Assignment 6a: Use cues

Select a product

The product chosen are Bluetooth earbuds from the company Nothing. They have been chosen
because the company went in a completely different direction with the design of the earbuds
and accompanying case in order to distinguish themselves in a highly saturated Bluetooth
earbud market.

Storyboard
What in the product will users probably use as a usecue,
and for what?
What is a usecue or small
set of usecues?
Large steel plate with lines
Button on the side
Red dot in the earbud slot
and 1 of the earbuds
Click when earbuds are
placed
Click when the case is
closed
Depression on the top of
the case
Missing usecue
Button to make device discoverable
False usecue
Button on the side makes the light turn green
How well or badly do your assumed usecues work for users? Say
also why.
For what? How easy is the usecue to
perceive? (perception)
+/- and why
To identify the opening + Easily visible, has
direction of the case lines to make it
seem like it has
moving
parts/capability
To make the earphones +/- Distinction in
discoverable texture, but a small
protusion and no
other identifiers
To identify the slot for each +/- Only a single red
earbud dot, can be missed
easily
To signify correct placement + The click is audible
of the earbuds in the slot
To signify that the earbud + The click is audible
case is closed properly
To insert the thumb for + Easy to see due to
better grip its size
Why should it have been there?
To enable users who are not able to see their earbuds on their laptop
What is the effect of the false usecue?
Makes the user believe that the earbuds are now discoverable
How easy is the usecue to
understand? (cognition)
+/- and why
+ The steel plate covers both half
of the case, hence making it
clear that it cannot hinge
- The button has to be pressed
for 5 seconds to make the
device discoverable, which is
not a default action for a first
time user
- Works only if the user observes
the red dot on the earbud and
the slot
+ The sounds is easy to
understand based on prior
knowledge
+ The sounds is easy to
understand based on prior
knowledge
+/- Its use makes sense once the
thumb is placed inside. Also
requires the user to hold the
case a certain way