Introduction and Background
For this project you will evaluate an existing phone or computer application and develop a set of recommendations for improvement — much like a user experience researcher would do to incrementally improve a product or service.
While this project will focus on user experience evaluation, the video below provides a broader overview of user experience design, including the research and evaluation components of the domain. This will provide a good context to think about the skills needed for this project.
Recommended Reading
Examples for Documenting a Task Analysis
Below are two common ways to consider documenting a task analysis. One is tabular and the other is a diagram. No matter which method you choose it is important to capture the details of each step a person takes in completing the task. It is a good idea to go through each step and generate notes on any important features or potential problems along the way.
Usability Principles
Below is a great checklist to use when evaluating the usability of a product or service.
Student Objectives:
Conduct a task analysis of an existing computer/phone product
Complete a systematic review of the product's usability
Develop a set of recommended improvements for the product
Synthesize a report or presentation to share their findings and recommendations.
Subject Areas: Computer Science, Business, Design, Language Arts
Instructions
1. Conduct a task analysis of an existing computer/phone product
Choose a computer application (mobile or desktop) that you will evaluate for a couple tasks. Find an application that has two tasks, each requiring at least three steps.
Document a detailed step-by-step description of the tasks in a table or diagram format.
Capture screenshot images for each step.
2. Complete a systematic review of the product's usability
Review each step in your analysis and record notes on any important features or potential problems along the way.
Go through each item in the usability checklist and note any room for improvement with the tasks.
3. Develop a set of recommended improvements for the product
Based on your evaluation generate a list of improvements to consider, no matter how small or large.
Review your improvement list and identify the top two changes that would provide the most benefit. Consider the effort needed to make the change as well.
4. Synthesize a report or presentation to share their findings and recommendations.
Generate a presentation that summarizes your evaluation and the recommended improvements. Include the following elements in your report.
Title of Project and Contributors
Description of the application evaluated
Screenshots of the application
The table or diagram of the task analysis
A description (text, annotated images, or sketches) of the proposed improvements to be made.
A prompt for the audience to provide feedback on your report.
