Qualitative Interface Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Qualitative Interface Evaluation - Essay Example Since this task is important in software development, experts have agreed on eight most basic characters of a good user interface. While evaluating the interfaces in this paper it will be important to look at these characteristics because they will be the basis of over evaluation. The techniques for interface evaluation among other parameters will be looking at these characteristics. They include: 1. Clear The main aim of any interface to enable users access information and complete their tasks with a lot of ease. Have a clear interface where icons and the menus are well placed and have a clear meaning is important for a successful interface. Users should not be frustrated by the symbols or icons on the interface, one should provide a pop-up message with details of the function of that interface this makes it more clear. While pointing at that icon you may not know the function of it but a pop up message appears which explains the function. 2. Concise This means straight to the point users do not want a lot of details in the interface. While making the interface clear one should not be trapped into adding a lot of information to overload the interface. The icons or details should be short to the point. The volume icon has a scale and icons which shows the high and low volume level. Although it is not easy to keep things, clear and concise developers should strive to achieve this. Sources( http://www.usabilitypost.com) 3. Familiar A good interface is one that a new user can easily learn and be able to use from the previous interfaces. While developers strive for uniqueness in their interface one thing should be clear, the interface should be familiar to the users for them to have interest to learn and use them effectively. Naturally, users do not like new things, different environment which they will struggle to adapt. Things that are familiar or terms which one uses should be familiar to the users of the system. A system that uses icons should be keen on the ty pe of the icons they use because the context of the system is very important. The screen shot below shows the user that he/she does not need to learn more about the interface because these are the tasks that they want to accomplish using this application hence easy to use. Sources ( http://www.usabilitypost.com) 4. Responsive This means that the system interface should be fast, users like an interface that enables them to accomplish tasks within a short period. It is frustrating for users to wait longer as their requests are being loaded slowly. The user should also have feedback from the system such as the percentage of work done by the system, remaining time and completion status either failed or successful. When the program is loading for instance, a progressing bar or a spinning wheel indicates the task status. The program below shows the time elapsed, time remaining and the percentage of the task done. 5. Consistent Users will learn and advance well in their interface usage if the design system is consistent. Having a system with different interfaces for each version of the program disorients the users. The placement of the Icons, tabs and other items on the interface must be consistent. For instance Microsoft interface are consistent for its application package which enables users to easily adapt from one application to another. 6. Attractive Making an interface attractive is important because users will enjoy performing their tasks with it and probably look forward to using the

Exploratory, Descriptive and Causal Research Essay

Exploratory, Descriptive and Causal Research - Essay Example imarily desires to develop insights into the problem Exploratory research must be an initial research to be conducted to clarify and then define the nature of a problem (Eden, Herrmann and Li, 2004). This is not supposed to provide conclusive evidence and subsequent research is expected. Meanwhile, descriptive research as the name implies, intends to describe the nature of business or market characteristics. It can also be used to produce data (Hughes, 2003), enable researchers to recognize associations among factors of interest. On the other hand, descriptive research cannot explicitly establish causal linkages. Mainly, surveys fall in descriptive research. Similarly, causal research is another type of business research method which aims to discover a cause and effect relationship by generating data beneath controlled conditions. Also it is capable of launching cause and effect between factors with a greater degree of certainty. The objectives as well as the research design and methods of the research problems stated in a-f, are critically analyzed and categorized according to the definition, classification, purpose, characteristics and outcomes of the three (3) research types - exploratory, descriptive and the causal research. 2. There are instances that the business team might want to find out the relationships of particular causal factors to the effects which they are predicting. In this case, they may utilize the causal research process. At the moment causes of the effects which are desired to be predicted will be fully understood, they can invariably improve the ability both to predict as well as to control the corresponding effects (Feldman, 1975). The stage in research by which researcher has to know the responses to the â€Å"why† questions without arriving to precise answers is part of the exploratory study. It is often the initial move in a series of actions that is planned by the marketing team. Exploratory research usually answers research