Results of the interviews(scripts) -- HCI Group Project

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Date Posted: 13:50:52 08/13/02 Tue
Author: Nishita Vora
Subject: Results of the interviews(scripts)

CONSENT FORM

CS 560 students:

Note: As stated in the consent form, you must keep the participant's data confidential. That means when you report the data, you should not use last names, identifying information (such as phone numbers or addresses), or photos of the person. If you wish to use someone's photo or video in your report, you must ask for permission to do so.

Participant Consent:

You have been asked to be interviewed about your use of computer and music products. This interview is part of a PSU class project for CS 560 taught by Dr. Susan Palmiter. Your participation in this interview is entirely voluntary; there will be no remuneration for the time you spend. All data gathered from the interview will be treated in a confidential fashion: it will be archived in a secure location and will be interpreted only for purposes of this project. When your data are reported or described, all identifying information will be removed. There are no known risks to participation in this study, and you may withdraw at any point. Please feel free to ask the interviewers if you have any other questions; otherwise, if you are willing to participate, please sign and date this form:

___________________________ _________________________

Name Date

If there are any questions, please contact Dr. Susan Palmiter, 503-497-0166, susan.palmiter@designtech.com

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USABILITY TEST

1. What�s a usability study? It�s a way for us to see what works and doesn�t work for users when they are using a product. Obviously, software developers want their products, websites, and systems to be as easy to use as possible. Our job is to evaluate their work to find out how close they come to meeting this objective. Today you will help us evaluate a new MP3 player that has been designed with your demographic in mind. It�s important to remember that it is the product that�s being evaluated, not you! Our philosophy is that the user is always right, and that when problems are found it is the developers� job to make the product fit you - not the other way around!

Do you have any questions about usability studies or their goals?

One additional note is that it�s important for you to stay focused on the evaluation and to work undisturbed. Please turn off your pager and cell phone, if you have them with you. You can take a break at any time to check your messages and return calls, if you like.

2. First, I would like for you to complete the following Consent Form and User Background Survey.

3. Now we are going to start using this new MP3 device in order to play music. By the way, it has been preloaded with music so that it is ready to use.

There are two things to keep in mind as you work with this device today:

First, the MP3 player is still under development, so it is a prototype and not a finished product.

Second, after you complete each usage scenario, I�ll ask you to place a mark on a rating scale that ranges from Easy to Hard. Place your mark at the point on the scale that best describes how you felt about the scenario you just completed. I will also ask you a few questions about what you found confusing, what you found clear, what you think should be changed, and other feedback you have about the device that you may have as a result of completing the scenario.

4. Now I will ask you to complete each of two usage scenarios using the device. Read each scenario, and then proceed. When you have finished each scenario, let me know. If you hit a snag in scenario, such that you feel you cannot proceed further without my help, you can ask me for assistance. I�ll be happy to answer more general questions when we have finished testing.

After you have completed all four scenarios, rated the ease or difficulty of each one, and given me your other feedback, I�ll ask you to fill out a final questionnaire and give me any final comments.

Do you have any questions before we begin?
User Background Survey -Portland State University-CS560 Human Computer Interaction Project

Name: undisclosed Age: 60 years

1.Do you own a computer?
YES

2.Do you surf the internet? How often?

not very often, about twice a week

3.Have you ever bought or sold anything off the net?
No

4.Have you ever downloaded anything off the internet?
Sometimes. on a scale of 1 - 4 ( 1 being very easy and 3 being very difficult) i rate the experience as 2 to 2.25

5.Have you had any experience with using a cassette player?
Yes

6.Do you have a portable CD player or other personal music device?
Yes, i have a portable walkman cassette player

7.Do you use / like to use headphones?
Yes. I dont mind using them at all.

8.How do you learn to operate a device ?
I like to try out the features. Manuals? There are too many manuals any way.. i dont like them unless there is a real problem

9.Do you own any electronic devices like a (mark as many as applicable)
� TV yes
� VCR yes
� DVD Player no
� Video-Camera/Camcorder no, but my son has one, and i have used it, so i know how to operate it.
� Digial camera no
� Other (Specify)stereo player, casette walkman
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Questionnaire

For Scenario #1:
You have just tried out a few tasks and features on the new MP3 player prototype being developed by our design team. Could you answer a few questions for us?

Task 1: Turn on the machine.
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:

Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult
Answer: Trivial
1. Did you locate the power button immediately? Yes No
Notes:
Answer: Yes

2. Did you think that the marking on the power button is easy to read?
Yes No
Notes: User went straight to the power button after reading the marking.
Answer : Yes.

