revised explanatory narrative/personal reflection/etc -- HCI Group Project

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Date Posted: 20:54:47 07/31/02 Wed
Author: Michael Supancich
Subject: revised explanatory narrative/personal reflection/etc

Design Scenario - Karen takes her new MP3 player out

Recently, Karen's daughter gave her an MP3 player as a Christmas gift that also has a radio and plays CD�s.
Karen has decided that she is going to go for a walk to the store for some exercise. She decides that she is going to listen to some music on the way. She decides to take her new MP3 player because she wants to listen to some music and explore how it works. Plus, she can play her old CD�s in it if she wants to. She does not currently feel the need to listen to any of them, but she is glad that she has that option since those CD�s were expensive. It would be a shame, she thought, if all that money she spent went to waste. Besides, the new MP3 player is not all that different from her old CD Walkman, she feels that she already knows how to use it � at least to some extent. It was nice of her daughter to instruct her as to the rest, and get the music she wanted into the Walkman in the first place.
She thinks about where she would like to place it. She would prefer that it attach to her belt because that way it stays out of the way, and, luckily, it does. She plugs in the earphones and leaves the house. The first thing that she does is turn it on. She hits the button to the side and the LCD turns on. It says MP3 at the top, exactly what she wanted right now. She looks for the button that pushes play. It is fairly apparent, being a rather large and well marked button. Besides, there are only a few buttons to choose from. This is good because her reading glasses are back at home. She starts the MP3 player. It begins playing her selection of songs.
As she is walking, she decides that there is a particular song that she wants to listen to. She has to stop and locate the forward button. She is pretty sure that it is the same button that she would use to move the CD forward. She starts forwarding through her songs and wishes that where she knew which song it was - though she downloaded the songs in the order she wanted them - she does not remember the number of the song. She also forgot just how many songs the MP3 player can carry. At least it does not have the pause like CD players do. She finds the song and continues to the store. There she stops the MP3 player from playing and turns it off. It is good, she thinks, that it will start up at the same spot when she turns it back on because she liked that song. She then takes off the headphones and clips them to the side of the MP3 player. This is one feature that her daughter showed her that she really enjoys. She also looks for the off button. Finding it she pushes it but drops the MP3 player in the process. She picks it up and it seems OK. She is glad that it is fairly durable because her grip and reaction time are not what they used to be.

Karen takes her new MP3 player out
Situation Feature:
An MP3 player as a Christmas gift that also has a radio and plays CD�s.
Possible Pros(+) or Cons(-) of the Feature
+ backwards compatibility allows current investment in technology to be utilized
+ multiple media means that this device is more likely to be used for all music listening occasions that require portability
+ allows room for larger buttons and more visible print
- requires that the MP3 player be larger than it otherwise would in order to allow CD�s
- requires additional features be added to the MP3 player in order to allow different media
Situation Feature:
She has to stop and locate the forward button. She is pretty sure that it is the same button that she would use to move the CD forward. She starts forwarding through her songs and wishes that where she knew which song it was - though she downloaded the songs in the order she wanted them - she does not remember the number of the song. She also forgot just how many songs the MP3 player can carry. At least it does not have the pause like CD players do.
Possible Pros(+) or Cons(-) of the Feature
+ It is simple
+ It utilizes a commonly found button that is well associated with the task
+ It reduces the number of buttons required
+ It allows the information displayed on the LCD to be large and more easily readable for those with vision problems
- It is slow
- The user can find it frustrating due to the large number of songs available
- It is not as versatile as some other MP3 players in the market
Explanatory Narrative: MP3 Player with built-in CD Player and Radio
The Designs shown in Figure 3 represents the front view of a second proposed MP3 player interface in MP3 mode. The Figures 4 � 5 show alternative LCD displays for the CD and radio modes respectively.
Figure 3 and Interfaces in Figures 4-5:
As with the earlier design, we propose that all buttons in this design be �push buttons�. This was, as previously noted, a key demand by the prospective clients that we interviewed.
1) Power button: The power button is marked with an ON/OFF label that is clear and in large type. When the power button is turned on for the first time, the device enters MP3 mode. After this, it remembers the mode that it was turned off in and reverts to that mode. When the power is on the display screen will light up.
2) Mode buttons: The three mode buttons each represent one of the three modes of this model: MP3, CD and radio respectively. They are bunched together, are of an easy to use size and each is clearly marked. When any of the buttons is pushed, aside from the current mode�s button, the MP3 player ceases its current action and enters the designated mode. It waits for a play or other command. If the current mode is selected, nothing happens. When a mode is entered, the mode is clearly displayed across the top of the display in easy to read type.
3) Radio Station Tuner. The radio station tuner consists of two arrow shaped buttons pointing to the right and the left. An FM/AM button is located below in the center. The word �tune� is above the arrows in an easy to read type. The FM/AM button is also clearly marked. The buttons are designed to search for the next available station and stop. The left arrow searches down and the right arrow searches up. While the station is being searched, the display will show the station number scrolling. The display will show the number of any tuned station. As appropriate, AM or FM will also be displayed. All this will be in easy to read type. Pushing the opposite button while a search is in process will reverse the search. If no stations are located after one complete cycle, the search will stop.
4) Volume Buttons. The Volume buttons are two arrow shaped buttons on the right side of the device. They are clearly marked. Pushing the button pointing up increases the volume one increment. Pushing the button that points down will decreases it one increment.
5) CD/MP3 Button Row. The buttons marked pause, play, stop, forward one song and backward one song are along the bottom in a row. They are all clearly marked and of a sufficient size to make them easier to push. They function identically whether in MP3 mode or CD mode. The current action will be shown in the bottom left corner of the display screen (though this is not present in the drawings).
6) USB port: A USB port is clearly labeled and is on the bottom of the device. It takes a standard USB cable.
7) Open Button: An open button is clearly marked and on the top left of the front of the device. Pushing it opens the device to insert a CD. The hinges are on the right, it opens from the left.
8) Microphone jack: A microphone jack is on the top of the device and is clearly labeled.
9) Power jack: A power jack for hooking a recharge cable up to the device is located on the side in proximity to the power button. It is clearly marked. In all modes, the available power is displayed as a partially or fully filled battery in the lower left of the display. A warning comes on if the power is low. If the device runs out of power, the device will not turn on till charged and will forget its last mode, reverting to an MP3 mode when turned on.

