HOW DO WE VISUALIZE MOBILE DEVICES’ CONTENT FOR INEXPERIENCED USERS: A TASK FOR DESIGNERS

The purpose of the present study concerns the examination of a scenario involving the visualizing of content at mobile devicesplatforms and their respective applications. The scenario follows certain design principles that cater for interaction with inexperienced users within the interface of mobile devices. The visual design of an artifact obviously influences the way in which a user will interact with it. Gestalt laws and principles form one possible framework for the collection of helpful design guidelines. Based on field research, a prototype has been developed according to these principles. The results of a evaluation by users on the proposed visualization of content, are finally discussed

Usability Testing Menggunakan Model PACMAD Pada Aplikasi Mobile Tabanan Dalam Genggaman

Aplikasi Tabanan Dalam Genggaman adalah aplikasi mobile milik Pemerintah Kabupaten Tabanan. Aplikasi ini memuat beragam data dan informasi tentang Kabupaten Tabanan. Sebagai aplikasi yang bersifat public penting untuk melakukan uji guna mengetahui tingkat usability sehingga dapat memaksimalkan kebergunaan aplikasi. Pengujian usability testing menggunakan model PACMAD (People At The Center Of Mobile Application Depelovment) dengan 7 atribut pengukuran serta melibatkan 12 responden pada rentang usia 15-41 tahun. Dari hasil pengujian usability testing yang dilakukan dengan teknik performance measurement, RTA, Kuesioner SUS dan NASA-TLX diketahui bahwa aplikasi tabanan dalam gengaman dapat dikategorikan telah memenuhi tingkat usability yang baik untuk sebuah aplikasi mobile. Hal ini berdasarkan pada terpenuhinya 7 atribut usability pada model PACMAD yaitu efficiency sebesar 0,0380050295 goals/second, effectiveness 97%, learnability 92%,  memorability 98%, error 0,090278, satisfaction 59,375 dan cognitive load 43,4444. Sebagai upaya meningkatkan usability pada aplikasi Tabanan Dalam Genggaman maka  dirancangan rekomendasi perbaikan dalam bentuk wireframe/mockup yang didasarkan pada teori 8 golden rules dari Benn Sneidermann dan 10 prinsip user interface aplikasi mobile dari Jonathan Stark. Hasil analisis data performance measurement dan data hasil RTA dijadikan sebagai acuan dan pertimbangan untuk memutuskan bagian, halaman dan fitur dalam aplikasi Tabnanan Dalam Genggaman yang akan diberikan rekomendasi perbaikan.

Usability guidelines informing knowledge visualisation in demonstrating learners' knowledge acquisition

There is growing evidence that knowledge co-creation and interactivity during learning interventions aid knowledge acquisition and knowledge transfer. However, learners have mostly been passive consumers and not co-creators of the knowledge visualisation aids created by teachers and instructional designers. As such, knowledge visualisation has been underutilised for allowing learners to construct, demonstrate and share what they have learned. The dearth of appropriate guidelines for the use of knowledge visualisation for teaching and learning is an obstacle to using knowledge visualisation in teaching and learning. This provides a rationale for this study, which aims to investigate usability-based knowledge visualisation guidelines for teaching and learning. The application context is that of Science teaching for high school learners in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Following a design-based research methodology, an artefact of usability-based knowledge visualisation guidelines was created. The artefact was evaluated by testing learners’ conformity to the visualisation guidelines. Qualitative and quantitative data was captured using questionnaires, interviews and observations. The findings indicate that the guidelines considered in this study had various degrees of impact on the visualisations produced by learners. While some made noticeable impact, for others it could be considered negligible. Within the context of high school learning, these results justify the prioritisation of usability-based knowledge visualisation guidelines. Integrating Human Computer Interaction usability principles and knowledge visualisation guidelines to create usability-based knowledge visualisation guidelines provide a novel theoretical contribution upon which scientific knowledge visualisation can be expanded.School of ComputingM. Sc. (Computing

Training and evaluation in a large-scale virtual environment for a location-based mobile application

