QHO542 Human Computer Interaction Case Study Analysis Assignment Question | SSU

QHO542 Assessment Task:

The QHO542 assessment is a 2000-word essay conducting a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) critical review of the website for: ‘Solent Alumni Website’, Students will do a case study analysis of the Solent University Alumni Association current website and related services / resources.

See: Southampton Solent University 

The research and design diagrams can be done as a group collaboration. The report final analysis and conclusions need to be done individually.

Report Structure

The report is broken into 3 main parts:

• User and business needs analysis
• Prototype – Interface research, design and development
• UX Testing

QHO542 Part 1: User And Business Needs Analysis

The Deliverables For This Section Are:

• Gantt chart – project work plan
• Mind map – Soft Systems Rich Picture
• Website sitemap
• Market Research analysis – summary table
• User Profile & Journey Map
• HTA Hierarchal Task Analysis chart.
• Identify three pain points
• Establish the evaluation criteria e.g. user satisfaction

User needs are requirements that add value to a product, service or environment for a customer. Capturing user needs is a process of engaging users to understand their problems, processes, goals and preferences.

You should produce a (User / Business) Need Analysis Document, which will contain all relevant details to enable the production of prototype. The section must contain all the appropriate elements that are required to communicate your design intentions, and the rationale for the design choices made.

Before you begin, you need to familiarise yourself with the sample case study? What are the main functions, business models, marketing strategies and user profiles? You should do market research study to find:

Several samples of the competition

• What are the key features?
• What are the gaps in the case study business and HCI model?

QHO542 Required Elements:

1. An introduction about the system and highlights about the main functions are required in this report.

Introduction should rationalise the choice of why you decided to design with a UCD (User Centred Design) approach or TCD (Task Centre Design), it is imperative to vividly define your user group, define their task and goals, experience levels, what functions they expect from the system, what information they need from the system, and understand how users think the system should work.

This should also include the Comparative table based on design principles, Gestalt Principles and Time to Complete.

User Analysis (Aims Primarily At Identifying The Main User Goals.)

• Build 2 personas of a typical user (Student Union Member)

Task Analysis (Aims Primarily At Identifying The Main System Tasks).

• Identify and explain three of the main user tasks and map them out to user goals
• Construct these tasks and illustrate them using one HTA Hierarchal Task Analysis chart.

QHO542 Part 2: Prototype (Interface Research, Design And Development)

The Deliverables For This Section Are:

• Underpinning HCI theories / principles / heuristics to inform wireframe and prototype designs
• Storyboard or wireframe
• Prototype development on three pain points
• Accessibility and data protection (GDPR) guidelines.
• You are required to have a live online working prototype of the two pain points.

Part 2 is the production of a semi-working prototype. You are required to produce the prototype interface using an appropriate prototyping tool, online prototyping tools will be used or a web design tool. You should build & implement the result of your user requirements analysis, evaluation and design in Part 1.

Interface Concept:

Plan & verify the usability of your design with a visual communication tool (storyboards). Construct a set of storyboards to define the elements of your design. Defend the rationale for your design choices with accompanying text which accompanies your storyboards. Particular attention should be paid to good use of icon metaphors and affordance.

A Set Of Storyboards

Interaction With The Complete System (Company Main Interface)

It is required that the system should have at least a standard logging on security system with a username and password. The authentication screen must be visually appealing and comply with logo and colour specifications.

A Welcome to Main Menu interface could be the main interface that users first interact with and could link to the other interfaces. It should have clear, well considered icon metaphors to access these other forms and will have a company logo and a suitable company icon metaphor positioned properly. This and all other interfaces/screens should have the company icon metaphor integrated in a consistent position and could also use suitable icon metaphors throughout which clearly suggest the affordance of screen objects to users. All interfaces may have your team’s name appropriately displayed. Drop down and/or popup menus may also be integrated into your system.

QHO542 Part 3: Testing And Integration

Any data collection and analysis must be done ethically and comply with Solent University, GDPR and BERA guidelines.

Students are encouraged to work with study partners/groups on research activities for this assessment.

Individual reports and conclusions must be submitted, but bibliographies and market research can be shared. Students are encouraged to share draft work for peer review to promote active learning.

Learning Outcomes of QHO542:

This assessment will enable you to demonstrate in full or in part your fulfilment of the following learning outcomes identified in the Module Descriptor:

What you will be able to do after the module:

LO1: Research and apply appropriate HCI design methodologies for given scenarios to problem-solve real-world design issues.
LO2: Review software and hardware products in terms of related HCI principles, guidelines and techniques.
LO3: Discuss and explain psychological and technological principles in the design of an interface for differing demographic users.
LO4: Design and build interface using current HCI principles and methods.
LO5: Design interfaces with legal accessibility requirements.
LO6: Utilise appropriate qualitative and quantitative analytic methods to evaluate applied HCI principles.