Issues and Questions raised in discussing this design
Following are some issues involved in this design
Issue 1
Problem: Most of the interviewees owned some type of portable CD player and all had a large investment in CD�s. They wanted the device to be able to play these CDs. However, they also all wanted the device to be small and compact.
Ideas and Current Dilemma: The device could include a CD player itself, as it is currently designed. Alternatively, the CD player could be removed and the device could be reduced in size. The need to play CD�s could be satisfied by having functionality that would allow a CD to be copied from a CD player (possibly through the microphone jack) to the MP3 player or by including a CD/MP3 player read/write device.
Tradeoffs: Size v. Incorporated CD player: By including the CD player in the device, the device will not be as small and compact as it otherwise could be. However, this demographic wants large, easy to read buttons and displays. The device for this demographic can only become so small before the button size and readability becomes a problem. Secondly, playing of CD�s using the device is simplified and requires no forethought (i.e., downloading the CD). Third, the CD player and MP3 player can utilize the same buttons � thereby eliminating the need to add additional buttons. The use of an additional device may increase the overall cost and would add additional functionality as well.
Issue 2:
Problem: The number and size of the buttons.
Ideas and Current Dilemma: The users wanted simple functionality. Therefore, we designed this device so that each button has one particular well marked function. The users also wanted large, easy to read buttons. This leads to a problem of how many large, well marked buttons can be added to the device when each button only represents a single function.
Trade-offs:
Simplicity v. Button Size: A limit on the number of single function buttons needed to be drawn. This leaves some less important functions, such as fast-forward, off the device. It also causes the same buttons to sometimes be used for the same conceptual purpose in different modes.
Space v. Button Size: The buttons need to be spaced well and placed in functional proximity. They also need to be arranged in a logical order. This, however, increases the space needed to place the buttons. This results in a limitation as to the minimum size of the device.
Space v. Button Labeling: The buttons need to be well labeled. This increases the space need to place the buttons. We purpose having triangular buttons for those functions that increment/decrement as this will enhance user recognition.
Issue 3:
Problem: The size of the LCD and what it displays
Ideas and Current Dilemma. The users want to be able to easily read what is on the display. However, an MP3 player may have many songs and the user would like to easily scroll through them. There is a dilemma with respect to how much information can be displayed to the users while still making it easy to read. One position is that the information that is on the screen should be clearly spaced and in a large type, but limited. The other option is to provide a lot of information, such as a song menu, but reduce the type and readability.
Tradeoffs: LCD Size vs. Information: By providing limited information, we are able to maximize the readability of the device. Too many of our interviewees had problems seeing small print for a substantial menu to be incorporated. A smaller menu may be acceptable, but would require additional menu buttons for limited gain.
Suggestions: We suggest that we limit the size and weight of the device as much as possible by using light weight material and rounding the device (as opposed to the squarer device in the drawing). We will reuse buttons that have the same conceptual functionality (such as play for both the MP3 player and the CD). Some functionality is left off in exchange for simplicity. Buttons are placed in proximity and are well marked.
Other issues:
One issue is whether three mode buttons are needed. Can one button be used and simple rotate through the various modes.
Another issue is whether functionality should be added to record the CD to the MP3 player. This would require at least one additional button.
Third, should the radio seek out the next available station or should it allow the user more control. Users often want to be able to more finally tune the radio but this would require either additional buttons, the elimination of auto-tune, or perhaps a �hold the button for over a second and get auto-tune� functionality.

Unresolved Issue:
As mentioned with the last design, we have not yet been able to demonstrate that it will be easy and convenient for the user to download the music from the web. Many of our clients would prefer not to do this. We need to convince them that it is an easy task.

Personal Reflection:
I was very pleased with the way that this project has gone so far. Everyone seems to be doing a lot of work, with special thanks to Li for all her work on the web site itself. We have been able to meet at least once a week so far, and often twice a week. We were able to split up the tasks fairly well. Most importantly, I felt that I got some valuable feedback from other members of the team regarding both the designs that we had in mind and the manner in which to present certain information. This helped me accomplish my tasks.

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