Evaluation of an Interactive Device : Microsoft Surface RT
- 1. BY DAVID SAMPAH (P12216230) EVALUATION OF MICROSOFT SURFACE RT TABLET
- 2. Surface is a first generation new tablet device designed my Microsoft to compete with Apple Ipad4 and Google Nexus 10. It’s a hybrid of both a laptop and a tablet with a detachable keyboard, designed fully by Microsoft
- 3. It runs windows RT operating system with quad-core NVIDIA tegra 3 processor. It has both wireless and Bluetooth technology, front and rear camera, full-size USB 2.0, two microphones, stereo speaker, ambient light sensor, 10.6 clear type HD display, weighs 680 grams and 16:9 widescreen.
- 4. “By using formalized methods and principles, professional evaluators can help policy makers, program managers, designers and other interested parties obtain more evaluative information and more reliable and trustworthy data than might otherwise be available to them.” (UNICEF 2008). Essence of Evaluation
- 5. In software development lifecycle designers need to know • If their ideas match that of users • Efficiency of users in performing task on the system • Is the usability specification and goals met • To understand the real world • To compare designs • To check conformance to a standard • How to engineer towards a target
- 6. Providing answers for these questions is the result of an evaluation, which is critical for Microsoft Surface to succeed in this technology age by satisfying all user goals and experience. Evaluation is “concerned with gathering data about the usability of the design (product) by a specific group of users for a particular activity within a define environment.”(Lecture note). The final aim of evaluation in interactive devices and systems is to check for usability, acceptance and environment for usability: as usability is important for an efficient system.
- 7. Type of Evaluation Used For the purpose of this evaluation a heuristic form of analytical evaluation, executing a model of how the user’s activities will be performed. This method is used because it • Reduces cost • No need for prototyping • Can be used early in the development life cycle
- 8. Task Analysis This is the process of identifying the information flow, task frequencies, task sequence, task criticality and task exceptions A hierarchical form of task analysis is used. This breaks down task into subtask and further sub task, condition that need to be met for an operation to be complete.
- 9. List of task analysis: • Installing application • Using email account • Browsing the internet • Recording a video • Typing a new word document • Closing running applications
- 10. User Profiling This is about identifying characteristics of user. Giving the knowledge of the who the users of the device will be. This will be used to determine the usability of the device and its acceptance. Three groups of users were identified: Advance Users: Computer professionals, well educated, can read and write and use the device for business activities and day to day task.
- 11. Average Users: skilled users, have discretion of use, educated and have moderate motivation to use the device and sometimes for personal use. General Users: little or no computer knowledge, technophobia/not interested, can read and write but less motivated. Less frequency of use.
- 12. For each group of users, their key task was identified, potential benefits, potential costs and design implication with regards to their adoption the Microsoft tablet. According to Microsoft surface chief Panos Panay, consumers were the first target users, but focus is changing to business.
- 13. USABILITY SPECIFICATION To better understand this interactive device, a usability specification was carried out and covered areas such as: • Design appeal • Easy of use and learn • Speed and response • Time to complete a task • Functionality to support user requirement • Safety and security • Level of sophistication • Error handling • Support and documentation • General feelings
- 14. HEURISTIC EVALUATION BASED ON USABILITY SPECIFICATION Base on the response received from the user task analysis accomplished through user specification, an evaluation was conducted on the device base on the learnability, efficiency, memorability, error and user satisfaction. Also aspect of Neilson Jakon “Heuristic Evaluation” in Usability Inspection Methods was used to aid the evaluation.
- 15. Conclusion Figures from the suability specification was used to supplement the evaluation and some recommendations were made. Some of which are as follows: • The general design is good and need no change as user response (93%) was positive to its looks and appeal. User liked the idea of the kick stand to support the device in a standing position • The Surface table is simple, standard and easy to learn, affording average and generals users the ability to quickly adapt to its operations without rigorous training • The speed and response of the device is appreciated by 93% of users as well. Switching between applications and running processes are fast enough to support user task. This is an element that must be maintain in future development and possible improvement to future devices • Its take an average of 3minutes for a general user (little or no computer knowledge) to interact with the device. This is also another good aspect as, learning take easy process and time factor is also standard in accomplishing a task. This means new users will not waste time trying to learn the operations of the device but rather complete task is a reasonable time
- 16. • One aspect where major improvement must be considered it’s the device ability to support functionality and task requirement that the user want to perform. The Surface RT tablet device is not compatible with windows legacy applications, except ones from the windows store. This limit the user to the type of application and functionality that will support the user is advance task. This must be considered in future development. • In terms of error, support and documentation, a development of an application on the start screen for the error, support and documentation would aid users when faced with application errors and other challenges confronted in interacting with the device.
- 17. THANK YOU