Thursday, May 15, 2014

UXD - revision

Research plan - revision

Research questions

  • What area of the back of a tablet can be useful for finger interaction while holding it up?
  • What finger interaction is possible?
  • What is the user's experience with a back of device typing prototype?

Existing literature


Hypothesis

Assuming the target audience using a 7" or larger tablet in a seated position and in a mobile environment (not able to access regular laptop or desktop) with an active internet connection.

  • There is a considerable and definable area on the back of a tablet device suitable for finger interaction.
  • A user is able to push buttons and slide over a touch area in one direction with the index and middle finger and only push buttons with the ring and little finger.

Target audience

Audience criteria

Any user between the age of 20 and 50 who regularly uses or would use for some activity requiring substantial data input.

Criterion for frequency of substantial input: ever delaying tasks that could/can on a mobile device because the data input is too slow or cumbersome.

Since the product in development aims to improve efficiency of a device that helps performing all kinds of tasks, the study targets people who are at an age where both an active personal life and an active business or educational life is possible. Hence users users from 20 to 50 years old.

Audience spread

Amount of subjects: As read in the stated literature, valid user experience output requires at least 20 subjects. To be on the safe side, the goal is set on 30.

Age: The age criteria is divided into 6 groups of 5 years. An even spread requires 5 people in each group

Gender: Goal is a 50-50 ratio in the audience. So 15 males, 15 females.

Handedness: Globally, about 11% of the population is left-handed. This percentage should be represented at least in our audience. Let's aim for 5 to 10 left-handed persons, so that at least a valid 20 person right-handed group remains as well.

Education: Education level heavily influences the use of language, vocabulary, what will be typed on one hand, and the type of tasks that are performed on the mobile device. An even spread might procure different usage patterns among the education levels. The same classification is used as the Belgian federal government: Low, medium and high education (low: lower secondary education, medium: higher secondary education, high: higher education)

Out of scope

Ethnicity, physical (dis)ability

Data collection method

Online survey on tablet / observation of simulated behavior/ short interview & explanation
  • Short introduction to the research goal
  • Survey on tablet
    • about personal data, user background and experience on the subject
    • hand & finger movement being filmed by 2 cameras: top & bottom of the tablet
  • Back of device finger interaction test
  • Back of device typing prototype test
  • Explanation of the real research goal

Data to be obtained:

  • Permission
    • To record
    • Take pictures
    • Mention first name
  • User background
    • First name
    • Age
    • Gender
    • Handedness
    • Education level
    • Profession / current education
    • Hobbies & other engagements
  •  Study specific background
    • Tablet owner + device type + ownership time
    • Smartphone owner + device type + ownership time
    • User persona (inexperienced, casual user, heavy facebooker/twitterer/instagrammer/... , connected businessman) - user opinion / own impression
    •  Input load:
      • amount of emails per day/week
      • amount of text messages per day/week
      • amount of web forms per day/week
      • amount of search queries per day/week
  • Behavior based data
    • Current input method (demo on user device)
      • which for which task (mail, txt, web form, search query)
      • Qwerty/T9/Gesture based/external
      • language - own dictionary
      • predictive text 
      • hold position (one handed L/R - cradled - two handed

Approach

The first 3 parts of of the data (permissions, user background and study specific background) will be gathered by an online survey on a tablet provided by the researcher. The important data, the user behavior while performing data input, is recorded by 2 cameras.

Then the user is asked to turn the tablet face down to execute some touch gestures on the touch screen facing down. The researcher takes over the tablet from his laptop and sets up a paint program. The user is asked to perform the following tests:
  • hold the tablet with the fingers placed on the touch screen
  • with each finger, try to tap as far as possible forward and backward, with the index finger forward up and backward up as well.
  • do this again while sliding instead of tapping
The researcher takes a screenshot after each of the 3 parts.

And finally, the user is given a back of device typing prototype and is asked to type the same sentence 5 times in a row. The prototype is a tablet with physical keyboard fixed at the back. The keyboard layout is shown on the tablet screen as a visual aid while typing. The output can be seen on an other device while typing at all time.

Analysis method

  • Survey
    • video images from the subjects taking the survey will reveal how the user holds the tablet, places their fingers and inputs data. From this most common methods will be derived.
  • Back of device finger interaction
    • for each part heat maps will be generated from all users combined, showing where users place their fingers mostly, where they can reach by clicking or sliding
  • Back of device typing prototype
    • Speed and error counts will provide an initial performance indication of the system

Expected results 

  • What area of the back of a tablet can be useful for finger interaction while holding it up?
    • The user can reach an area similar to the main keys of a regular keyboard, or slightly smaller
    • The user can easily move fingers forward, but less so backward or sideways
  • What finger interaction is possible?
    • Clicking and sliding with all fingers in the above described area
  • What is the user's experience with a back of device typing prototype? 
    • Users will find it hard at first to type smoothly and correctly, even with visual aid
    • The test span is too short for a learning period

 

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