Assignment 2 : Redesigning Pervasive Computing (Paper Prototype)

INTRODUCTION

This assignment will require the student to find a pervasive computing that consist easy, medium and hard difficulty. The student need to explain in details about the chosen pervasive computing functions and interface. This assignment is for individual task and all the documentation must be different from other student or it will make plagiarism.

What is pervasive computing? Pervasive computing is the developing pattern towards implanting chip in ordinary questions so they can impart data. The words pervasive and computing signify "existing all over the place." Pervasive figuring gadgets are totally associated and always accessible. At the point when all the student comprehend the significance of the pervasive, it simple to them pick the gadget to utilize. All the gadget must related with pervasive processing necessity on the grounds that student need to demonstrate the change by demonstrating the model of the gadget.

The student require to redesign the interface of the pervasive computing that has been choose. The interface must have improvement from the original product because it need to make easy to use for the user to use it.

METHODOLOGY

The methodology used for this assignment is the student need to research about pervasive computing. The student need to understand first the concept of pervasive computing before student can proceed to selecting which device needed to use as example for this assignment.

The student need to search any device that represents easy, medium and hard based on pervasive computing. It is compulsory for students to put example of pervasive computing in the documentation. After that, the student need to redesign the interface of each device that has been chosen. It is required for the student to sketch the prototype first before properly design it using any software such as Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop.

Another thing is, the student will also have to make a details of the improvement of each pervasive computing. The student need to tell what is the best improvements from each prototype.

Easy pervasive computing - Car Alarm Lock Remote

Functional of button:

• ·         To lock car in certain range.
• ·         Enable/disable alarm mode
• ·         Unlock car in certain range

Medium pervasive computing - Alarm Clock

Functional of button:

·         Display clock time

·         To set alarm time

·         Turn on/off alarm sound

Hard pervasive computing - Television Remote Control

Functional of button:

• ·         To change television channel
• ·         Turn on/off television
• ·         Search available channel
•        Volume up/down

Assignment 1 : Pervasive Computing

Introduction

Most importantly, this subject 203CR has two key assignments, for the first key task is about Pervasive Computing in the Environment: a Usability Evaluation. This subject show how the pervasive Computing can be effectively human work day by day. At the point when human says in regards to innovation, this is the manner by which they can undoubtedly the individual work. The yield from this subject educated is understudy can approach about the pervasive among their life.

This subject educate the student to make studying and gather information from the looking over. The majority of the information need to record in one document additionally need to order into one documentation. Documentation need to achieve 2000 word. Besides, the documentation is the evidence for student that they have finished with the studying. Approach for this reviewing is simply need to set up the survey.

For beginning this task, student was given their own particular assignment to set up their own pervasive processing case in day by day life. After student get their own particular pervasive processing case to be done, every one of them have to set up the survey to respondent noting it. The survey is more to general inquiry in light of the fact that not all respondent can give the same answer. Least survey should be arranged only 15 inquiries yet it must to be answer it by 30 respondents.

Besides, when the respondent get answer all the inquiries, students need to gather all response to examining that reply. Subsequent to examining all the surveys, students need to record into one documentation on the grounds that all the answer must be recorded as confirmation that understudies have finished with the investigating record. This yield not sufficiently exact but rather can be measure from the answer from the respondent. In light of the undertaking, all the respondent need to give  the answer by their own experience using ATM machine.

ATM Machine

Pervasive computing also called as ubiquitous computing is the growing trend to new era which is embedding microprocessors in daily life objects so that it can communicate information. The meaning of the word pervasive and ubiquitous is “existing everywhere”. The devices which have pervasive computing are completely connected and always available to use.

One of the example for pervasive computing in our daily life is ATM machine. ATM machine is one of the famous devive that being used in daily life. The ATM machine is very popular because it is a very important device because it is one of important thing for human. This is because ATM machine being use everyday from all over the world because this pervasive computing is meant to withdraw money and keep money.

On most modern ATMs, the customer is identified by inserting plastic ATM card with a magnetic stripe or a plastic smart card with a chip that contains a unique card number and some security information such as an expiration date or CVVC(CVV). Autehntication is provided by the customer entering a personal identification number (PIN).

Using an ATM, customers can access their bank deposit or credit accounts in order to make a variety of transactions such as cash withdrawals, check balances, or credit mobile phones. If the currency being withdrawn from the ATM is different from that in which the bank account is denominated the money will be converted at an official exchange rate. Thus, ATMs often provide the best possible exchange rates for foreign travellers, and are widely used for this purpose.

Methodology

            The methodology is one of the important thing because it is a main part of the assignment where the student need to decide to choose which methodology to use to analysis the collected data. It is so important to make the result is accurate and no mistake. Furthermore this survey is to do the survey that is related to the question that has been created earlier.

