Analysis Paper

The Analysis Paper applies two different measures to the interface for some part of a software application with which you are reasonably familiar: a GOMS analysis and a heuristic analysis. Based on both measures, it will then offer TWO distinct redesigns of the interface that will improve the efficiency, effectiveness, learnability, and/or user-satisfaction with that interface.

To see an example of a task and the software that supports it, take a look at the sample interface and the start of the GOMS analysis I have posted.

Remember that you need to keep the task clearly defined and pretty small. Otherswise you will be overwhelmed when you try to analyze the whole thing.

In the example, the task is approving the time reports of six faculty in the School of Information Arts and Technologies. The task is supported (in a manner of speaking) by PeopleSoft HR software.

A heuristic analysis is carried out by applying a set of questions and/or known principles to a given interface. You should use the various principles you have encountered in Raskin and in Shneiderman and Plaisant to determine the questions and/or principles you need to apply to the piece of the software you are working with.

Based on your GOMS and heursitic analysis, you will then need to construct two alternative interfaces for the task you are working with, using any form of representation you are comfortable with: photoshop or illustrator or flash are all reasonable choices for depicting an interface. Although the interfaces do not need to be "functional" in any way (in my sample, a click anywhere on the image will take you to the next screen), you will need to describe or in some other way indicate what gestures (to use Raskin's terms) the user needs to make to work through your interfaces. You should use your redesigns as a way to explore the trade-offs between a highly efficient interface and one that is easier to understand or learn, more pleasant to use, and so on.

The following steps will guide your work on your analysis paper:

1. Define a task (or a small cluster of tasks) in a familiar application like a word processor, image or animation tool, spreadsheet.
2. Document the steps the application requires to accomplish the task - screen shots help in this phase a great deal.
3. Using the concepts from Raskin, from Shneiderman and Plaisant, and from any ACM readings that you find applicable (e.g., locus of attention, short term memory, cognitive consciousness, usability, efficiency, pleasure), undertake a "heuristic" analysis of the interface - that is, assess it by applying known principles to its elements.
4. Undertake a GOMS analysis of the segment of the interface you think is the weakest. If it is a complicated task or interface, you need to focus your analysis on an appropriate segment.
5. Propose at least two alternatives to the current interface and discuss how each of your alternatives addresses the problems you have articulated in your heuristic analysis and your GOMS analysis.

Please send me and each other email if you have questions about the assignment and need clarification.