Good Example Of Case Study On Human Computer Interaction

Introduction

With the development of information systems, there is the need to ensure that the systems have ways in which they interact with the users. Having an understanding of the system by users makes it simple to have a smooth interaction with the system. This paper will focus on the computer interaction aspect of the SPAM software which is a system that is being developed. It will be used by staff members and patients to interact.

Requirements analysis of the users

The users that are to use the system have characteristic that have to be taken into consideration while designing the system. One of the characters of the users is the ability to have strong sight. With the need to read information from a display, the users will be required to have a clear eye sight that will enable them to see at the screen. The patients that the system will serve might have poor eye sight. It will be one of the challenges that will be faced by the developers of the system. It will be important to consider this (Jacko, 2012).
Another requirement is that of light regulation. The screen will have to be regulated because if there will be too much light in the room, it will affect some of the users. The room that the display will be placed should have some form of regulation so that they are able to have moderated light in the room. The users will be concerned about the lighting that will be available in the room (Baecker, & Buxton, 2014). The light variable will have an impact on the old users who have issues with the lighting that is being used in the case. It will be important to ensure that there is minimal light that is used in the entire case.
Another regulations is that the users are supposed to get a confirmation of the message that the message that they sent has already arrived in the system. Users have to have this acknowledgment so that they are able to stop sending a lot of text messages. In all the procedures and processes, it is important to understand the requirements and the issues in place. Also, there is the control of the number that is used for communication. There is a need to ensure that the users have the number in place.
There will be the requirement of literacy in the use of the system. The SPAM will have to use signs and symbols which are universal. The symbols and the signs should be understood in the entire process. When scrolling the messages, the users should be able to understand the message without struggling to understand. It is one way in which the users will have a simple time to understand the message that is being communicated. The level of communication and the complexity of the language will make it either simple or hard to decipher the message that is being communicated. It is important to understand the issues of concern and what needs to be understood while making the necessary communication.
Another requirement is simplicity of use. There are times when the users will have to control the screen. The design should have simple buttons that will not be hard to understand their mode of operation. It will help the users to ensure that they get what is needed of them in the definition of the tasks that are being done.

Hierarchical Task Analysis

One of the tasks that can be difficult to undertake is that of sending an SMS to the system. It is difficult to design the user interface that will be used by the users. The users will have to have an interactive user platform that will enable them to send the SMS to the system for display.
The reason why the task could be difficult for users is that it will be hard to know and understand the number that the message will be sent. Because of the sending process and the fact that the system is localized and used by staff and patients alone, the users of the text messaging system will find it hard to get the number that is being sent. In the confusion that the system will have to communicate with a mobile company, most users will find it hard to send the message to the right location.

Prototype

The system that has been designed has simple design where the users will find it simple to read and get the right directions. It will be important to understand the issues that are put in place. The design has made use of the usability principles that have been put in place.
There is also a need to have the requirements assessment for the staff when they view the message on the screen. The staff and some patients will have the words scrolling on the screen in one of the locations. It will be important to have the design to take into consideration the issue of visibility and ease of use. The staff screen will have to be simple in design so that the staff will have easy way of operating the screen. Although the screen will be automatically controlled, it is important to have some controls so that in case of failure, the viewers will be able to control the display and have their preferences.

Usability principles

There are usability principles that have been used in the process of designing the system that has been put in place.

Visibility of the system status

It is one of the usability principles that have been put in place. It is used to ensure that the users are able to view the status of the message that they are typing. They will be able to change things if they deem it fit to make these changes. It will be important to understand the status of the messages and make the necessary adjustments so that if there are issues and concerns about the message, it will be simple to change the issues at hand.

Consistency and standards

There is a need to have consistency and standards while designing the system user interface. With consistency, the system will make of the common design features that are used normally. There is a need to ensure that there is a consistent with the use of the mnemonics that will be used in the process. The users will not find it hard understanding the signs and the symbols that might have been used in the process.

Error prevention

There is a need to ensure that there is error prevention in the entire process. The users make mistakes while using systems. There should be error messages that will guide the users in the use of the system. The users should be able to understand how the system works in the long run. Error control has been integrated in the design of the system because of the option where the users will have the possibility to reset the message that they are typing to the system.

Recognition and not recall

Another important strategy is for the system to enable the users to recognize options, buttons or objects. The users should not be loaded with many things that they need to memorize. They should be able to understand the system without struggling hard. When they see the system and the interface, they should be able to recognize because they have seen the design in some other place. It is a significant method in which the system will be used in the management and enhancement of the system in place. Since there patients who will use the system, their understanding of the system should be simple to be used. It is one of the methods that will enable the users to come in place and have ways of getting to understand the system in place (Rogers, Sharp, & Preece, 2011).

Help users to diagnose and recover from errors

The users should be able to recover from the errors if there are errors that have been encountered while using the system. It is one of the strategies that will enable the system users to recognize the procedures that they will use in order to come out of the problem that they might have entered. In the system design that has been proposed, there is the use of diagnosing and recovery from errors because the users will have the chance to delete the messages that they might have written in err. They can erase the message with a button that has been provided.

Selection of the usability principles

The choice of the usability principles that have been described in the section above have been followed and arrived at using the status of the users and the requirements of the system. It was important to understand the users. There are patients who have been stated that they will use the system in the collection of data and information. It is important to consider the fact that patients do not have enough knowledge and the expertise that they need in order to use the system. It will be important to have ways in which to ensure that the system is used in tandem, with the requirements.
Another selection of the usability principles was the need to ensure that there was enough information and solving of the possible errors of the system. All systems will sometimes fail they are being used. The use of the system in this case was designed in such a manner that there is an understanding of the design issue that are put in place. When the system fails, there is a need to ensure that there is a way in which the system will be solved.

System evaluation

It is important to understand the system and make some evaluations in order to have ways in which the system will have the required adjustments. From time to time, there will be the need to ensure that there is an understanding of the system usage. The system was evaluated in regard to the way it was used. The system will have to be evaluated on how simple it is to use the system. The system evaluation process will help in understand the system and having the methods and the requirements that will be used in the entire process.
The evaluation that I conducted was on how the user entered data. I gave the user a chance to enter some dummy data and evaluate the ease with which the data was entered. It is from this process that I noted some issued and changes that need to be made with the use of the system. I evaluated the system from observing the way the users entered the data. I also gave the users the chance to air their views on what improvements were to be made.

Plan

The data collection plan will be used in collecting the data that will be used in evaluation.
Have some data that will be used to evaluate
Choose some users who have knowledge of the process and have them enter the data
Choose patients who will enter the data
Make observations
Have the users air their views on the use of the system
Make adjustments
Conclusion
Interface design is a significant issue because of the growing number of computing users. As many users get to understand the use of information systems, there is a need to have a consideration of the different number of users who are starting to use the systems. There is a need to undertake evaluations everyday so that changes will be made constantly.

References

Baecker, R. M., & Buxton, W. A. (2014). Readings in human-computer interaction. Elsevier Science.
Jacko, J. A. (Ed.). (2012). Human Computer Interaction Handbook: Fundamentals, Evolving Technologies, and Emerging Applications. CRC press.
Rogers, Y., Sharp, H., & Preece, J. (2011). Interaction design: beyond human-computer interaction. John Wiley & Sons.