Virtual reality (VR) training has been applied to multiple different tasks and compared to conventional training methods. The aim of this research is to evaluate training in a large-scale CAVE-based virtual environment (VE) for a location-based mobile application designed to support an address verification task via walking. This training required a simulated neighborhood environment, a user interface for VE navigation, and communication between the VE and the mobile application. In this research, four main elements interacted together to provide the user experience: the VE, the mobile application, the task, and the user’s spatial ability. The first part of the research examined the impact of training in VR. The training was applied in two different environments with two different groups (in the field and VR). The effectiveness of training was measured using a field test for both training groups. There were statistically significant improvements in both training groups after training. There were no significant differences between the two training groups in performance (time, distance, task errors) in the testing session. The second part evaluated the interaction with the mobile application by assessing the impact of training on the use of the mobile application and the usability issues experienced with the app. Usability was measured using quantitative (taps in the application) and qualitative (usability questionnaire) methods. Results showed statistically significant improvements in app interaction in both real-world and virtual training groups where both groups reduced taps significantly in the testing session compared to the training session. There were no significant differences between the two training groups in taps in the testing session. The usability questionnaire documented issues related to feedback and map design. However, the questionnaire results showed an overall satisfaction of the usefulness and the information quality of the mobile app. The last part of the study evaluated the interaction with the virtual environment by examining users’ sense of presence and perceived distance traveled. The sense of presence was measured using a presence questionnaire. The perceived distance compared participants’ perceived travel distance with their actual distance traveled. Results showed that participants had a relatively high sense of presence in the CAVE. It was also found that participants underperceived their distance traveled in VR. This research found the large-scale CAVE-based virtual environment (VE) valuable in training and evaluation for the location-based mobile application designed to support an address verification task. These results will enable users from both academia and industry with location-based mobile applications to apply sufficient training in the context in the large-scale CAVE-based virtual environment (VE). Findings in this research enable researchers and practitioners in user experience (UX) to apply valuable evaluations of usability and interaction for location-based mobile applications using a large-scale CAVE-based virtual environment (VE)

User-Centered Design to Enhance mHealth Systems for Individuals With Dexterity Impairments: Accessibility and Usability Study

Background: Mobile health systems have been shown to be useful in supporting self-management by promoting adherence to schedules and longitudinal health interventions, especially in people with disabilities. The Interactive Mobile Health and Rehabilitation (iMHere) system was developed to empower people with disabilities and those with chronic conditions with supports needed for self-management and independent living. Since the first iteration of the iMHere 1.0 app, several studies have evaluated the accessibility and usability of the system. Potential opportunities to improve and simplify the user interface were identified, and the iMHere modules were redesigned accordingly. Objective:In this study, we aim to evaluate the usability of the redesigned modules within the iMHere 1.0 app. Methods:We evaluated the original and redesigned iMHere modules—MyMeds and SkinCare. The Purdue Pegboard Test was administered to assess the participants’ dexterity levels. Participants were then asked to perform a set of tasks using both the original and redesigned MyMeds and SkinCare modules to assess their efficiency and effectiveness. Usability was measured using the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire to evaluate 10 new accessibility features that were added to the redesigned app. Participants were also asked which version they preferred. Results:In total, 24 participants with disabilities and varying degrees of dexterity impairments completed the entire study protocol. Participants displayed improved efficiency and effectiveness when using the redesigned modules compared with the original modules. The participants also reported improved usability and preferred the redesigned modules. Conclusions:This study demonstrated that the iMHere system became more efficient, effective, and usable for individuals with dexterity impairments after redesigning it according to user-centered principles

Towards Usability Guidelines for Mobile Websites and Applications

The market for mobile devices is growing rapidly nowadays. Constant technolog-ical improvements provide great opportunities for the creation of mobile applica-tions. For the success of a mobile application or website, one of the main con-cerns, besides security issues, is usability. Poor usability decreases user produc-tivity and consequently causes loss of users. In order to avoid these problems, usability aspects have to be considered already during the design phase of the ap-plication, e.g. by following predefined usability guidelines. Although usability guidelines for web development are already in place since the 1990s, structured and evaluated usability guidelines for mobile applications can rarely be found in scientific literature. Thus, in this paper we introduce a catalogue of usability guidelines for mobile applications and websites, and subsequently demonstrate their usage by applying them in two case studies: the development of a mobile application and a mobile website

