Design Process

L2
Human Considerations in
Design
Different aspects of a human being are very
important and must be identified in the design
process as they vary from one to other person.
They are
1) The Users Knowledge and Experience.
2) The Users Tasks and Needs.
3) The Users Psychological Characteristics.
4) The Users Physical Characteristics.
1) The users Knowledge and experience:
The Designing of an interface in a better way
depends on the users knowledge and experience.
The following are the important considerations about
the users experience and knowledge:
1) System Literacy.
2)Computer experience supporting all levels of behaviour.
3) Similar Application Experience.
4) Job Experience.
5) Usage of Other Systems.
6) Educational Level.
7) Reading Level.
8) Typing Skills.
9) Native Language and Civilization.
1) System Literacy.
It is the knowledge and ability to use computers and
technology efficiently.
System Literacy is about knowing how computers
work and operate.
A highly technical user such as a programmer is
highly experienced.
A moderate user is comparatively less experienced
than an expert.
A new user who is familiar to only the basic
computer terms and concepts is least experianced.
Hence, we need to consider one’s level of computer
knowledge.
2) Computer experience supporting all levels of
behaviour.
A user familiar to the interaction requirements of the
system is designated as “Expert” user.
A user who is some what familiar to the interaction
requirements of the system is designated as
“Intermediate” user.
A user who is not at all familiar with the interactive
system requirements is designated as “Novice” user.
• A Novice user strives hard to achieve mastery,
because the users are frequently blamed for their
failure to use and understand the system. Novice
users often face problems with the usage of the
mouse while dragging and double clicking it.
• Novice users completely rely on system features
that assist them through menus, instructional and
help screens.
• Novice users need simple tasks, less number of
possibilities, restricted vocabularies and must be
provided with an informative feed back. To reach
the expert status a novice user has to practice
frequently and regularly.
An intermediate users rely on safety, irreversibility
and procedural structure.
An intermediate user can handle file management
hierarchy but often faces problems with other file
management aspects such as moving and copying a
file.
 Differences between Novice and Expert
Novice
1)Possess a fragmented conceptual
model of a system.
2)Information is less meaningfully
organized and is oriented towards
surface features of the system.
3)Difficulty in relating new
knowledge to their goals and
objectives and creating inferences.
4)Low-level details are given less
attention.
5)Surface features of the system are
given less attention.
Expert
1)Possess an integrated and
conceptual model of a system.
2)Information is more
meaningfully organized and is
oriented towards its tasks.
3)Ease in relating new knowledge
to their goals and objectives and
creating inferences.
4)Low-level details are given more
attention.
5)Surface features of the system are
given more attention.
3) Similar Application Experience
Users with High, moderate, or low knowledge of
similar systems.
4) Job Experience
Users possess some sort of experience and
knowledge while performing the tasks at different
levels.
5) Usage of other systems
Other systems can be frequently or infrequently
used for performing a task.
If the learning requirement for a new system is less,
then the productivity in using other systems
becomes high.
6) Educational Level
A designer or developer also designs for specialized
areas related to the educational level of users such
as a user with high school, college of advanced
degrees.
7) Reading Level
A level at which the vocabulary and grammatical
structure of the interface can be easily understood
by the users is defined.
Example:
1) Novice-less than-5th Grade.
2) Intermediatory- 5th to 12th Grade.
3) Expert- 12th Grade.
8) Typing Skills
The best typist will probably be twice as fast as the
poor typist and commits less errors.
The best typist interacts with system through
keyboard whereas poor typist interacts through
mouse.
Examples:
1) Competent (135 words per minute)
2) Skilled (90 words per minute)
3) Satisfactory (55 words per minute)
4) Average (40 words per minute)
5) Hunt and Peck (10 words per minute)
9) Native Language and Civilization
Developer while designing the interface must keep
in mind whether the user speaks english or any other
language or various other languages to impose
several screen layout requirements.
2) The Users Tasks and Needs
In System design, users tasks and needs are very
important.

