Reason for beginners - KTH · Propellerhead Software 30 employees, 20 developers 1994 Recycle 1997...
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Transcript of Reason for beginners - KTH · Propellerhead Software 30 employees, 20 developers 1994 Recycle 1997...
Propellerhead Software
30 employees, 20 developers
1994 Recycle
1997 Rebirth
2000 Reason 1.0
Today: Reason 3.0.5
Demo…
Reason for beginners
Master Thesis
Supervisor: Henrik Artman
Cooperation with Björn Johansson
Evaluation and redesign
Why?
A new generation of users haveless experience of hardware
More users with less musical andtechnical experience wants to use acomputer to make music
Learn more about user testing
Problem
What objects or features are at the firstencounter with the program the hardestfor a beginner to understand?
How can Reason’s interface be changedto make it easier for beginners, withoutdisrupting the more experienced users?
Possible methods
Expert evaluation Heuristic evaluation Cognitive walkthrough
Observation Experiment Cooperative evaluation Surveys Diaries
Method
Exploratory user observationThink AloudContextual Inquiry
ContextPartnership InterpretationFocus
Finding beginners
Nielsen vs. Cooper
Time
User
know
ledge a
nd
eff
icie
ncy
Beginner focus
Expert focus
User levelN
um
be
r
Beginner Intermediates Experts
Finding beginners
PersonasReasonman - power user
Switcher - uses other software
Muso - doesn’t use music software
Mia - DJ
Finding beginners
Personas “Muso is a great keyboard player. He’s had
his Hammond organ for ages and he haswritten more arrangements for his band thanhe cares to remember. He also usescomputers every day at his day job, and hehas no problems with Word or Excel.However, Muso has no concept of how asynthesizer actually works, what asequencer is and what the letters in theacronym MIDI stand for.”
Finding beginners
Domain and technical knowledge
Requirement: no Reason
Computerknowledge
Used othermusic software
Musicaltraining
≈ Muso ≈ Switcher min 5
Musicalnovice
≈ Mia (1) ≈ Mia (2) min 5
min 5 min 5
Finding beginners
Recruitment Informal recruitment
Small background surveyComputer knowledge
Musical training / experience
Music software
Quiz
Finding beginners
10 test subjects
Age 17-44, average 32
9 males, 1 female - unimportant?
2 with University degrees
2 DJs
Compensation & contract
PaymentReason NFR (value €400)
Agree to max 8 hours of activities
Ethical issues
Contract
NDA
Tests
1,5 - 2 hours Scenario: just bought the program Task: ”Create some music” Script / help Context: user’s computers MIDI-keyboard Manual, Internet, phone… Pilot test
Tests
Analysis
Video review
Interpretation
182 problems
Quantification needed
Analysis
User goals Chonological order Problems, subproblems, causes Nielsen/Rubin:
Criticality = severity + frequency
Problems often work in ensemble Design solutions is a way to understand
the problem
Problems
User gets overwhelmedBeginners find the many controls
intimidating
Lack of overview
Conceptual understanding
VIDEO: OVERWHELMED
Problems
The demo songWhat is it?
“Untitled” - 2 of 10 users noticed
Doesn’t educate the user
Too big, can’t hear tweaks
What are Combinators?Lingo: “Bubble level”
VIDEO: DEMO SONG
Problems
The Create listLong
No focus on “common” devices
Demands knowledge of synthesis
User: “I want drums.”
Strange names: Malström, NN19
“Create device By Browsing Patches”
VIDEO: CREATE LIST
Problems
Flashing mixerMIDI set to Mixer track
User’s domain knowledge gets himconfused
VIDEO: FLASHING MIXER
Problems
Empty folders when browsingUnderstanding of patch formats
Filter on as default
Subtractor folder hidden
What is a “patch”?
Test leader screws up ;)
VIDEO: EMPTY FOLDERS
Problems
Minimized sequencerSerious unknown bug
4 out of 7 computers
Testing in context
Stunned test leaders ;)
Forgiving user
VIDEO: MINIMIZEDSEQUENCER
Problems
MIDI InputHighest criticality: 7,3
9 of 10 users
VIDEO: MIDI INPUT
Problems
Redrum keyboard mappingMIDI StandardNo instant gratification
ConfusionC3C2C0 C1
VIDEO: REDRUMKEYBOARD MAPPING
Problems
Redrum keyboard mappingDesign solution?
Communicate results
Written report - leave a trace!
Presentation
Video is convincing
Findings incorporated into bugtracking system
Video tutorial
Lessons learned
Fun is fun!
Being neutral is hard!
You improve as a tester as you goalong
Being >1 helps
Check video and sound
Tips
