CSC151.01 2006S, Class 43: World Usability Day

Admin:
* Due: HW14.
* Assigned: HW15 (Selection Sort).
* Reading for Wednesday: Merge Sort.
* Dr. Davis teaches today.
* EC: In the midst of making, Tuesday November 14, 
  The Dance Studio (BCA 181), 4:30-6:15 pm.
* Sam's fun day: 8:00 a.m. meeting, 8:30 a.m. meeting, 10:00 interview,
  11:00 class, noon meeting, 1:15 meeting, 2:15 office hours, 3:30 kids.

Overview:
* Usability, introduced.
* Lab/Study.
* Reflection.

/Human Computer Interaction/

* Study of how humans and computers interact
* Two general approaches:
  * Scientific (often like Psychology)
    * How do people interact with computers
    * How long does it take to move the mouse from A to B
  * Design (better?)
* Segmenting design (to make it better)
  * Useful
  * Fun
  * Enhance values (privacy, democracy)
  * Usability
* Five key ideas in usability
  * Efficiency: How fast can we complete tasks?
  * Learnability: How easy is it to figure out?
  * Memorizability
  * Errors
  * Satisfaction: I can't get no
* You are too uninformed to rely on the theoretical literature,
  so you get to do an empirical evaluation
* We do USABILITY TESTING
  * Timed tasks - Measure efficiency
    * Done last so that people have mastered device a bit
  * Think-aloud
    * Satisfaction
    * Learnability
    * Errors - "Damn, this sucks, I can't believe I just made it
      do that."

/Reflection/

* In what different contexts do people use alarm clocks? Are different 
  aspects of usability important in those contexts?
  * First time you use it: Set the time
    * Concerns: Learnability and errors (maybe satisfaction,
      since you might return it, even though they won't take
      it back).
    * Updating at Daylight savings time or when there's a power
      failure.  Efficiency can be a concern.  But memorability
      is also a factor.
    * "I don't have class for 45 minutes.   I can take a nap."
    * "Sam told me not to spend more than 2 hours on this homework,
       so I want the alarm to go off."
    * "If I don't wake up for Strauber's exam tomorrow, I'll fail
       out of Grinnell."  If it fails to work correctly, the
       consequences are big.
      * Example: Hotel rooms.
      * Solution: Wake-up calls.  Anyone who suggests such a solution
        has not tried using wake-up calls in the typical hotel.

* Have you encountered usability problems in your own everyday 
  use of alarm clocks?

* Which clock did you find the most usable? Least usable? Why?

* Which clock do you think was the most expensive?  Least expensive?
  * $25.00 for the cool-looking LCD clock.
  * But it was a PITA to use.  (Don't bring it to India, Maggie.)
    * Needed instruction manual.

* What was the most difficult aspect of playing each role? The most 
  rewarding aspect?

* Should we use this exercise in CSC 151 again?  When?

* Is Sam a usable typist?  Why not?

Moral: Realize that good usability is important, and you should
sue the people who refuse to make usable stuff, or at least return
and complain.