User Control and Freedom

In term of user control and freedom write by Jakob Nielsen, he said that “Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked “emergency exit” to leave the unwanted state without having to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.” (Jakob Nielsen, 1995). Now, the users are free without limitations to navigate around the website and explore to anywhere. Besides, the website also provide the support which are redo and undo button so that the user can go back to previous page when they do some changes at that page.

As an example which can be seen in GeForce website, the heuristic characteristic of user control and freedom is the user or website viewer is freely navigate and explore the website using the navigations and hyperlinks also hypertexts which are available in the website. User also can control anything in the website. For example, when user click the “Introducing The New GeForce GTX 980 and 970” the user is bring to another page and could read all the information in that page. Below is the picture which an example of the user control and freedom. 

Picture 3

4. Consistency and Standards

Furthermore, in term of consistency and standards, Jakob Nielsen said that “Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.” (Jakob Nielsen, 1995). Related to GeForce website, all the modules and pages of the website have same characteristics such as navigations, the picture and this situation totally could avoid the user feel confused when view the website.

This can be prove by looking at the every pages and module of GeForce website whereby the website using the same background, same position in term of navigations, colours used graphics and effects. As an example, colour used. The consistency of colour used which are light green, silver and black are make the user looks familiar with the identity of website also. Besides, the arrangements of navigations also consistent for every pages and the user can know the navigations are stay still and not moveable unless the website is under construction or maintenance.

Picture 4

5. Helps User Recognize, Diagnose and Recover from Errors

According to Jakob Nielsen in term of helps user recognize, diagnose and recover from errors means “Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution.” (Jakob Nielsen. 1995). The good website should provide or show the solution to the user if the user do any changes or mistakes during view the website. For example, a pop up message that tell the user should undo the changes toward the website.

For example in GeForce website, the heuristic characteristic helps user recognize, diagnose and recover from errors are used when the user want to check the type of graphic drivers used. GeForce website provide the Java plugin which can check the system status and graphic driver used by the user. If the user installed the Java plugin, the user will not face any pop up message that the user need to install the Java plugin. If the user is not installed any Java plugin, the user is can see the pop up message that “This site using Java plugin that is unsupported”. It means that the user should find the latest update of Java plugin and install it so that the site can check the graphic driver used through the latest update of Java plugin. Picture below shows the example of helps user recognize, diagnose and recover from errors.

Picture 5

6. Recognition than Recall

In term of Recognition than recall founded by Jakob Nielsen, “Minimize the user’s memory load by making objects, actions and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from one part of dialogue to another. Instructions for user of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate.” (Jakob Nielsen, 1995). It means that once the user view the website, the user could know the website what is all about. After that, the words that have been used for navigations also make the user more understand about the website such as Home is for homepage and so on. Some developer build the website using words and icon which make the user is easier to understand website.

For instance, the recognition than recall is applied in GeForce website. When the user see the “HOME” at navigation tabs, the user know that “HOME” will lead them to main page of GeForce. Besides, if the user want to download graphics driver, the user may know by clicking “DRIVERS” because that page provide download options for graphic driver. Furthermore, the user know the game site when they navigate to “GAMES” section. The picture below the example of recognition than recall. 

Picture 6

7. Aesthetics and Minimalist Design

Based on one of the heuristic characteristic which about aesthetics and minimalist design that have been made by Jakob Nielsen, “Dialogues should not contain information which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility.” (Jakob Nielsen, 1995). The website will be measured on how complex the user interface of website whether the website is easily used by the user. One example is the user is not confused about the website interface when they visit or view the website for the first time.

GeForce are successfully applied the heuristic characteristic which is aesthethics and minimalist design which the website is quite simple in term of design also graphics and the structure of website are not complex compared to the other websites. When user visit the Game Ready Driver under GeForce Experience, the user know that page is already about Game Ready Drivers section based on the graphics used. Below the picture shows the example of aesthetics and minimalist design used in GeForce website.

Picture 7

8. Help and Documentation

After that, in terms of help and documentation by Jakob Nielsen, “Even though it is better the system can be used without documentation, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation. Any such information should be easy to search, focused on the user’s task, list concrete steps to be carried out, and not be too large.” (Jakob Nielsen, 1995). The website should provide the manual online on how to use the website instead of information downloaded from the website. The user can know the manual online by words HELP or STEPS which hypertext that lead the user to manual. By providing that helps or manuals, the user can refer to it when they lost while using the website.

In GeForce, a little bit of instructions and helps is are provided. The website is quite easy to understand, since it provide the download options, so the website show the instructions on how to use the information downloaded. The picture below show the example of help and documentation.

Picture 8.1

Picture 8.2

Conclusion

In a conclusion, most of the websites which are built need to follow the 10 heuristics characteristics defined by Jakob Nielsen. The steps need to be taken by the website developers is to take a look at the heuristics characteristics so that the website built will be more effective, interesting and make the website user easily understand.

