Usability and Mobile Application I (Lectures and Exercises)

29th August to 29th November 2018
Gan Pei Jane 0327622
Usability & Mobile Application I
Lecture and Exercises

Week 1

29th August 2018

During the first week, Mr. Shamsul briefed us on the module for Usability and Mobile Application I. The module outline for this module is as below: 

Fig. 1: Module Outline

After the briefing, Mr. Shamsul then gave us articles to read in class, after reading both articles, we are prompt to discuss the content of the article with each other. The articles are as below: 

Fig. 2: Article 1

Fig. 3: Article 2

The articles talk about UX/UI. 

After our discussion, it can be concluded that:

UX: User Experience. Which stands for the user's overall experience and feel of the product. 

UI: User Interface. How the product is made, the layout of the product in terms of what they need after their experience with the product, which is the UX. 

To better understand what the consumers may need, the developers have to first understand the concept of UX and UI. 

Besides UX and UI, we also learned about the Usability Principles and Attributes, which is categorized into 4 sections, visibility, ease, efficiency and enjoyment. 

Week 2

3rd September 2018

On the second week of class, Mr. Shamsul uploaded a lecture slide on Introduction to User Experience Research. He also asked us to do an exercise in class after the lecture.

Fig. 4: Introduction to User Experience Research

For the exercise, we are divided into 4 groups. In my group, we are assigned on a topic called Interviews/Focus Group. We were then asked to research on the topic and come out with slides that summarize the topic to be presented in class.

The slides of all groups are as below:

For the first group, we learned about Usability Testing. 

Fig. 5: Usability Testing

For the second group, which is my group, we talked about Interviews. 

Fig. 6: Interviews

For the third group, we learned about Online Surveys. 

Fig. 7: Online Survey

As for the final group, we learned about User Personas.

Fig. 8: User Persona

After the presentation of each and everyone's slides, we then discussed a question that Mr. Shamsul proposed to us.

The question is:

How many number of people should we interview and ask to answer surveys to ensure the data that we collected are reliable enough?

Mr. Shamsul then explained to us that we can calculate the amount of respondents through a website called Survey Monkey. However, it may not be an accurate amount as we cannot filter out the people that we are targeting.

After that, Mr. Shamsul proceeds to tell us that we need to start thinking about the topic that we wanted to do for our assignment for this module.

6th September 2018

For Mr. Razif's class, we are tasked to do an exercise on designing a Nasi Lemak vending machine. For this exercise, we are supposed to design the vending machine in groups and the design are then to be drawn on the whiteboard available in the classroom. 

Fig. 9: Nasi Lemak vending machine 1

 Fig. 10: Nasi Lemak vending machine 2

 Fig. 11: Nasi Lemak vending machine 3

Fig. 12: Nasi Lemak vending machine 4

After designing the Nasi Lemak vending machine, Mr. Razif then commented on our design and gave us feedback on the usability and interface of the machines.

We then learned that the main objective of the exercise is to show that when designing a product, we have to think about how the consumers may perceive the product and how the product is useful in terms of its visibility, or its ease of use, efficiency as well as its enjoyability to consumers. If it looks good as well as if it works well.

Week 3

13th September 2018

For this week, we did not have any exercises as we are told to continue our assignment. Mr. Razif then consulted us on our ideas for our assignment. 

Week 4

17th September 2018

For this week, our class which is initially on Monday, is changed to Wednesday morning due to a public holiday. Mr. Shamsul posted a few articles for us to read regarding the topic of UX laws, fundamentals of UI design and the types of applications in the mobile realm. The articles are as below:

https://blog.teamtreehouse.com/10-user-interface-design-fundamentals

https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2018/02/comprehensive-guide-user-experience-design/

https://articles.uie.com/experiencedesign/

20th September 2018

In Mr. Razif's class, we are tasked to create a revised version of Air Asia's boarding pass. We first have to list down all the information from the original boarding pass. Then we have to group the information into things that we think is important and things that we think are less important. The process of group the items in terms of importance is called Information Architecture. 

Fig. 13: Original Air Asia boarding pass

Fig. 14: Air Asia boarding pass layout by our group

Fig. 15: Air Asia boarding pass layout by our group revised

 Week 5

26th September 2018

For this week, we learned about the Process Flowchart. Mr. Shamsul taught us about the shapes that we needed to create the process flow chart to show the steps and decisions needed to perform a process in an orderly manner. 

Based on an article from LucidChart, the purpose of a process flow chart is as below.  

Purpose of flowchart:

1. To document a process for better understanding, quality control, and training of employees

2. To standardize a process for better efficiency and repeatability

3. To study a process for efficiency and improvement. It helps to show unnecessary steps, bottlenecks and other inefficiencies.

4. To model a better process or to create a brand new process

5. To communicate and collaborate with better diagrams that speaks to various roles in the organization or outside of it

Mr. Shamsul have also uploaded a few samples of the process flow chart to show us in class.

Fig. 16: Process Flowchart example 1

Fig. 17: Process Flowchart example 2

After the lecture, Mr. Shamsul gave us a simple exercise for us to practice making the process flow chart. The exercise's topic is "Plan a date", where we have to make a process flow chart of a date in the viewpoint of a guy in order to impress a girl. For this process flow chart, we need to think about the questions that we want to ask in order to move on to the next task and so forth.

 For my exercise, I was a little bit confused at first and Mr. Shamsul commented that I did not have the questions asked properly in order to move on to the next task. He asked me to redo the exercise in the right order and to show it to him. After revising, I learned the right way to create the process flow chart.

Before class ended, Mr. Shamsul had also mentioned that our presentation would be on Week 10 and we have to have all our information and process flow chart and personas created by then.

27th September 2018

For Mr. Razif's class, we were asked to do an exercise that Mr. Shamsul posted, which is also another process flow chart with the topic "International Student Applying to Taylor's University". For this exercise, Mr. Razif will give us feedback while we do the exercise in order to not waste any time. 

Fig. 18: Process Flowchart of Application to Taylors University