IWMW 2002: Designing for Usability
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The document outlines the development and usability assessment of a Managed Learning Environment (MLE) at De Montfort University from 2000 to 2002. It highlights the process of gathering user requirements, testing various prototypes, and integrating feedback to enhance usability and content access for students. Key findings indicate that while online engagement and PC ownership are rising, academic users desire a more integrated and navigable system, demonstrating the challenges of meeting diverse user expectations.
![IWMW Glasgow
Sources of Requirements
1. DMU PC ownership and use
survey 1997, 98, 99, & 00
2. Collaboration in Research
Support by Academic Libraries in
Leicestershire survey [CORSALL]
3. ANGEL user analysis results
4. DMU Nursing School, online
course survey
5. DMU Library survey of student
information needs
6. DMU Research papers on
using the Internet for teaching.
7. DMU Keyskills survey of all first
year students
8. Student Experience Unit
feedback from students leaving
the university
9. DMU Student focus group
meeting
10. Usage reports from similar
11. User interviews with users of
similar existing systems](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/iwmw2002designingforusability-160307195623/85/IWMW-2002-Designing-for-Usability-11-320.jpg)
IWMW 2002: Designing for Usability
- 1. IWMW Glasgow Mark Simpson De Montfort University - Leicester Managed Learning Environment - MLE September 2000 to September 2002 Joint Information Systems Committee -
- 2. IWMW Glasgow User Issues - Formative and Summative Assessment Designing for Usability •How did we specify the system? •How did we decide on content? •How did we verify content? •Develop conventions for pages? •Usability trade-offs and compromises?
- 3. IWMW Glasgow What is a MLE? University Electronic resources linked together •Student record system - QLS •Timetabling and Calendar system •Library databases •Module and Results database •Online learning resources - WebCT •Social databases •Email and discussion pages Other student oriented data resources
- 4. IWMW Glasgow MLE Architecture MLE (Web) Server User Manager Resource Manager MLE Usage Database Student Record System Authentication System Client Application (Web Browser) BIDS EDINA e-Journals etc Remote Authorised Resources Timetabling Finance System Course Management Secure, Authorised Access e-Learning – VLE App Course Notes, Study Guides, Exam Papers Library Diary Discussion Lists, Groupware, email Entertainment, Social outside firewall inside Resources Crossing Firewall
- 5. IWMW Glasgow Usability how hard is it? Everybody has an opinion “I hate …… …… …” “Frames / Flash / PDF are rubbish” Not useful comments Anything new will not satisfy X % of users, until they have used it.
- 6. IWMW Glasgow What is this in your opinion ? RED
- 7. IWMW Glasgow BLUE What colour is this in your opinion?
- 8. IWMW Glasgow Development cycle Web Site Requirements / Specification Develop Content List Preparing Content / Layout Designing initial prototype October 2000 March 2001 September 2001 December 2001 1st user testing Modifying prototype 2nd user testing 4th Navigation & Logic Testing Correcting Navigation Issues – uportal February 2002 3rd user testing Modifying design April 2002 June 2002 June 2002 August 2002 Writing Training Material User Log Tracking
- 9. IWMW Glasgow Specification What does the system do? •What are the users like •What do they want the system to do •What can we do from the users want list •What are the usability issues with current systems •Can the MLE solve these issues •Project team produced a list of what they wanted as indicative student users
- 10. IWMW Glasgow User Requirements • Ask yourself / project team / steering committee • Ask users • Research other systems or similar sites • What is unique to your project - QLS • Produce a list of content • Refine list to remove duplication / impossible content • Record list with reasons
- 11. IWMW Glasgow Sources of Requirements 1. DMU PC ownership and use survey 1997, 98, 99, & 00 2. Collaboration in Research Support by Academic Libraries in Leicestershire survey [CORSALL] 3. ANGEL user analysis results 4. DMU Nursing School, online course survey 5. DMU Library survey of student information needs 6. DMU Research papers on using the Internet for teaching. 7. DMU Keyskills survey of all first year students 8. Student Experience Unit feedback from students leaving the university 9. DMU Student focus group meeting 10. Usage reports from similar 11. User interviews with users of similar existing systems
- 12. IWMW Glasgow Results of Specification • Consistent trend that PC ownership is increasing and that online use is also increasing • Users ask for more content than they need • Academic users want the MLE to be integrated in university and not isolated • Students are unconcerned about security and privacy of online information • Navigation must be mouse rather than keyboard based, back arrow used in preference to all other navigation devices Contents List
- 13. IWMW Glasgow
- 14. IWMW Glasgow
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- 17. IWMW Glasgow MLE Version 2
- 18. IWMW Glasgow Further login trials, testing navigation •Login trials - user name and password •Simple content location •Logging out •Interface issues Don’t look at too much each time
- 20. IWMW Glasgow Login trails with HNC, BA, MA students 12 first year students HNC Housing Part-time 7 second year students BA Accounting and Finance Full-time 26 postgraduates taking MA degrees Full-time Between each test correct problems and develop a new feature for testing
- 21. IWMW Glasgow How many times do you test it, how many subjects do you need? •As many times as you can which will yield useful data •Between 4 and 10 subjects at a time •What are you testing ? •what is the question •what will you do with the results •What resources are available •Don’t leave it hoping it will be alright
- 22. IWMW Glasgow MLE Version 3
- 23. IWMW Glasgow
- 24. IWMW Glasgow User tracking data • User Logs for six months Logon Data, route through site, User Names Course being studied, Self assessments completed, discussion involvement • Didn’t match interview or focus group reports
- 25. IWMW Glasgow Pathways, which way do people go. Track routes taken by users Particular attention to successful students Use data to provide mentoring support to students having problems Use data to provide a list of shortcuts Do people do what they said they wanted in the specification
- 26. IWMW Glasgow Future Usability: Training and Help pages Focus groups – face to face Online Questionnaires Feedback from modules with teaching resources online
- 27. IWMW Glasgow Benefits of the methods • Provide a handle on the university administration information issues • Publicity and visibility for project • Resolve problems as they were discovered • Kept in touch with all types of users
- 28. IWMW Glasgow How would we do it differently • Have an off-line non development system for testing usability • Use external evaluation only in the second half of the project • When carrying out usability testing freeze the design
- 29. IWMW Glasgow What should you do? • Set-up a steering group or panel • Think about what the site / page / system is providing • Do testing using a prototype of content and navigation regularly • Always have a usability issue to hand • Use conventions and standard layouts – what did the users tell you
- 30. IWMW Glasgow Summary •3 Formative and 2 Summative methods of assessment •Ask users what they want •Test navigation regularly •Implement changes and test again •Don’t expect to please everybody
- 31. IWMW Glasgow Where am I now ?
Editor's Notes
- #9: Design Cycle Dates are in the inner circle and activities outside the circle Not a linear process, progress can jump ahead or seem to stall for periods thorough out the design. At 3 o’clock position technical change to MLE form using JAVA To U portal.
- #10: Users of MLE are STUDENTS Content providers secondary users are support and academic staff. To start use your own ideas and content. Your opinion is as valid as any body else.
- #12: First 8 sources already reported and summarised Take the findings and apply 9, 10 11 – Done by the MLE project team to complete picture Resulted in surveying hundreds of potential users Effective way of specifying requirements.
- #13: Content list had 31 items.
- #14: First design Use conventions, may not like them but users are familiar Menus, buttons, Logos in the top left had corner Microsoft panel controls Help features Ensure you design to least techically advance machines in the University Slowest update rates over campus and home use. JAVA code
- #15: 31 Content Cards + Blanks Menu Names Content Groups Priority Staff 21 Students134 Total155