Reference

Jakob Nielsen http://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/heuristic-evaluation.html

NVidia GeForce website http://www.geforce.com

PERVASIVE COMPUTING

1) Pervasive computing (also called ubiquitous computing) is the growing trend towards embedding microprocessors in everyday objects so they can communicate information.

2) The words pervasive and ubiquitous mean "existing everywhere." Pervasive computing devices are completely connected and constantly available.

3) As known as Ubiquitous computing

4) Pervasive computing relies on the convergence of  wireless technologies, advanced electronics and the Internet.

5) The goal of researchers working in pervasive computing is to create smart products that communicate unobtrusively.

6) The products are connected to the Internet and the data they generate is easily available. 

7) URL: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/pervasive-computing

8) A combination of technologies is used to make pervasive computing possible, such as Internet capabilities, voice recognition, networking, artificial intelligence and wireless computing.

9) Pervasive computing also has a number of prospective applications, which range from home care and health, to geographical tracking and intelligent transport systems.

10) Disadvantages of pervasive computing include frequent line connections that are broken, slow connections, very expensive operating costs, host bandwidths that are limited in nature and location-dependent data.

11) URL: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/667/pervasive-computing

UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING

1) Mark Weiser is the father of ubiquitous computing;

2) E-zpass process URL: http://csbapp.uncw.edu/mis213/08/images/8-4-1.png

3) virtual machine URL: http://www.sc.isc.tohoku.ac.jp/~koba/vmgrid.jpg

4) ubiquitous comp URL: https://emjock.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/ubiquitous-computing.gif

5) Ubiquitous computing is roughly the opposite of virtual reality.

6) Where virtual reality puts people inside a computer-generated world, ubiquitous computing forces the computer to live out here in the world with people.

7) Virtual reality is primarily a horse power problem; ubiquitous computing is a very difficult integration of human factors, computer science, engineering, and social sciences.

8) Weiser url: http://www.ubiq.com/hypertext/weiser/UbiHome.html

9) Ubiquitous means "the state of being everywhere"

10) ubiquitous computing is best considered as the underlying framework, the embedded systems, networks and displays which are invisible and everywhere, allowing us to 'plug-and-play' devices and tools.

11) 9 and 10 url: http://www2.futurelab.org.uk/resources/publications-reports-articles/web-articles/Web-Article497

AMBIENT COMPUTING

1) Remember back around the turn of the century, when the resolution of a dinner party disagreement had to wait until everyone could return to their computers in order to Google the answer?

2) Now, of course, people just pull out their smartphones and look up the answer on the spot.

3) This is the first stage of an ideal called ambient findability: being able to find anything from anywhere at any time.

4) For this to work requires ambient connectivity, the ability to get online no matter where you are.

5) For now, this connectivity comes via our smartphones and wearables such as Google Glass, but in the future (so say the futurists) we’ll connect using voice-activated ambient interfaces that are seemingly everywhere and nowhere, glanceable ambient displays, and ambient devices that offer touch-everywhere surfaces.

6) The point of all this is to achieve two ideals:

  

   a) The first is ambient informatics, where information is always readily available.

   b) The second is ambient intelligence, a surrounding electronic infrastructure that responds to its environment, particularly the presence of people.

7) URL : http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/it/the-inescapability-of-ambient-computing

DISAPPEARING COMPUTING

1) A vision of the future is one in which our world of everyday objects and places becomes infused and augmented with information processing and exchange.

2) In this vision, the technology providing these capabilities is unobtrusively merged with real-world objects and places, so that in a sense it disappears into the background, taking on a role more similar to electricity - an invisible pervasive medium.

3) URL: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?DisappearingComputer

4) As people find more ways to incorporate these inexpensive, flexible and infinitely customisable devices into their lives, the computers themselves will gradually "disappear" into the fabric of our lives.

5) We are still a long way from a world full of disembodied intelligent machines, but the computing experience of the coming decade will be so seamless and intuitive that--increasingly--we will barely notice it.

6) URL: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ofnote/11-02worldin2003.mspx

7) The Disappearing Computer vision of the future is that computing, information processing and computers will disappear into the background, just like, for instance, electricity has done already. It's everywhere, it's useful, and we don't have to think much about it.

8) URL: http://www.i3net.org/ser_pub/services/dc/

ANAYLYSE THE SIMILAR AND DIFFERENCES

1) The similarities of Pervasive Computing and Ubiquitious Computing

   a) Between pervasive computing and ubiquitous computing, there are similarities which are the embedded systems,  networks and displays which are invisible and everywhere, allowing us to 'plug-and-play' devices and tools.

   b) Easily available and anywhere which mean Pervasive computing and Ubiquitous computing enable us human in the world using the devices which are wireless. Besides, ubiquitous means "existing everywhere" and we should know that all  devices in either pervasive computing or ubiquitous computing enable us to communicate unobtrusively.

2) The differences between Disappearing Computing and Pervasive Computing.

   a) Disappearing computing is involves integrating computers into our everyday lives without us realising that we are  using a computer. It means, disappearing computing made us not to think much about it also kind a computing which existed already. Apart from that, Ubiquitous computing is the type of computing which focuses more on computers surrounding everyone.