1) Optional or Compulsory use of the system

The usage of the system by the previous users was
either compulsory or was an optional case.
2) Characteristics of a Mandatory User
i)As a part of recruitment process and employment,
computer is used.
ii)Spending a lot of time and effort in seeking
efficiency of operation by learning how to make use
of a system in a complementary manner.
iii)To overcome less usage of a system, high
motivation is often exhibited.
iv)The user possesses a technical background.
v)The job may consists of one task or a function.
3) Characteristics of a Optional User
i) A computer is an unnecessary gadget to perform
tasks.
ii) Dislike or no interest or hatred towards technical
details.
iii) Spending a lot of time and effort to use the
system is not entertained.
iv) To use a system, high motivation is not exhibited.
v) Easily gets disappointed, hence a user never
reaches satisfactory level.
vi) Encourage voluntary or individual usage of the
system.
3) The Users Psychological Characteristics
Psychological Characteristics of a user that affects
the performance of tasks are as follows
1) Users attitude and motivation towards a system
Users feelings towards a system allows him to
workout on productivity qualities of the system.
Users attitude and motivation towards a system
could be positive, neutral, negative or high,
moderate, low respectively.
Poor feelings are challenges to designers, makes
them to develop with the goal of increasing user
satisfaction.
2) Users Patient (or) impatient behaviour
Slow response time, prolonged delays while
downloading, showing inefficiency in navigation
and locating information leads to low tolerance and
impatient behaviour of a user.
3) Users stress level
A persons stress level increases when the user
interacts with a furious boss, client or customer,
creating confusion which even causes difficulty in
remembering casual things that are to be done every
day. Hence, navigation, screen design must be
redefined to simple structures if they lead to stress
while performing.
4) Users Assumptions and Expectations
Different kinds of expectations about the system are
made by user.
Their expectations may be realistic, imaginary or
idealistic.
Designer must consider the users expectations if
they are essential.
5) Perceptual Style
Each individual differs in thinking and solving
problems in his/her own way.
Few people are good at verbal thinking, few at
analytical thinking and few at
spatial reasoning.
• Verbal Thinkers: They effectively work with words
and equations.

• Analytical Thinkers: They give their own reasoning

by systematically analyzing the problem.
• Spatial Thinkers- They effectively manipulate
symbols, pictures and images.

• Verbal and Analytical thinkers prefer textual style of

design whereas spatial thinkers prefer graphical
interfaces
4) The User’s Physical Characteristics
1) Generation
Age have a significant effect on the systems usage,
as the person gets older the eye sight and
remembering capabilities deteriorates. The users
can be kids, youngsters, teenagers, middle-aged or
senior citizens.
 Differences between old and young generations
Young Adults Old Adults
1) Often Uses gadgets and 1) Occasional users. Uses
electronic technologies technology once in a while
Examples: ATM, Mobile,
Computer.
2) Learns fast and possess 2) Already well-known with
greater reading and the existing features as they
remembering capacity. are more educated.
3) Ease in completing or 3) Problem arises in
searching a task as they completing or searching a task
require less moves(Clicks) as they require more than
three moves.
2) Users Listening Capability
People tend to hear louder sounds as they get
older and older.
At different age levels, hearing levels changes and is
as follows:
i) At the Age of 25 – Sound level is 57 decibels.
ii) At the Age of 45 – Sound level is 65 decibels.
iii) At the Age of 65 – Sound level is 74 decibels.
iv) At the Age of 85 – Sound level is 85 decibels.
3) Users Gender
Few displays or controls are heavy to carry or move.
Men are more stronger than women.
Controls must be designed effectively keeping the
users gender in mind.
A user can be a male or a female.
Women are good at performing colour-coding tasks
where as men cannot perform task using colour-
codings as they are significantly more colour-blind
than woman.
4) Handy-Dexterous Ability
A person can be right handed or left handed but
most of the devices in the world are made for right
hander's. The devices that are particularly made for
one hand can affect case of use of an input
mechanism.
Hence, ease of move must be the motive of a device
manufacturer.
5) Physically Handicapped
Users who have listening and hearing impairments
and who are blind, deaf, dumb need special care and
attention to utilize any technology.
A proper design permits these users to access the
system and handle it properly.
Human Interaction Speeds
Using different methods of communication, human
performs various tasks.
The interaction speed for performing several tasks
are unique for every individual person.
Based on the speed various tasks can be performed
by a user which are described as follows:
1) Human Reading Speed
2) Human Listening Speed
3) Speaking to a Computer
4) Typing Speed.
5) Hand Printing speed.
1) Human Reading Speed
Reading speed of an english text has found to be
250-300 WPM.
An average adult, proof reading text on paper has
found to be at a speed of 200 WPM.
Proof reading text on a computer monitor has found
to be at a speed of 180 WPM.
• Rapid Serial Visual Presentation(RSVP) is a
technique which increases the reading speed, it
permits only a single word at a time to be displayed
on the screen.
• Reader can set the changing rate of a word
according to their comfort level and their capability
to read words(in a minute) on the screen.
• Depending on the changing rate of a word and old
word will be replaced with a new one.
• Hence, RSVP must be used to improve reading
speed.
2) Human Listening Speed

At the rate of 150 to 160 words per minute,

words can be clearly heard and understood.

In general, suggested rate for video

narration and audio book is 150-160 WPM.
3) Speaking to a computer
At the rate of about 105 words per minute, words
can be dictated to a computer.
The speed of the speech recognizer falls at an
average of 25WPM due to misrecognitions of words
and also time factor is also affected which consumes
time in correcting the misspelt word.
4) Typing Speed
i) At the rate of 150 words per minute, a skilled
typist can type the word on a typewriter.
ii) At the rate of 60-70 words per minute, an average
typist can type the word on a typewriter.
iii)Typing rate of user during transcription is
33WPM.
iv) Typing rate of user during composition is 19
WPM.
v) Two finger typists can type memorized text at the
rate of 37 WPM.
vi) Two finger typists can type copied text at the
rate of 27 WPM.

