Overview of 203CR Term 1

In 203CR this term, pervasive computing was mainly covered. In terms of how this increasingly form or common of technology with usability tests.

I have met the learning outcomes by completing the studio exercises that were provided each week including the main key assignment. The studio task that I completed was blogged in sequence to what each studio topic was each week.

The following shows all the studio exercises that I have completed, in sequence:

1. Studio 1- What is pervasive?
In this studio exercises, I had to find out definitions and images of pervasive computing. This exercise also allowed me to find out the similarities and differences of each definition.

2. Studio 2- iPod usability analysis
This studio allowed me to make an analysis on an Ipod usability, which provided me with usability points to build up for my key assignment. In completing this exercise I also had to write the '8 Golden Rules Of Design' but interpreting them or writing them down in my understanding.


3. Studio 3- Design approaches
This studio involved looking and analyzing pictures of user centered design because as people we interact automatically with objects and spaces that we encounter. In this analysis I had wrote what I though the reactions were and asking myself what are the Yes Buts, for using UCD in pervasive computing. I also had to look at photos from IDEO and think about the implications for technology design.

4 Studio 4 - Usability Tools
For the studio exercise we had to decide on the usability Goals and design for a mobile phone. The mobile phone that I used was the A1000, which is a bit complicated and includes PDA features. In completing this exercise I had to target specific scenarios and functions.

5 Studio 5- Planning Key Assignment
This studio excerse involved me planning for my key assignment, which I had to read a document call "Writing Reports". This reports provided me a good idea on how I am going to structure my key assignment. In terms of device or devices that I am going to use, conceptual framework, number or uses I am going to use, method chosen etc.

Identifying research and methods; Advice/Supervision on Key Assignment.

Planning My Key Assignment

Key assignment options - Planning

Device or Devices chosen

I have decided to choose two mobile phones in order to do my usability evaluation report. One of the mobile phone is going to be a Motorola C113, which is one of the older versions without a camera and back colour text including pictures. The second mobile phone is going to be Motoral A1000 the newer versions, which is also a PDA and inlcudes all the features and functions that the Motoral C113 does not have. The reseason for these two mobile phones is because I want evaluat

Methods chosen

Qualitative

Definition 1:Descriptive of kind, type or direction, as opposed to size, magnitude or degree
lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/lib/allergybegone/glossary.html

Definition 2: Referring only to the characteristics of something being described, rather than exact numerical measurement. 2. Indicative only of relative sizes or magnitudes, rather than their numerical values. A qualitative comparison would say whether one thing is larger, smaller, or equal to another, without specifying the size of any difference. As opposed to quantitative.
www-personal.umich.edu/~alandear/glossary/q.html

Quantitative

Definition 1: Involving the measurement of quantity or amount.www.nmlites.org/standards/science/glossary_5.htm

Definition 2: observations that involve measurements and numbers ("My brother is 30cm shorter than my sister," is a quantitative observation.)education.jlab.org/beamsactivity/6thgrade/vocabulary/

Observational

Definition 1: experimental: relying on observation or experiment; "experimental results that supported the hypothesis" wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Conceptual framework

Usability in itself. In terms of how the device is designed for any kind of user.
User experience Goals. The design of the device on how it has improved from the older features to new features also drawing on the user experince of using the device.

Users

I will making the evaluation in terms of accessibility issues, regardless of gender, age, disability or number.

How many devices

In my evaluation I will be making a comparative study of two mobile devices by the same manufacture. One mobile device will be a model design before and the sencond model designed after (upgraded design).

The scope used

The feature that I will be focus on will be sending a simple text message using predictable text on the two mobile devices, which also falls under the phones nevagation.