Page History

...

Our scenario covers the basic usage of the application, including creating classes and assignments using the web interface and completing an assignment using the mobile interface. The tasks presented to the our users arewere:

1. Go add 6.813 to your schedule. The assignments are: PS1 on the 11th, PS2 on the 16th, and GR1 on the 26th. Make it public so others can use your feed.
2. Your 6.005 TA told you that he created a feed for all of the 6.005 assignments. Find and add his feed.
3. You finished PS1 for 6.813---go and mark it as completed.
4.  You You decide to add a personal assignment, "Reading: Learning Java," to 6.813. Go add it to your schedule for the 13th.
5. Later, when away from your computer, you finish the Java reading. Go on your phone and mark it as completed.

Observations

Summarized Observations - Iteration 1

...

• Having new calendars appear as-they-need-them on the "new class page" confuses people (they have to pause and understand what it is)
• Assignments on the phone are too small – even with the large prototype, users are mis-touching
• While there are multiple ways of adding new assignments (clicking on a date square or on the class list on the right) users don't know this – they just have to guess
• Consistency among the interfaces is good – the second time users see the calendar view, they understand how to use it
• We don't have any method of notifying users when they make an error (such as missing a section on the new class form)
• People seem to read the error messages (this might change with a computer prototype)
• Lack of enter can be confusing on auto-updating fields – this needs to be a quick change
• We definitely need to be crossing out assignments (not removing them)
• On your calendar, make a distinction between public and private events (user suggested color, icons would also work)
• We need to be consistent with our wording (Find vs. Search vs. Create)
• While color is useful, some users had trouble finding which "PS1" assignment they were supposed to remove.

Summarized Observations - Iteration 2

...

• Even though the mobile metaphor is slightly different now, users don't have any trouble using it
• Adding plus buttons on every element that can add new assignments might clutter it a bit, but it really helps the users learn the interface
• Making users explicitly add further assignments on the creation page is fine and less confusing
• All calendars need to have dates on them
• Some confusion between "Name" referring to assignments instead of class. On the creation page, name should be closer to the text box it represents
• One of the slowest tasks has consistently been the selection of 6.005 from the search list. We should make sure that the font for title of the class is larger than the rest of the search result.
• Having both a "search" and "add a class" buttons seems to be fine. Maybe search could also search through all of your assignments.
• Finding the correct assignment to complete is much faster with the addition of class name.
• Some would really like to be able to add it to an external calendar. (useful feature, but might hurt the push capabilities that make this useful)
• Plus button next to class works really well, communicates it's action.
• One user tried to add an assignment without adding any classes first. They didn't have a good grasp of our model, and we might want to highlight or bring notice to the "Add class" button if this happens.

Raw Observations - Iteration 1

...

	User 1	User 2	User3
Task 1	-no confusion between find and search -was slightly confused by lack of enter -assumed that it was already searching for the feed (what we wanted) -got that name was for the name of the assignment in creation -tried to hit save while typing in the first date -though the second calendar was for the end date, not for a second assignment -confusing, needs some feedback -hit save after every calendar -didn't know what to hit when he was really done -color to symbolize public?	-no confusion between find and search -no problem clicking create new feed -slight hesitation on calendar -new cal is distracting in real life -didn't create all the events (users aren't expecting it to be a multi-assignment creation screen) -clicked on 6.813 to add the extra assignments	-added right away -got that he should type the name in -paused before hitting create a new assignment -got the multi-add model that we're using for create assignments -always causes some pause when a new assignment comes up -didn't mark it public private, should have some sort of warning
Task 2	-clicked add to do the search. search needed? -clicked on the right class -slightly confused by the second result	-clicked on the right feed quickly -no confusion	-pause at find that class, then hit add new class -clicked on the right class after slight pause
Task 3	-clicked on the task to complete it right away -pop up posed no problem	-clicked on the wrong class (6.005 instead of 6.813) -read the alert warning	-properly clicked on ps1 to mark it as completed -read the alert message
Task  4	-slightly confused on how to add an assignment / task to a class -tried clicking on class, can get generic assignment box -wanted class pre-filled in -personal vs private verbiage?	-clicked on the date that he wanted the assignment due -marked it private properly -saved, appeared on cal	-quickly clicked on 6813 to add an assignment -got conversion from personal to private assignment -useful to have name pre-populated
Task 5	-basically do the same thing as task 4 -same feedback	-clicked on the right thing -paid attention to the name of the completed assignment	-clicked on assignment to mark it as complete -even with the big phone, probably clicked on the wrong assignment
Feedback	n/a	-wouldn't want the assignment to go away, wanted a checkmark / cross out -similar to google task?	-pretty intuitive

Raw Observations - Iteration 2

...

	User 3	User 4	User 5
Task 1	-found add button quickly -search results will need to be quick -got "create a new" quickly -got cal metaphor on new page -clicked plus button to add assignment -much less confusion than the add as you type version	-got right button instantly -removing or seems to work better -pausing before entering any information -got correct filed values -pause on cal -really needs dates on it -hit plus button correctly, less confusion than the add as you go version	-searching for add button -tried hitting the plus button when there were no classes yet -isn't seeing the search / add new class on the right-hand side -now sees the add new classes button -maybe highlight the add new classes in this case -types, hit enter -pausing before hitting create new feed -should get rid of that extra click -added as public -filled out 6.813 as the date of the assignment -confusion at lack of dates -trying to add all of the assignments on one calendar -isn't seeing the plus button -keeps typing in name of the class for name of the assignment -now goes back and gets the name of the class vs name of the assignment -happened when the second calendar appeared -saved properly
Task 2	-hit search button instead of add button -used it as normal -slight hesitation before selecting 6.005 - maybe the title should be larger	-went to add a new class to find the new feed -filled in -pausing at the search results, takes a moment to select the right field	-isn't really sure how to find an existing feed -leaning in on search -clicks on search -types name in properly -pause before clicking on right cal -got it after ~3 seconds
Task 3	-clicked on the assignment right away -read, clicked on yes	-selected task appropriately -hit yes, "awesome" -little hesitation throughout this task	-clicks on the assignment -pop up, hesitated longer than usual -we should have an undo button on the completion popup
Task 4	-hesitated, then selected the plus button to add a new assignment -tried to scroll through class selection widget -marked private correctly	-clicked on the plus button next to the name of the class instead of the plus buttons on the date -little hesitation in filling out the form -cal with dates works much better	-pause on figuring out how to add the assignment -clicks on the name of the assignment instead of the plus button next to it -now gets what name signifies (i.e. name of the assignment not name of the class) -cal interface also making sense now
Task 5	-selected the assignment -got the alert box interaction again	-little slow, color would be useful -alert box went quickly -liked the quick confirm popup	-pausing before hitting anything -clicks on assignment, clicks yes
Feedback	-asked if old assignments will be removed or crossed out -got the search / add new classes duality -what happens with multiple people's feeds for the same class	-plus button on the date instead of the class -likes the consistency -asked about finding by course number instead of number -self explanatory -can add it to google cal? -downloadable version	-confusion between search and add a class -didn't really get that both would work -didn't know what the plus sign next to days / classes would do

...