Project Sun

February 21, 2005

Project SunInterim Critique

Sun Project: Interim Critique February 21, 2005

Overview

Team and client introductionProject descriptionTarget UsersFocusContextual InquiriesDesign IdeasLessons Learned


AdityaChand

Design Lead

BradenKowitz

Technical Lead

ChiragNangia

Document & Web Lead

JessicaSmith

Project Manager/ Client Liaison

JakePiersonBehavioral

Lead

Our Team

AdityaChandDesign Lead

BradenKowitzTechnical Lead

ChiragNangiaDocument & Web Lead

JessicaSmithProject Manager/ Client Liaison

JakePiersonBehavioral Lead


Our Client

Sun MicrosystemsFrank Ludolph

• UI expert• Project Looking Glass lead

Hideya Kawahara • Project Looking Glass

visionary


Our Project

File system to help with organizationAnimation and 3D perception cuesNon-immersive desktop environmentSupport searching, and recognition over

recallFor new 3D apps and existing 2D appsStandard I/O hardware


The User Problem

Our client suggested “everyone”• That meant EVERYONE• Way too broad

Needed user group to set focus• Distinct• Marketable• Data rich


The User Solution

Business/Office Users

Making personas • to communicate to our client

Discussing them with client


The Focus Problem

"File system" focus was too broad

Affinity diagram had several major sections

Combining two different fields of study• file system• 3D


The Focus Solution

Brainstorm possible focus questions

Get ideas from literature review

Look for patterns in early CIs


Lessons Learned

Use your judgment to make sure the scope is manageable

Modify CI method as needed • Retro account• Art walkthrough


CI overview

Lack of IRB cert restricted us to campus users

Needed users who organize different file types• 2 designers • 2 Newspaper production staff• 1 general office worker (student records)


Design CIs

Client suggested we look at designers• Observed students designers• Got more retrospective account then context

• File management in design work is illusive What we learned:

• Preview breakdown• Shared space organization issues• One window for music – one for files• Versioning is tough


Newspaper CIs

Expected lots of file management• Had an excellent system of doc management• Again, more retrospective account then context

What we learned:• Preview breakdown (again)• Shared space organization issues (again)• Versioning is easy if system is in place• If not, file naming used for versioning and other

things


Office Worker CI

Physical file management• Very rigid and organized work flow and

sequences• Experts and novices at work

What we learned:• No preview problems• No shared space organization issues • Info organized by physical location and label • search is not an issue


CI summary

Physical world vs. Computer files• Differences reveal a lot

How to look at people using 3D?• Gaming and 3D design? No!

Different focus for different CI subjects• what do we want to learn about this

person’s work• Get the most out of a CI


Design

We integrated this into regular meetings• Helps to keep ides flowing while gathering

data• Discuss during regular talks with client

Literature review also drives ideas• See what others have done to solve

problems• Competitive analysis


Design problems

Organization takes a lot of cognitive load• How can we reduce this?

Versioning is not built into file manager• How can we design this in?

Meta-data is not normally used• Exception is search• How can we display this data? • How can we collect it?


Design ideas

How to display meta-data• Use animation

• size adds weight and deformation to file when dragging

• 3rd dimension• to display data attributes like time and relevance

• Other visual queues• Files that are not opened for a while gather dust• Old files yellow• Frequently used files show wear

Project Sun

Documents

Transcript of Project Sun