1. Tailoring Needs Chapter 3

2. Contents This presentation covers the following: – Design considerations for tailored data-entry screens – Design considerations for forms – Tailoring standard/generic applications – Advantages and disadvantages of tailoring standard/generic software

3. Tailored Data-Entry Screens It doesn’t matter what you software you are using to enter data into a system… What does matter is the method. Design considerations always stay the same.

4. Things to consider Consistency with house-style and corporate image. Fonts and colours should be chosen for clarity above style and ‘prettiness’. Graphics and animations should be used to assist and not distract – should be fit for purpose. Help messages should be useful, clear and easily understandable.

5. Things to consider Information displayed on screen should be logical and flow down screen. Interfaces should be intuitive thus requiring as little training as possible. Shortcuts should be clearly visible (buttons etc) Who are the users? Are they expert users or new to the world of ICT?

6. Designing Forms In a database application the interface is more geared towards the developer rather than the end user. This means that the developer is required to develop an interface that the end user can use. The interface is most likely going to be a form which can be created: – Within the application using built in tools – Using web-based forms – Using third-party applications, created generically or custom made using programming languages, to access and manipulate data.

7. Designing Forms When you design and create a form you need to consider the following: – Consistency – Relevance – Supportiveness – Visual and audible cues – Intuitiveness

8. Consistency It is important that if the user needs to interact with lots of forms then all forms should be designed the same. For example: – Buttons should do similar things – Dates should be entered in the same format – Paper forms should be laid out in the same format as the electronic version Also, forms should look and feel like applications the user is likely to be using on the same computer.

9. Relevance The user should be required to enter in the minimum amounts of data that is required. Any system should be designed to minimise the number of key strokes required. Also, any information provided on screen should be minimalistic without sacrificing quality.

10. Supportiveness This is similar to the previous point: – Information given should be clear and concise but not over the top. – You may think that providing lots of help is better than not enough, but sometimes too much help can be confusing and cause more problems than before!

11. Visual and audible cues Users need visual or audible cues to let them know if they are doing the correct things. A simple ‘DING’ noise can indicate that a user has done something the system doesn’t like. This coupled with a visual cue, such as can help the user understand the problem. !

12. Intuitiveness Any good system will be intuitive to use. Elements of the system should relate to the user’s previous experiences. If the user is expected to use the system more than once then they should be able to remember how to complete a task after doing it only once. Essentially, the interface should feel quite natural to the user.

13. Tailoring generic applications Applications can be modified to help the user interact with a system. Buttons, forms, menus and macros are used to make the modifications.

14. Buttons and Forms Buttons can be used to run macros. They can also be used to help with navigation. Forms can be modified to help with data inputs. – Some parts of a form can be automatically completed (e.g. fill in post code and the rest of the address is generated). – Use of drop down boxes and radio buttons can help prevent bad data being entered also.

15. Form Controls Research the following form controls: – Buttons – Check Box – Group/Frame – Option Button – Text Box – Combo Box – List Box – Image – Label

16. Pros/Cons of tailoring generic apps Benefits: – Better user interface – Increase in data input efficiency – Reduced risk of data input errors Negatives: – You need to have a good level of technical knowledge to create the interface. – If you want to modify the interface you’ll also need to know how! – If you upgrade the software the interface might not perform like it was originally intended to.

17. Take Note: Identify three different controls that can be used to customise the user interface. What are the disadvantages of customising a user interface? What are the benefits or using buttons and forms to customise a user interface?