            In this studying, quantitative is the system for this looking over. Quantitative is to make the review utilizing the survey by given the respondent to answer all the inquiries given. Respondent must finish all the poll before the student get it question to make examination for that question. All the inquiry need to make the examination. All things considered, respondent have answer all the inquiry painstakingly and read it before answer the inquiry.

            Investigation doing is to get the conclusion for the inquiry that developer do it. By utilizing this strategy just can get the response for the inquiry that developer required. In spite of the fact that, the answer not very precise despite everything it give the larger part respond in due order regarding the inquiry additionally minority. Toward the end of the overview, it can be finish up as the studying is fruitful in light of the fact that all the respondent can offer time to give the answer and answer the survey.

Lab 2 : Usability Evaluation on Ipod Nano

Strive for Consistency

For the strive for consistency, the ipod nano provide  the user with suitable color of display such as type of font, font color, background color and clear screen. This will help the user to easy to understand on how to use the ipod nano. It is very important to make the user to feel easy with the interface of the ipod nano. This is because the interface is the important thing in ipod nano.

Offer informative feedback

The ipod nano will give feed back or respond to the user by displaying a pop up message for the user to see it. When the ipod nano is transferring a data from pc or laptop it will show a picture of data transferring that will make the user know when it will finish the transfer process. Other thing is, when the ipod nano is on low battery it will show a battery indicator blinking in the screen of the ipod nano.

Reduce short-term memory load

To reduce the short –term memory the ipod nano provide not many icon for the user to memorize. This is because if the ipod nano have many icon to click, it will make the user take time to memorize the icon function and it will make them to take a long time to learn on how to use it. Other thing is if the ipod nano have less icon function it will make the usability of the ipod nano more easier to understand and easy to use.

Prevent Errors

If a user makes an error, the interface should detect the error and offer simple, constructive, and specific instructions for recovery. For example, if the user want to rename a song and if the name already exist in the storage it will pop out a message that will display the name have already exist in the storage. Another thing is, if the user want to transfer a song to the ipod nano and the ipod nano have full storage it will pop out a message that tell the user the storage is full.

Lab 1 : Heuristic Evaluation (Jakob Nielsen)

INTRODUCTION

Heuristic evaluation is about a usability inspection method that used in computer software to recognize usability problems in the user interface (UI) design. It involves its own evaluators that will examining the interface and judging its compliance with recognized usability principles. Usability consultant Jakob Nielsen developed this method on the basis of several years of experience in teaching and consulting about usability engineering.

           
The heuristic evaluation is the most informal methods of usability inspection in term of human  computer interaction. There are many sets of usability design heuristics. Usability problems that found are categorized according to their estimated impact on user performance or acceptance. It is conducted in the context of use cases, to provide feedback to the developers to compatible with the indeed users’ needs and preferences.

           

 For this project, online website called “DELL” is chosen. Dell is the online store that offer user to buy Dell Product such as laptop, network equipment and gaming gear.

1. Visibility of system status

The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.

In this homepage the user will provide with the latest model of the product via the banner that will change picture from time to time. The user also can login to their account to check the order status that has been made.

  2. Match between system and real world

The system should speak the users’ language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to the user, rather than system-oriented terms. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order.

The shop button shows many product that the product sell for the customer to choose. It simplifies all product into many category that makes the user easy to find their own product.

3. User control and freedom

Users often choose system functions by mistake and will need a clearly marked “emergency exit” to leave the unwanted state without to go through an extended dialogue. Support undo and redo.

4. Consistency and standards

Users should not have to wonder weather different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions

This website uses different background color for certain page but the button and the layout of the website still the same. By doing this it will prevent the user from getting confuse while surfing the website. The color that the website choose is based on their product concept which is for the gaming product page they use the black theme color.

5. Error prevention

Even better than good error messages is a careful design which prevents a problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone conditions or check for them and present users with a confirmation option before they commit to the action.

In the account login page user can login to view their account status where they can check their warranty status and ordered item. If they forget the password or the email that has been used they can simply click the ‘forgot your password’ button to retrieve the reset password.

6. Recognition rather than recall

Minimize the user’s memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. The user should not have to remember information from one part of the dialogue to another. Instructions for use of the system should be visible or easily retrievable whenever appropriate.

By doing icon or logo is the best way for user to know the button navigation. As we can see the picture above, when the user click the trolley icon it will automatically take the user to the order page or product page.

7. Aesthetic and minimalist design

Dialogues should not contain information which is irrelevant or rarely needed. Every extra unit of information in a dialogue competes with the relevant units of information and diminishes their relative visibility.

The button that been use in this website is not too much because it will make the user easy to navigate from page to page. As we can see the button is in white color but when the user hover the cursor to the button it will change from white to blue. By doing this it will make sure the user understand the function of this website button.

CONCLUSION

There are ten general principles for user interface design called ‘heuristics’ which is best for designing for usabilities. In this project the student only use seven from the ‘heuristics evaluation’ that is visibility of system status, match between system and real world, consistency and standards, error prevention, recognition rather than recall and aesthetic and minimalist design.