3. Do you notice the display screen flash on when you turned the player on?
Yes No
Notes:
Answer: Yes

4. Did you notice the display screen? Yes No
Notes: If yes, Can you describe what was displayed immediately after you turned it on?
It tells me the current song that is playing. [ by looking at the highlighted part, not the lower half of the screen, noticed that later though ]
( paused for some time while doing this task, to go through all the contents of the screen, asked loudly what is this elasped time and duration, noticed that the ticker was going on constantly for elasped time, then figured out that it tells how much time has passed and wonders loudly... as to why one would want to get this information? !)

Task 2: You decide that you want to listen to 107.7FM. Please do so.
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:

Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult

Answer: Easy
( user went and clicked the FM button and then used the scroll buttons to tune to the station, then noticed the mode button and pressed it and that went to FM mode by default and then the user again uses the scroll buttons to tune. then the user goes to the tune buttons , just to try out what they are.. whether they increase volume, etc??)

1. Did you locate the mode button immediately? Yes No
Notes:
Answer : No..well why do you need it.. i would rather like the AM/FM button to be pressed for radio. it is only confusing..

2. Is the mode button clearly marked? Yes No
Notes:
Answer : Yes , now that i look at it.. but it is not intuitive to me.. i had rather have this button to only be MP3.. the AM / FM buttons when pressed directly seem to be more intuitive to me.. to turn to radio.

3. Did you find it difficult to switch to FM mode?
Yes No
Notes:
Answer: No

4. Did you locate the tuning buttons immediately?
Notes: (if not where did you look for it first - notes)
No. i assumed the scroll buttons were the ones that allowed me to tune. until now i was puzzled with what those buttons do.. There seems to be no need for those buttons. i feel it is more intuitive to use the up arrow and down arrow (Scroll buttons) ..they come closer to my idea of tuning. I dont understand the signs on the tuning buttons.. they dont say tune or anything.. they are plain confusing.

5. How did you figure out that the station has been tuned to?
Notes:
Asnwer : i looked at the display.

Task 3: Imagine that some time has passed and now you decide that you want to listen to an MP3 song. Please go ahead and listen to the song titled �Holiday�.
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:

Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult
Answer: Easy.
1. Did you have to switch to MP3 mode? Yes No
Answer: Yes

2. Did you know the track number of song �Holiday? Yes No
Answer: No

3. Did you locate the scroll buttons fairly easily? Yes No
Answer: Yes. ( but the user did a trial errore thing here-> first tried using the forward / back buttons then spots the scroll arrows.. [until now user had only the notion that they help to change stations for the radio, lets see if they do something for the mp3 player too ]

4. Did you notice that the songs were highlighted? Yes No
Notes:
Yes [ the user hadnt looked at the bottom half of the screen, to notice that the song was merely highlighted, as the scrolling took place.. a new song didnt play.. so user asks the question saying why do we need the forward and back buttons seperately again after having the scroll buttons.. ?? ]

5. Were you able to select the song fairly easily? Yes No
Notes:
Yes [user hit the play buttons after the song was highlighted ]

Task 4: Now assume that this song has finished playing. You want to now listen to the first MP3 song. Please go ahead.
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:

Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult
Answer: Hard
1. Which buttons did you use?
Scroll buttons Forward/Back buttons
Answer: Scroll buttons.
User says: It is very hard if i want to go from last song to first.. there is too much scrolling .. it is not intuitive to think that the buttosn will help navigate through the list merely.. and not play the song that is highlighted. [user tries the tuning buttons ] Says that he is confused by the tuning button and the beween the scroll buttons.

2. How did you figure that you have reached the first song? Looked at Display Other
Notes:
From the track number that was highlighted didnt look at the bottom half of the screen

3. Which button did you use to play the song?
Play button Other
Notes:
Answer:
Used the selection play/pause between the scroll buttons

Task 5:
The volume is a little loud, please go ahead and turn it down.
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:

Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult
Answer: Trivial
1. Were you able to locate the volume button easily?
Yes.. but a larger display would help.. could put the symbol for volume at the bottom and make the + and - bigger and write it out somewhere on the device close to the button

2. Did you notice the display screen?
No ? asks out loud.. there is something to do with volume oin the display.?

Task 7: Turn the player OFF.
Did you figure out that the Power button can be used to turn off?
Yes No
Answer: YEs
Notes: [user first went to the Stop button in the player to turn it off, that was most intuitive ] then sees that this doesnt really turn the power off. so goes to the power button and presses it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Scenario #2
===================
Background for Tasks 1-9:
Imagine that you are continuing to play with the device at a later time.

Task 1:
Go ahead and turn on the machine and plug in the headphones.