5) Hand Printing Speed

Hand Print memorized text : 31 WPM
Hand Print copying text : 22 WPM
Understand the Business Functions
Basic Business functions
Basic business functions gives an overview of how
profit and non-profit organizations function and how
the basic business principles are used in finding out
the organization’s success.
Requirement analysis
The objective of requirement analysis is to establish
system needs .

There are various techniques for determining

requirements.
1) Direct Methods.
2) Indirect Methods.
Direct Methods
These methods are advantageous as they provide an
opportunity to a user to express his/her own views and
comments to the interface designers about the model
of the system.
1) Personal Face-to-Face Interview
2) Telephonic conversation (or) Interview
3) Team Workshop
4) Observational and Monitoring Field Study
5) Usability Lab Testing
6) Card Sorting for Websites(Hirearchial structure)
Indirect Method
Indirect method plays the role of an intermediary
between the user and a developer.
Intermediary can be an electronic item or a user
through which useful information can be obtained.
1) Information Services Intermediary
2) Pamphlets Survey (or) Questionnaire
3) Media Survey (or) Questionnaire
4) Sales and Marketing
5) Customer (or) Technical Support Line
6) Electronic Mail (or) Bulletin Board
7) Customer Group
8) Review of Competitor Analysis
9) Customer’s Trade Show
10) Alternative Media Analysis
11) System Testing
Determining Basic Business Functions
The Process used by the developer for determining
basic business functions is as follows.
1) First, the complete knowledge about the user’s
mental model is obtained. This is done by
considering the users requirements and profile and
the users task analysis.

2) A systems conceptual model is developed by

considering the users mental model which includes
objects definitions and metaphors development.
Mental Model:
An internal representation of user’s or clients
present concept and understanding of something is
referred as “mental model”.
Users Task Analysis:
Task analysis involves all client activities.
Conceptual Model:
A framework that describes the relationships
between objects, the properties of objects, how
objects are represented by an interface are
presented to a client is called a conceptual model.
Guidelines for Designing Conceptual Models
1) Focus on users Mental Model, not the Designers Mental
Model
2) Draw Physical Metaphors
3) Abide by Expectancies, Habits, Routines and Stereotypes
4) Provide System Responses Compatible with the Actions.
5) Making Invisible System Parts Visible
6) Provide Genuine and Accurate Feedback
7) Prevent Inappropriate (or) Misleading (or) Irrelevant
Information
8) Avoid Design Inconsistency
9) Strengthening of a Conceptual Model by using
Documentation and Help System
Design Standards
A design standard is also known as “Style Guide”.
A Style Guide certifies to carry out something in an
agreed upon way.
1) A design standard gives guidance on the proper
usage of the system components.
2) A design standard explains the interface
appearance and behavior.
3) In detailed design, design standard defines certain
interface rules, customs and conventions,
guidelines and standards to be followed.

4) A design standard is based on the principles of

good interface, screen design, user’s requirements
and the characteristics of system’s hardware and
software.
Value of Standards and Guidelines
1) Important User Guidelines
i. Minimize errors
ii. Minimize training period
iii. Promote better usage of system
iv. Improve design consistency upto a mark of satisfaction
v. Improve the acceptance of a system
2) Important Developer Guidelines
vi. Make Design Appear as simple as possible
vii. Maximize the visibility of human-computer interface
viii.Decrease redundant efforts
ix. Provide quality control testing guidelines and standards
x. Reduce training period
3) Organization Standards and Guidelines
Organizations such as International Standards
Organization(ISO), the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) work on developing interface
guidelines and standards.
Past research on guidelines utilization has shown a
steep downfall due to various problems encountered.
Identified problems are:
i. Difficulty in interpreting information
ii. Frequent violation of rules
iii. Difficulty in finding soughted information
Reasons for the neglection and violation of rules by
the designer are as follows:
i. Instead of selecting a mandatory standard design,
an alternate design solution is chosen.
ii. Compliance with the standard was planned, but
available development tools and lack of time did
not allow to implement it.
4) Web Standards and Guidelines
Many designers are not familiar with the interface
design guidelines and few developers have very little
knowledge regarding interface issues.
System training
An attempt to develop any integral part of a system is
considered as “training”.
User requirements, conceptual design of a system,
learning and performance goals of a system depends
on the system training.
Training involves tools such as :
1) On-line help.
2) On-line tutorial
3) Manuals
4) Fast reference guides.
 Assignment Question?
How the human computer interaction and user
interface design are related, explain about each? 3m
Thank You