Advanced prototyping for human-centered design for information appliances (original) (raw)

Applying User Interface-Operable 3D Digital Prototypes to Human-Centered Design of Information Appliances

Volume 3: 28th Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, Parts A and B, 2008

One of the critical issues of realizing human centered design (HCD) for information appliances is how to efficiently find the weakness of usability of the user interfaces (UI). At present, user test is the most reliable method of evaluating usability of UI. But executing user-test costs much due to fabrication of physical prototypes, securing of test subjects and facilities and the manual-based analysis of the test results. To solve the problems, we propose a computer-supported environment for testing and usability assessment for human centered-design of information appliances in the paper. In the environment, UI-operable 3D digital prototypes can be designed and used for user tests instead of physical prototypes, and the test results can be automatically analyzed to clarify the weak points of the UI design. UI-operable 3D digital prototypes can be modeled by integrating the state-transitionbased UI behavior model with 3D CAD models of the housings. A function of graphically displaying user's operational history helps the designers identify which portions in the UI specification induce wrong operations of users. A function of indicating digital questionnaire based on cognitive walkthrough method also enables them to reveal causes of the wrong operations and to clarify point of redesign. Comparison of the test results using different types of digital prototypes showed that the proposed UI-operable 3D digital prototype could fully replace the physical prototype in early design stage.

Which prototype to augment? A retrospective case study on industrial and user interface design

Virtual Reality, 2007

Emerging augmented reality and tangible user interface techniques offer great opportunities towards delivering rich, interactive prototypes in product development. However, as most of these are evaluated outside the complexity of. Design practice, little is known about the impact of these prototypes on the resulting product or the process. As a part of a larger multiple-case study approach, this study attempts to explore cues to characterize and improve the design practice of information appliances by performing a retrospective case study. The development of a handheld digital oscilloscope was chosen as an exemplar, embodying complexity in both form giving, interaction and engineering aspects. Although some of the employed techniques have grown obsolete, reflection on this development project still forecasts interesting and useful issues that should be considered while developing new design support methods and techniques.

Draft for second edition Prototyping Tools and Techniques

2014

We begin with our definition of a prototype and then discuss prototypes as design artifacts, introducing four dimensions for analyzing them. We then discuss the role of prototyping within the design process, in particular the concept of a design space, and how it is expanded and contracted by generating and selecting design ideas. The following sections describe specific prototyping approaches: Rapid prototyping, both off-line and on-line, for early stages of design, and iterative and evolutionary prototyping, which use on-line development tools. Finally, we address the specific issue of prototyping mixed reality and pervasive computing systems.

Framework for Information Ergonomics in Industrial Design education : Application of a dynamic rapid prototyping method

2011

As more products become computer-embedded, industrial designers increasingly need to consider the interface in addition to the hardware. Since traditional design processes and techniques largely focus on hardware aspects, new methods and techniques must be investigated and developed. The aim of this study is to investigate new design education methods for information ergonomics. In particular, it focuses on ways by which designers can be assisted in problem identification, exploration and evaluation of information ergonomics design solutions by using a rapid dynamic prototyping technique. The technique is based on a widely used presentation software application, Microsoft PowerPoint. It can be used to develop fully functional prototypes of computerembedded products without electronic engineering skills. The new design education method for information ergonomics involves three phases: i) Understanding user requirements using context scenarios and State Transition Charts; ii) Iterativ...

Rapid Development of Information Appliances: Future Approaches for Designers

2006

This paper considers the particular development needs of information appliances (PDA's, mobile phones,...). It proposes an approach that provides designers the opportunity to not only design and develop future information appliances, but to take these proposals out to potential consumers and test their concepts. The challenge of information appliances development is discussed-rapid technological development that is so rapid, that at times it is simply not possible to get the right product to the right market in a form that consumers desire before it is superseded. Going beyond this, innovators need to uncover new opportunities by exploring peoples unmet and unarticulated needs. Ethnographic observational research supports this inquiry well.