Goals

• To be able to plan a use-case scenario with an application
• To create an application by using and modifying widgets such as buttons, text fields, and menus

Part 1: Create a Writeup with a Use-Case Scenario (10 pts.)
Before doing anything on the computer, you should map out on paper what you would like your application to look like. Knowing the wide array of widgets (buttons, etc.) that you have available, draw out one or more rough sketches of your interface. (Make the sketches legible: you will be turning in the one you decide to actually use.) You must have the following minimum requirements:

• a way to pick from at least four (4) different artists/bands. Once the user picks an artist, a Listbox should be used to display at least three (3) music clips from that artist. In addition, you should display at least two of the following whenever an artist is selected:
  1. a blurb about the artist
  2. a picture of the artist
  3. a list of all the albums that artist has produced
  4. the music genre that artist is most associated with

  My demo I showed in class has #1 and #2. Feel free to add other information too.

• a Play Command button, which will play the music clip which the user selected from the Listbox above.

• a set of purchase options for the user. You must provide at least twelve (12) items for sale, and all items must have prices associated with them. My demo, for example, allowed users to purchase various singles. You're not limited by that, however. MP3 players, albums, headphones, guitar lessons, and posters are just a few things a typical music store might sell. Be creative.

• a Make Purchases Command button or something similar that will be used when the user has finished making purchases.

• a Clear button or something similar which will clear out all choices.

• instructions on how one should use your application. My demo has labels right on the form. You may wish to have a separate form with instructions on it or maybe a Help button that would display instructions in a dialogue box.

Except for the Command buttons and Listbox mentioned above, you may use whatever widgets you want to get input from the user. You are not required to use the same ones I did on my demo. However, be sure not to use a widget that doesn't make sense. For example, if you intend the user to only pick one option from a choice of options, you shouldn't be using checkboxes which allow more than one to be selected.

Notice that I am not telling you exactly where buttons need to go or how the user should use your form. Part of this assignment is learning how to make design decisions so it's up to you to determine if and when the user will click on things, type stuff in, or select from a menu. That's why you are drawing it on paper first. Usability is a key part of any software. Designing well means designing a system which would be easy to use if you were seeing it for the first time. Keep this in mind throughout the assignment.

Once you have a rough sketch of the interface that you are happy with, write out a few paragraphs detailing how you expect a typical user to actually use your system. Software engineers call this a use-case scenario, and it is helpful for revealing flaws in your design. Basically, it is just a story explaining what a user would do step-by-step when interacting with your application. You should also write down how the user will see output from the system (such as the total amount purchased).

Your final writeup will thus have three elements: the rough sketch of your interface, the use-case scenario, and details about system output. Check out this writeup sample to see what I'm expecting.

Part 2: Create the interface in VB (10 pts.)
Once your interface is fleshed out in your writeup, build it in VB. This should be just a matter of transferring what you have done on paper to the computer. Be certain to give each widget a meaningful name according to its purpose. Don't use the generic names VB gives you. Remember, none of the buttons, etc. will actually work yet. So there will be some information that you won't be able to show on your interface yet. For example, the actual playlist of songs and the artist blurbs in my demo wouldn't appear yet since those don't show up until an artist option button is pressed (that is, those widgets are blank until the button works). Just leave them blank in your own interface too. Your writeup will (should) tell me what they will eventually be used for.

What to turn in

Administrative statement