Notes: Located very easily. because i am now familiar with some of the buttons

Task 2:
You decide that you want to play �Ode To My Family�. Please proceed to do so.
Notes:
The task is easy to follow [ 1.5 - 2 out of 4] but the same problem persists-- have to scroll too much]

Task 3:
Now the song is not quite loud enough for you to hear it comfortably. Go ahead and turn up the volume. Can you tell, aside from hearing the device, how loud the volume is? How?
Notes:
[now for the first time the user looks at the display and sees the number for the volume ]

Task 4:
You are tired of listening to this song and want to skip to the very next track, please go ahead.
Notes:
uses the Forward buttons. trivial task

Task 5:
Now imagine that you get a phone call. You do not want to lose your place in the song. Can you do anything about that? Do you know where you are in the song?
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:
Trivial. hits the play/pause button
the wuestion is why should i care as to where i lose the place in the song.. i will jsut remember where i had left off. Elapsed time will perhaps tell me.. notices that when the song is paused the ticker for elapsed time stops.. but then voices out loud well who cares??
Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult

1. Did you notice that the play/pause buttons are the same?
Yes No
Answer: Yes

Task 6:
The song has finished and you want to go to song # 8 because your friend said that when he or she recorded the songs they recorded one of your favorites as track number 8.
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:

Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult
Answer: Trivial
1. How did you locate the track number you were at?
Notes:
Yes from the number of track highlighted

2. How did you detect that you have been able to select the song?
Notes:
Answer: USer used the scroll button, looked at the number onb the screen, used the information that it was highlighted to figure that the song was playing.. then looked at the lower part of the display [ on hinting] and sees that the song is not actually playing.. user will have to use the play button and then hits it and again looks at the screen. After some more scrolling and selecting user realizes what the methodology is.

Task 7:
Next, let us pretend that you want to listen to the radio. Your favorite station is 1520 AM. Please go ahead and turn the radio on and move to that station.
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:
Answer: Hard
Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult

Notes:
Answer: Preset would help.there is too mych scrolling.. just like it is in the car where i can preset six or so stations.. i d like to have that..

Task 8:
Can you tell how much battery life the device still has in it?
Rate the task�s difficulty for us:

Trivial Easy Hard Very Difficult
Notes:
Answer: Easy, but the icon of the battery doesnt tell me anything.. there is no scale mentioned..

Task 9:
You have to run. Please go ahead and turn off the machine. Assume that the battery is low. Describe how you would recharge it while you are away. This will complete this scenario. Thank you.
Answer: The switch is located easily
Notes:
user goes to the back view after looking again at the top wall of the device.. then goest to the bottom view and poitns to the DC IN 3V button and voices: that he is assuming that even though the USB and this hub look the same, may be they will be designed differntly so that when he puts the adaptor into any one of these, only the DC-IN will work and the USB will not.

1. Could you please comment about the appearance of this new MP3 player?

Good and nice to hold.

2. What did you like about this MP3 player?
It is nice, very simple,, there can be a tempatation to add more buttins, on the sides of the device whihc are empty, but thank god there arent any.. it is very less confusing. every button does one thing at a time, independently.The play/pause near the scroll buttons is good. there are no unncessary buttons/ is easy to operate and catch.( like the shape) also very good butons marked well with icons that i know of.. and the word markings are good too -help a lot
Screen size is adequate, i like the fact that i can recharge batteries.

3. What did you dislike?
I dont like the idea of those tuning buttons.. they were confusing.. aslos the belt clip given atthe back.. isnt very convenient,, i would like to have a strap to attach on to the belt.. screen is adequately big, but why is htere a need to display what is currently playing.. it is playing and i nkow what is playing.. i dont need to refer to that information. + the elapsed time doesnt seem to be a feature i would want. the top half should be bigger.
I had rather have the time of the day instead of seeing elapsed time. I point him to the screen when he puts on the radio.. and he sees the time.. and remarks.. why isnt the same feature available for the MP3 player.

4. Do you think you would want more features with this player? If yes, which ones?

belt strap may be good.
there is one problem.. there is nothingthat tells me how to use the USB port to download any music ( since you say that i can do it here- user never knew what the mp3 player can be used for.. and that the songs can be downloaded off the net ) i owuld liketo have a help ere itself on the device.. without adding nay menu or buttons that is.. the help should be really simple.. take me through the steps of commecting and downloading very quickly
at this point askes me:- how much do you say this device will cost me? oh i see anywhere between 50 and 100 dollars.. well not bad.. if it is less than $75..

5. Do you think that this new player is easy to carry?
No.. i said earlier that i dont liek the clip.. i want a strap.. to attach to the belt line.

6. Do you think that this new player is simple to operate? Please rate it on a scale of 1 � 4, 1 being very simple and 4 being very difficult.
Yes 1.5 - 2 out of 4.

7. Rate this player compared to any other portable music players that you own on a scale of 1 to 4? 1 being very good and 4 being very bad
again 1.5 i would say. i am comparing against the walkamn i have. but it is difficult in the sense that i have to connect this to the computer to get the songs there. i dont even know waht are the songs there. [i mention that there is s/w that he can use to download cd music too] and that makes him feel good.
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