Project #1 – Create an interface for a product then conduct a user study that compares mouse vs. keyboard performance on some task

Webpage due: Wednesday, January 27^th, 2010 (1:55 PM – before class)

Final report due: Monday, February 1^st, 2010 (2 PM – before class)

Objectives:

Let's assume your company wants to make a new software product. Your job is to design the graphical user interface (GUI) and evaluate performance using two interfaces.

Undergraduate students:

The company is building software to combine the following items into one item:

1. Your computer’s CD player (include at least: Previous Track, Rewind, Play, Pause, Fast Forward, Next Track, Stop)

2. Alarm clock (the alarm can make an alarm melody or turn on CD) (include at least: Alarm Off/On, Change Hour, Change Minute)

• Create a webpage that has the interface embedded (we will give a demonstration of NetBeans IDE on Wednesday 1/13)
• Create 2 task lists of equivalent difficulty for the user to do. Each task list should have the participant do ten unique tasks (e.g. set the alarm to 11:59 PM, click play on the CD player, etc.)
• Allow participants to practice with the interface before starting the study (and seeing the first task list).
• For each trial, the participant will execute one task list using either a keyboard or mouse.
• Metrics: time for tasks and post-experience form questionnaire for ease of use, satisfaction, and how to improve the design.
• Each participant will do one keyboard and one mouse trial each using a different task list.
• When the participant completes the task, provide the final time and a button for them to email you their results (make sure their name is included).

Graduate students:

The company is building software to combine the following items into one item:

1. Your computer’s CD player (include at least: Previous Track, Rewind, Play, Pause, Fast Forward, Next Track, Stop, Volume +, Volume -)

2. Your computer’s AM-FM radio (assume a built in radio receiver. Include at least: Seek +, Seek -, Tune +, Tune -, Volume +, Volume -, Presets 1-6, Set Preset 1-6).

3. Alarm clock (the alarm can make an alarm melody or turn on CD) (include at least: Alarm Off/On, Change Hour, Change Minute)

• Create a webpage that has the interface embedded (we will give a demonstration of NetBeans IDE on Wednesday 1/13)
• Create 6 task lists of equivalent difficulty for the user to do. Each task list should have the participant do ten unique tasks (e.g. set the alarm to 11:59 PM, click play on the CD player, etc.)
• Allow participants to practice with the interface before starting the study (and seeing the first task list).
• For each trial, the participant will execute one task list using either a keyboard or mouse.
• Metrics: time for tasks, user error, and post-experience form questionnaire for ease of use, satisfaction, and how to improve the design.
• Each participant will do three keyboard and three mouse trials each using a different task list.
• When the participant completes all task lists, provide a button for them to email you their results (make sure their name is included).

* Your interface should provide the basic and normal functions of each component of the product. (For example, play, rewind, fast forward, stop and record would be some basic functions for the cassette player.)

By Wednesday, January 27^th, 2010 (1:55 PM), email the TA (only) Shayan Javed <sjaved@cise.ufl.edu> the link to your webpage. You will get an email at midnight with links to everyone else’s webpages. You will have 2 days to go through and conduct everyone else’s task. If you are LATE, you will be docked 10 points from your project grade per day late and are not guaranteed you’ll have enough users of your webpage.

By Monday, February 1^st (1:55 PM) email the TA (only) your report.

Report – maximum 2 pages, single space, Times New Roman/Arial, 12 pt font, 1 inch margins. (not adhering = -10 points)

• Conduct Study appropriately – 10 points
• State Hypothesis and NULL hypothesis – 5 points
• State metrics – 5 points
• Data analysis – 20 points
1. Means, standard deviations, t-values, p-values for each metric -10 points
2. Reject/accept null hypothesis and hypothesis – 5 points
3. Explain what the data analysis means – 5 points
• Conclusions – 15 points
1. How would you improve the study? – 5 points
2. Discuss bias/confounds – 5 points
3. What should developers take away from your task (what should people learn from your study)? – 5 points
• Graphs are to be on page 3 – 5 points
1. Compare mouse vs. keyboard (all metrics)
2. Plot learning effects (multiple trials impact on time).

Other Grading

Interface

Completeness of device interface – 20 points

Appropriateness of tasks – 5 points

Properly track time and errors – 5 points

Participate in everyone else’s tasks – 10 points