Lecture: 7
Evaluation Techniques and Universal Design
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WHAT IS EVALUATION TECHNIQUES ?
• Evaluation techniques in design are methods used to assess the effectiveness,
usability, and user experience of products, systems, or interfaces.
• These techniques help designers to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for
improvement in their designs.
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Cont.
Here are some common evaluation techniques:-
Usability Testing: Usability testing involves observing users as they interact with a
product or system to identify usability issues and gather feedback. Test participants are
asked to complete tasks while researchers observe their behavior, listen to their
feedback, and note any difficulties or frustrations they encounter.
Heuristic Evaluation: Heuristic evaluation involves expert evaluators inspecting a
product or interface against a set of usability principles or heuristics. The evaluators
identify usability problems based on these principles and provide recommendations for
improvement.
Think-Aloud Protocol: Think-aloud protocol involves asking users to verbalize their
thoughts, feelings, and actions as they interact with a product or interface. This
technique provides insight into users' mental processes, helping researchers understand
their decision-making and problem-solving strategies.
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Cont.
Surveys and Questionnaires: Surveys and questionnaires collect self-reported feedback from
users about their experiences with a product or system. These instruments can gather
quantitative data on user satisfaction, preferences, and demographic information.
A/B Testing: A/B testing involves comparing two versions of a design (A and B) to determine
which performs better in terms of user behavior or outcomes. Participants are randomly
assigned to either version and their interactions are analyzed to identify differences in
performance.
Eye Tracking: Involves tracking users' eye movements to understand visual attention patterns
and identify areas of interest or difficulty within the interface.
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• Universal Design Evaluation Techniques: Universal design evaluation
techniques focus on assessing the accessibility and inclusivity of products,
environments, or services for people with diverse abilities, ages, and backgrounds.
These techniques aim to ensure that designs are usable and accommodating for as
many users as possible. Here are some universal design evaluation techniques:
• 1. Accessibility Audits: Accessibility audits involve systematically assessing a
product, environment, or service to identify barriers and potential accessibility
issues for people with disabilities. Audits typically involve evaluating factors such
as physical access, digital accessibility, communication, and usability for people
with diverse abilities.
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2. Inclusive Design Workshops: Inclusive design workshops bring together diverse
stakeholders, including users with disabilities, to co-create and evaluate designs.
Participants collaborate to identify accessibility challenges, brainstorm inclusive
solutions, and provide feedback on design prototypes
3. User Personas and Scenarios: Creating user personas and scenarios that reflect
diverse abilities, ages, and backgrounds can help designers understand the needs and
preferences of a wide range of users. Designers can then use these personas and
scenarios to evaluate designs from multiple perspectives and identify potential
accessibility issues
4. Expert Reviews by Accessibility Specialists: Expert reviews by accessibility
specialists involve evaluating designs against established accessibility guidelines and
standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for digital
products. Accessibility specialists can identify
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accessibility issues and provide
recommendations for improving design accessibility.
Cont…
• By incorporating evaluation techniques, including universal
design evaluation techniques:-
• Designers can identify usability and accessibility issues
early in the design process and create more inclusive and
user-friendly products, environments, and services.
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Lecture: 8
User Support
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Cont..
User support in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) refers to the
provision of assistance, guidance, and resources to help users
effectively interact with and navigate computer systems, software
applications, or digital interfaces. The goal of user support is to
enhance usability, productivity, and user satisfaction by addressing
user needs and resolving issues encountered during interaction.
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Types of User
Documentation: Providing user manuals, help guides, tutorials, and
FAQs to assist users in understanding system functionalities and
performing tasks.
Interactive Help: Offering contextual help within the interface, such
as tooltips, guided tours, and interactive walkthroughs to assist users
during task execution.
Online Support: Offering online resources, forums, and communities
where users can seek help, share experiences, and find solutions to
common problems.
Customer Support: Providing direct assistance through customer
service channels, such as helplines, live chat, or email support, to
address specific user queries or issues.
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Purpose of User Support
Facilitating Learning: User support aids in the learning process by providing accessible
resources and guidance to help users acquire necessary skills and knowledge.
Improving Usability: Effective user support enhances system usability by reducing user
frustration, confusion, and errors through clear instructions and assistance.
Increasing Efficiency: By offering timely support and guidance, user support helps users
accomplish tasks more efficiently, leading to improved productivity and user satisfaction.
Building Confidence: Providing reliable and accessible user support builds user
confidence in using the system, encouraging continued engagement and adoption.
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Requirements of user support
User support in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is essential for ensuring users can
effectively interact with digital systems and applications. To meet the needs of users and
provide effective support, certain requirements must be considered and implemented
Here are the key requirements of user support in HCI:
Accessibility: Ensure support is accessible to users of all abilities.
Availability: Provide support readily through various channels when
needed.
Clarity and Understandability: Use clear language and visuals to aid
comprehension.
Contextual Relevance: Offer support where users are performing
tasks within the interface.
Comprehensiveness: Cover a wide range of user needs with thorough
documentation and guides.
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Cont..
Consistency: Maintain consistency in terminology and design across
support materials.
Responsive Assistance: Respond promptly to user inquiries and issues.
User-Centered Design: Design support with a focus on user needs and
preferences.
Scalability and Flexibility: Plan for future growth and adaptability of
support systems. Adhering to these requirements ensures effective user support,
enhances usability, and contributes to a positive user experience in HCI
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Cont..
Approaches to user support
Approaches to user support in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
encompass various strategies and methods aimed at assisting users in
effectively using and interacting with computer.
These approaches are designed to address user needs, enhance usability, and improve overall
user experience.
Documentation: Provide comprehensive user manuals, guides, and
FAQs to assist users in understanding and using the system
effectively.
Interactive Help Features: Implement contextual help features such as
tooltips, guided tours, and inline assistance within the interface to
provide on-the-spot guidance.
Online Resources: Offer online knowledge bases, forums, and
communities where users can find solutions, share experiences, and
seek support from peers.
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Cont..
Customer Support: Provide responsive customer support through
channels like live chat, email, or phone to address specific user
queries or issues.
Training and Education: Offer training sessions, webinars, or tutorials
to educate users on using the system and its features optimally.
Accessibility Tools: Incorporate accessibility tools and features (e.g., screen readers,
keyboard navigation) to assist users with disabilities in
accessing and using the system.
These approaches cater to different user needs and preferences, ensuring
that users receive the necessary support and assistance to enhance their
interaction and experience with HCI systems.
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Cont. ..
Adaptive help systems
Adaptive help systems in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) are designed to provide
personalized and context-aware assistance to users based on their specific needs, preferences,
and interactions with the system.
These systems dynamically adapt their support strategies to accommodate varying levels of
user expertise, task complexity, and situational context.
Here's an overview of adaptive help systems:
User Modeling: Gathering user information to tailor support.
Context Awareness: Adapting help based on current user interactions.
Adaptive Strategies: Adjusting content, format, and timing of assistance.
Feedback and Learning: Using user feedback to refine assistance over
time. Examples include intelligent tutoring systems and contextual help widgets. Adaptive
help systems enhance usability, user satisfaction, learning, and problem-solving efficiency in
HCI.
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Cont. ..
Benefits of Adaptive Help Systems:
Enhanced Usability: Adaptive help systems cater to individual user
needs and abilities, improving the overall usability and accessibility
of the system.
Increased User Satisfaction: Personalized assistance leads to higher
user satisfaction as users receive relevant support tailored to their
specific requirements.
Improved Learning and Performance: Adaptive systems facilitate
effective learning and task performance by providing targeted
guidance and support.
Efficient Problem Solving: Users can resolve issues more efficiently
with adaptive help systems that deliver timely and contextually
relevant assistance.
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Cont..
Designing user support systems
Designing effective user support systems in Human-Computer Interaction
(HCI) involves careful consideration of user needs, system requirements, and usability
principles.
Here are key steps and considerations for designing user support systems:
User Research: Understand the target users, their characteristics, goals, tasks, and
challenges they may encounter while interacting with the
system. Conduct usability testing, surveys, and interviews to gather
insights into user preferences and expectations for support.
Identify Support Needs: Determine the types of support required based
on user tasks, complexity of interactions, and potential areas of
difficulty. Consider different user personas and their unique support
requirements.
Support Strategies: Choose appropriate support strategies, such as
documentation, interactive help features, online resources, or
customer support channels. Decide on the level
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personalization needed in the support system.
Cont..
Contextual Integration: Integrate support seamlessly within the
interface and workflow to provide contextually relevant Assistance. Implement interactive
help features that respond dynamically to user actions and context.
Accessibility and Inclusivity: Ensure support systems are accessible to users with diverse
abilities and needs. Design support materials following accessibility guidelines and provide
alternative formats for users with disabilities.
Content Creation: Develop clear, concise, and user-friendly documentation, tutorials, and
help content. Use visuals, step-by-step instructions, and multimedia elements to enhance
comprehension.
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Cont..
Testing and Iteration: Conduct usability testing of the support system
with representative users to identify usability issues and gather Feedback.
Iteratively refine the design based on user insights and observations.
Integration with Feedback Mechanisms :Implement mechanisms for
users to provide feedback on the effectiveness and usefulness of the
support system. Use feedback to continuously improve and optimize
the support experience.
Scalability and Maintenance: Design support systems that can scale
with the growth of the system and accommodate updates and changes
over time. Establish processes for maintaining and updating support
materials to ensure relevance.
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Cont..
Considerations for Designing User Support Systems:
User-Centered Design: Place users at the center of the design process, focusing on
meeting their needs and enhancing their experience.
Consistency: Maintain consistency in terminology, design elements, and interaction
patterns across support materials.
Integration with Interface: Ensure seamless integration of support
features within the interface without disrupting user work flow.
Personalization: Provide personalized support based on user
preferences, experience level, and context of use.
Accessibility: Prioritize accessibility to ensure that support systems
are usable by all users, including those
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Thank you!
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