Design and evaluation of a web-and mobile-based binaural audio platform for cultural heritage

PlugSonic is a suite of web- and mobile-based applications for the curation and experience of 3D interactive soundscapes and sonic narratives in the cultural heritage context. It was developed as part of the PLUGGY EU project (Pluggable Social Platform for Heritage Awareness and Participation) and consists of two main applications: PlugSonic Sample, to edit and apply audio effects, and PlugSonic Soundscape, to create and experience 3D soundscapes for headphones playback. The audio processing within PlugSonic is based on the Web Audio API and the 3D Tune-In Toolkit, while the mobile exploration of soundscapes in a physical space is obtained using Apple’s ARKit. The main goal of PlugSonic is technology democratisation; PlugSonic users-whether cultural institutions or citizens-are all given the instruments needed to create, process and experience 3D soundscapes and sonic narratives; without the need for specific devices, external tools (software and/or hardware), specialised knowledge or custom development. The aims of this paper are to present the design and development choices, the user involvement processes as well as a final evaluation conducted with inexperienced users on three tasks (creation, curation and experience), demonstrating how PlugSonic is indeed a simple, effective, yet powerful tool

Single story layout - efficient format for digital magazine publishing on tablet devices

The aim of this thesis is to define digital magazine format characteristics and examine its influence on the reading experience. The motivation behind was to examine the viability of single story magazine concept -- publishing format for the mobile generation. The field of research is digital publishing, focused primarily on magazines for tablet computers. Print magazine businesses and entrepreneurs with web publishing background both are approaching the new medium by experimenting with format, contents and distribution. The standards for the digital magazine formats have not yet been established, and the definition of digital magazine implies meanings within broad categories. The study reviews print and digital magazine workflows analyzing variations of mutual integrations. Theoretical chapters also include revision of digital magazine format components and overview of authoring tools. Practical experiment was conducted to reveal usability problems in digital magazine formats. Two existing magazines are tested, digital version of traditional magazine and single story magazine representing unbundled publication. Mixed methods were chosen for usability testing – heuristic analysis, observation and evaluation questionnaire. It was found that digital magazine readers prefer smaller volumes of content in comparison to print legacy formats. Research reveals that readers are not accustomed to magazine reading on tablets. Study also offers suggestions for improved usability and more satisfying reading experience concluding that single story magazines is a viable opportunity in digital magazine landscape, worth further investigation.http://tartu.ester.ee/record=b2656169~S1*es

Exploration Robot Controlled by an Android Application

Exploration Robot Controlled by an Android Application (ERCAA), University of Palestine Faculty of Information TechnologyIn recent years, with the pace of technological development, people have become more and more demanding in terms of quality of life. At the same time, there is an increasing need for bringing and merging new ideas of technology to create new products. That need is stemming out of the big curiosity of people to try new technologies that helps and entertain them in their daily life. A robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Many robots have been built for manufacturing purpose and can be found in factories around the world. We have designed ROBOT which can be controlled using an APP of android mobile. This Robot is provided with Camera on it to empowers user to explore. We have developed the remote buttons in the android app by which we can control the robot motion and the Camera View with them. And in which we use Wi-Fi communication to interface controller and android. Controller can be interfaced to the Wi-Fi module. According to commands received from android the robot motion can be controlled. Robot can be reprogrammable and tooling can be interchanged to provide for multiple applications according to the Arduino Chip we use. We have used the Android, C, HTML Programming Languages to develop each of the Application and the Hardware components and electronic Chips. Following, is the test analysis section, which discusses whether the proposed system met its objectives. Performance is also evaluated near the end of the paper along with possible extensions of the system