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- consistency - we tried to make every page as similar as possible so once a desk worker learns how to use the packages page, they know how to use all the pages (based on findings from paper prototyping)
- simplicity/minimalist design - we eliminated unnecessary information and text (in tables and on buttons). Only pertinent information is displayed on each page. (based on findings from paper prototyping)
- lots of whitespace
- text labels on buttons - we initially removed most text from buttons, but we added it back to increase learnability. (based on findings from the heuristic evaluation and user testing).
- notes page - we chose to add the notes page because when we tested actual dorm desk workers, the most common complaint was the inability to handle abnormal situations that would require writing a special note and leaving it somewhere for other desk workers to find. (based on findings from paper prototyping)
- check in/out buttons for items - we initially used red x's and checks to indicate the status of an item as checked in or out, but we switched to using two separate buttons labeled "check in" and "check out" (based on findings from the heuristic evaluation)
- editable fields - initially we made package and item entries uneditable, but we added editing capabilities and full CRUD support (based on findings from paper prototyping)
- notes are only editable by author - we disallowed desk workers to edit notes they did not create (based on findings from user testing)
Design Alternatives
- more informative tables - we considered including a lot more information for each package or item like the desk worker that added it/checked it in, the time it was checked in, the last person who checked out an item, etc. But we chose simplicity and whitespace over overly informative tables. (based on findings from paper prototyping, heuristic evaluation, and user testing)
- sticky notes - we considered making the notes page contain more realistic sticky notes (like the sticky note feature on Windows), but decided against this idea in favor of the ability to sort and filter notes
- sticky notes - we considered allowing users to add sticky notes to any page on the site instead of having a separate notes page. However, we decided against this idea because it's simpler for users to only have to look in one place to see all the notes
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Implementation
Describe the internals of your implementation, but keep the discussion on a high level. Discuss important design decisions you made in the implementation. Also discuss how implementation problems may have affected the usability of your interface.
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