Due: Monday, September 27, 2009
Goal: Understand the people, technology and physical, as well as social, context that play a role in the problem area for which you are designing.
Action:
1. Select three complimentary requirements analysis methods such as Ethnography, Task Analysis, Contextual Inquiry, User surveys, Focus groups, Interviews, Competitive Analysis and User Observations. Participants must be included somewhere in your plan.
2. Come to class on Monday 9/20 with a plan for how you are going to do the work as a collaborative project. What parts are certain individuals responsible for? What parts will you do as a group? Your plan should include the methods you've chosen and motivation for those methods. We will discuss your plan in class.
3. Create a protocol for each method you are using. Describe the participants, materials, and details of the steps you are going to take.
4. Create (an) informed consent form(s) - you may want to create different forms for different tasks. It is not required to get approval from Union's IRB for the projects conducted in this class, provided the materials are only used for class presentations and reports. However, you must be ethical when conducting research with participants. This includes obtaining informed consent. (If you are interested in working with children, please set up a time to meet with me for details on how to do consent and assent with minors.) Below is a sample permission form that you should modify for your specific project. It is not required that you compensate your participant, but it is a nice thing to do. This doesn't have to be anything big: a bag of chips or piece of candy will suffice. Attach a copy of your informed consent form to your write-up.
5. Conduct your requirements analysis.
4. Write up your requirements analysis. Be sure to provide motivation for each method you selected, details of your protocol and execution, and some discussion of your interpretations. You should be prepared to conduct your conceptual design next. You should write no more than 5 pages, single-spaced.
5. Create a presentation (at most 5 minutes) using the pictures from your observations for the class.
6. Tip: You may want to start keeping a design journal where you record EVERYTHING you do in the process of completing your project. This may be helpful in writing your final report.
Deliverables:
1. Classroom presentation (at most 5 minutes).
2. Written report (at most 5 pages, single-spaced). Attach a copy of your consent form (s). Please email an electronic document (Word or .rtf) to tartaroa@union.edu by 2:45pm the day the assignment is due AND hand in a hard copy in class.
3. Individual Reflection. Your individual reflection should be a minimum of one page (single-spaced, two pages max) and detail, from your prespective, what each team member, including yourself, contributed to the assignment, what each team member did well, and what each team member could have done better and how. Also discuss what you did well as a group, and what you could have done better as a group and how. You reflection should also include how you would divide up an imaginary $500 bonus to your group and why. Be sure you understand the rules for individual reflections outlined on the syllabus. Please email an electronic document (Word or .rtf) to tartaroa@union.edu by 2:45pm the day the assignment is due AND hand in a hard copy in class.
Sample Consent Form (a contextual inquiry of a card creation task):
Union College
Class Project Consent Form
Project Title:
Conducted by:
I agree to participate in a class project conducted by students in CSC280: User Interfaces. I understand that although the turned in assignment may be shown to instructors, students and/or class visitors this year and in future years of the class, no data from this project will be used in any sort of scientific research. I understand that if at any time I wish to terminate my participation in the class project I have the right to do so without penalty.
If I have any questions about this class project, I can ask them now or anytime throughout the study by contacting: Professor Andrea Tartaro, Computer Science Department, tartaroa@union.edu.
Purpose of the Study: I understand that I will be observed by a student as I create a greeting card. I am aware that this student will ask me questions as I create cards, in order to understand how I think about the process of creating cards. I am aware the student will take notes, based on our conversations, and that I will be video-taped. I am aware that images/video may be used in the class presentation and written report for the class instructor, students and class visitors, but will not be shared with anyone else. I am aware that I will be compensated with a small coffee beverage from the Reamer Center Starbucks for participating in the class project.
I understand that the following procedure will be used to maintain my anonymity in analysis and report/presentation of any results: My name will not be written down by the student, s/he will assign me a code name which is unrelated to my actual name. No identifying information about me will be recorded in the assignment the student turns in.
I understand that in signing this consent form, I give the students full permission to turn in the results of this interview as a class project for CSC280.
Name:
Date:
Signature: