STATION WEEK

Testing interaction and publication station

On this page you can find all my notes, sketches etc. during the testing fase

Tuesday 20/04 - First workshop with Arduino

During the first workshop we got to know the microcontroller and the software program Arduino. The microcontroller contains a couple of sensors; that detect motion, temperature, light and infrared light. It also has neopixel lights and mini speakers.
For such a small device you can do so much with it!

The thing that I found easiest was when we had to code different colors to the different neopixel lights. I understood the structure of the neopixel lights. And because of that I could give them all different colors.

Thursday 22/04 - Second workshop with Proccesing

During workshop two we started with a different software program Processing. With this software we could “draw” things on our computer. And after putting a code in Arduino the microcontroller was connected and you could make those drawings/movements with the microcontroller. We also discovered that you could make an image move with the microcontroller using sound, light or movement.

I found these two workshops very interesting and fun. I think because all the codes where already written out for us it was good to understand and follow everything. But coding is still not an easy thing to learn, I think. You really have to put in time and effort to fully understand it.
These two workshops gave a quick overview of some of the things you could do with it.

I’m not going to use it right know for my interface, because I think there is not enough time. But I will definitely keep it in mind for future projects, you could make some really cool stuff!

UX

Friday 16/04 - Notes Intro to UX

Intro to UX
User experience
Developed for non-linear/interactive use.
Applicable to any communicative design.

Lights in a parking garage (in front of the parking spaces) are UX because they inform people if a parking space is available or not.
Maps + icons + pictograms in a building are UX. They guide people through building.

UX is inviting for and interacting with the public.

Product design > usability > easy to use or give people an experience/give people a feeling when opening a product.

A way to see if UX works is putting people in a room and see if they can find it out themselves (escape room).

It is hard to design something for everyone.
Many things have to be taken into account and therefore many things are added. Therefore it mostly doesn’t make the usability easier.

Flow chart
We had to create a flow chart with our user group as user. And we could choose an app that our user group uses often.

I have chosen google translate because I think you use it regularly if you are (student) expat.
And I have come up with two types of senerios where the user could want to use google translate.

The deliverable for the Interaction Station physical interfaces workshops

I've come up with several concepts. The first one is luminous arrows that act on a motion sensor. Through moving signals, colors of the path are becoming visual/projected. This could be like the little poles they already have or with arrows projected on the threes/path. If you come near to more paths the color of the route will be projected on the path or three.
An app could be linked to the idea with the luminous poles. At the beginning of the route, you can select which route you are going to walk. And then every time you come near the color of your route the pole with the right color will light up.

The second concept is sound that works on a motion sensor. In the zoo you have information signs about the animal. The same kind of signs can be found during the route. But these signs have something extra, if you walk past them, they will make a sound. The sound of the animal that is seen on the information sign.

UX

Wednesday 21/04 - Notes UX: Intro to prototyping

High fidelity and low fidelity prototypes.

A high-fidelity prototype is a computer-based interactive representation of the product in its closest resemblance to the final design in terms of details and functionality.
A low-fi prototype is a computer-based visual representation of a digital product with little resemblance to the final design. It can take on a lot of different forms, from simple black&white sketches to colorful layout drafts.

Concierge testing - low fidelity
It’s a way of testing where you don’t really develop anything yet, but you just bounce your idea of your users. What does my target audience think of this? Can give a lot of insights like how people don’t actually need this. This is one of the first steps that can actually help you, like talking to the audience and asking question like that they need in a design.

Paper prototype - low fidelity
Much more common in UX design is the paper prototype.
What you do instead of going all the way into detail of designing a full interface you make a sketch with buttons and interaction that you’ve planned and test its functionality it’s a way of testing your idea very precisely and see where you missed an opportunity of functionality
this can create a conversation with much more detail about what the thoughts are and what is missing can lead to very specific details for your project.

Adobe XD - Low fidelity
Adobe XD is at the moment the most convenient to create a prototype that has a higher fidelity well in no way exportable to a real app it makes you feel like it does exist, and it gives the ability to test it more widespread as you can send people the prototype over the internet and aren’t limited to the paper prototype. You can do things in much more detail than in a paper prototype. This is specifically for digital media whereas in a paper prototype can serve more than that.

Hotglue - high fidelity
Common use for creating a high-fidelity website prototype.
it’s much easier to export a hotglue website to an actual website compared to adobe XD.

Wix, Cargo, Squarespace - high fidelity
You are limited to a template so that is dangerous to use. You don’t have full creative control. But they can be used to create professional websites.

HTML & CSS - high fidelity
Before you start with this you might want to go through different prototypes since coding takes a lot of time. So, it's lessors the time you have to experiment with that. As a prove of concept very good, but not necessarily recommended.

In the end you need valuable feedback from the prototype to be able to reassure you can actually, make the prototype to convince the teachers that you can make it and it would work in the reality. You need to prove that it works for your users and it's possible to create technically.

Friday 30/04 - Notes UX: Intro to testing

Why user test?
You are not the user.
You are too deep into it.
You can’t know all your (wrong) assumptions.

What you need for a test?
Prototype, test plan, users, location and documentation.

Prototype > there are different kinds, and they all need different ways of testing.
Test plan > specify tasks and questions.
Users > 3-5 people, very diverse.
Location > find the most natural location for your product.
Documentation > record it, be there with them.

Test the most specific and important paths inside the interface, you do not have to go into detail.
You test your design and not your users. Introducing your goal/aim is very important.

During DD week

Test plan

What are you going to test?
I’m going to test an app.
This app consist out of a questionnaire, a route overview with information and a journal.

Which prototype are you making?
A low-fidelity prototype, I want to use Adobe XD for my testing.

Where will you test?
Because of the current situations I will send out a document with instructions and questions to the testers. The beginning of the app is a questionnaire which can be done at home.

Who will be your testers?
My testers will be international WDKA students. I will ask some of my classmates if they want to test my prototype.

How will you document your test?
Because I’m not there with them I will ask the testers to put screen recording on when they are going through the app. Afterwards I will make them fill out some questions which they send back to me.

Together in Nature - Test

Together in Nature is an app where international (WdKA) students can talk and meet up with each other and walk specially designed nature routes. These nature routes are different then the other because these are arranged in such a way that you can learn about the Dutch nature and language.During the route you will find signs with additional information and a QR code that you can scan via the app.
You can make new friends, discover Dutch nature and have a lot of fun!

Questions before the test:

What is your name?
How old are you?
Where are you from?
Do you like to be in nature?

You can start with your screen recording!

Tasks:

- Save a route to your favorites

- Start a route!

- Take a picture during the route and see what happens if you do so.

- Open a chat with a friend

- The information about the Scottisch Highlander is saved somewhere, try to find it!

Questions:

Is the home page clear, and do you know what to do in the app?

Is there something missing in the app?

What do you think of the design? Is it fitting with the concept?

Do you think you would use this app if it really existed?

This is the document I send out to my testers

First Tester - David

Questions before the test:

What is your name?
David
How old are you?
20
Where are you from?
Romania
Do you like to be in nature?
Yes, I find it peaceful.

Questions:

Is the home page clear, and do you know what to do in the app?
Yes! I consider it very clear and easy to browse through.

Is there something missing in the app?
Maybe in addition to the chat option for every route, you can add a “comments section” in which people can review the route.

What do you think of the design? Is it fitting with the concept?
In my opinion it is, I really like the natural tones and simple graphics!

Do you think you would use this app if it really existed?
I think I would use it as an inspiration for hiking routes.

His screen recording

Second Tester - Eva

Questions before the test:

What is your name?
Eva Borro
How old are you?
22 years old
Where are you from?
Finland
Do you like to be in nature?
Yes!

Questions:

Is the home page clear, and do you know what to do in the app?

I think the home page is clear and it’s easy to figure out how to use the app. I also like that there’s a different page for the newest and recommended routes, and for your favourite routes, because this will help discover new routes. The pages are well divided into clear sections which helps a lot with navigating through it.


Is there something missing in the app?

The only thing I’m missing would be maybe a collective map of the entire Netherlands or the area where these routes are located, because right now I wouldn’t be certain if they’re only near Rotterdam or in the entire country. The map could show all the routes on a larger scale so the user could easily see if there’s a route somewhere near them. (I’m not sure if the original nature collection is only in Rotterdam or not, but I guess that’s expected from an external user :) ).

What do you think of the design? Is it fitting with the concept?

I think the design is very fitting, especially the colour theme since it really reminds me of nature and peace. The high-quality pictures also create a very promising image for the routes and make me immediately curious to explore them. The typography is clear and feels professional but still makes the app feel easily approachable. All in all I think it’s a very clear and professional design.

Do you think you would use this app if it really existed?

I think I would, because I’ve been wanting to explore some nature routes in/near Rotterdam but I haven’t really gotten around to it, since there doesn’t seem to be a simple (English) page/app for finding them. I’m not sure if I’d use the friend element because I’d probably go exploring with someone I already know and would therefore chat through Whatsapp. However if I wanted to get to know new people and explore with them, this would be a great way to do so. One question that rises to me is if you first meet the person on the nature route and then add them to your friends on the app, or if you first somehow meet them on the app and then plan a meeting with them on the nature route.
Also, I really liked the little information pieces, for example about the Scottish Highlander and the Dutch word for it, since it’s always fun to learn new words :)

Her screen recording

Third Tester - Manon

Questions before the test:

What is your name?
Manon
How old are you?
19
Where are you from?
France
Do you like to be in nature?
I really like the aesthetics of nature, but I don't often go in to nature

Questions:

Is the home page clear, and do you know what to do in the app?
Yes, I find the homepage clear and easy to use. The app itself is also easy to use, the icons clearly indicate the different pages. Maybe there could be more subpages on the 4 that there are now.

Is there something missing in the app?
I don't think it's really missing, but I would have liked to see how the search function works. Because I assume that you can also search for friends and I would have liked to know how that works.
And what information will appear when you search for a route.

What do you think of the design? Is it fitting with the concept?
Yes, I think the design certainly fits. The colors match nature well. I also like the fact that icons are used a lot, which is well organized. There are good images, this makes it professional.

Do you think you would use this app if it really existed?
I would definitely use the app. I really like the function that you can meet people in the app. As an international student with maybe not many friends, this is a nice way to meet people. And this is also a fun way to learn more about the Netherlands.

Her screen recording

Conclusions

When looking at the screen recordings I can see that all the tasks went pretty well. So, I think that means that that things in the app are easy to find. Maybe that is because of the icons I use.

I had a question about if there is something missing in the app. I’m very happy that I asked that question because it is good to know from your user group perspective what they think is missing. And the answers that came to question where very inspiring and I’m definitely thinking of adding things in. I can also see why they suggested those things. An overview map of all the routes can get you a good indication of where they are located. And the review section underneath the routes is helpful for people to see if a route suits them.
I’m also going to make a search screen because it is indeed nice to see how the search function would work. What can you find there? Friends, routes, groups, places etc.

Due to the feedback I received, I have adapted my concept quite a bit. As a result, I didn't have time to test my new concept. Unfortunately, it was also not possible to add the missing things indicated by the testers.

Testing my prototype would certainly have been my next step.