| Design Objective - TOFworks |
Design an interface for a new type of protein research instrument from the ground up with a user-centered design approach. Operational simplicity is the mandate. |
| Understand/Observe -TOFworks |
• Met with client representatives and read documentation to learn the proteomics and mass spectrometry subject domain • Gathered technical and business requirements from project stakeholders • Interviewed protein researchers in different geographic regions on site and observed their natural workflow • Analyzed findings, and prepared persona representations of the customers to share research with the client team • Reviewed existing software in field |
| Visualize - TOFworks |
• Analysed interview notes for burning needs • Conducted multiple brainstorming sessions to generate bluesky and evolutionary concepts • Employed the personas to guide the selection of concepts and to find compromises between bluesky and evolutionary ideas • Hand sketched concept ideas into interface frameworks • Presented the paper sketches to customers and clients for feedback • Selected a direction for proceeding with design |
| Evaluate/Refine - TOFworks - |
• Prototyped and iterated the interface through increasing fidelity and detail • Met on a regular basis with different customers to conduct quick design checkpoints and full usability tests • Met with client subject matter experts to gather technical information about the product to help refine the interface and better align it with the instrument • Presented the design concepts to client for feedback and discusssion • Met with software developers from India and database experts to make product tradeoffs. Presented the design documents to client development teams |
| Implement - TOFworks |
• Worked with software developers to communicate the design and make implementation tradeoffs • Consulted with the documentation team as a subject matter expert on the interface • Presented the personas used in the project as a case study seminar to the Society of Technical Communication and a class at the University of Waterloo |
| Design Objective - Interactionary |
Prepare for and compete in a 10-minute, live, on stage design competition. The goal is both to educate about the design process and entertain. Marks are awarded for process, teamwork, user focus, and final design. |
| Understand/Observe - Interactionary |
During the competition: • The Architects stated assumptions and constraints of the problem. • The Surveyor and Foreman polled the audience for goals with which to write persona. Brand attributes were also identified. |
| Visualize - Interactionary |
During the competition: |
| Evaluate/Refine - Interactionary |
During the competition: • A concept direction was selected and the design was refined. • The Foreman then adopted the role of the persona and did a design walkthrough facilitated by the Surveyor. |
| Implement - Interactionary |
During the competition: |
| Design Objective - Wireless shopping |
| Explore a product concept to take advantage of the convergence between wireless infrastructure growth and the growth of handheld computing. |
| Understand/Observe - Wireless shopping |
• Identified the behaviors of traditional and online shopping • Identified the advantages and constraints of handheld computers and wireless infrastructures |
| Visualize - Wireless shopping |
| • Worked through concepts using hand drawn paper prototypes |
| Evaluate/Refine - Wireless shopping |
• Used discount usability and design walkthroughs to evaluate the design with classmates. • Conducted usability testing with participants using a PowerPoint simulation to identify issues • Ran participants through scenarios and measured time to completion and number of errors • Debriefed the participants with questionairres after the scenarios • Refined the design based on feedback from testing |
| Design Objective - WatCHI Challenge |
Organize a design competition to demonstrate the value of designing for specific users and a structured design approach. Teach design by creating an environment that encourages learning through doing. |
| Understand/Observe - WatCHI Challenge |
• Identified issues for improvement based on judging previous competition • Reviewed competition material from similar competitions from other organizers |
| Visualize - WatCHI Challenge |
• Created a draft format for the challenge • Met with other organizers to brainstorm, challenge problem, personas, and logistics |
| Evaluate/Refine - WatCHI Challenge |
• Created a seed persona as a guideline so that other organizers could participate in writing personas • Met with organizers to get input and feedback on the challenge structure, and personas |
| Implement - WatCHI Challenge |
• Created posters for advertising event • Wrote design challenge context and problem • Proofread and finalized all personas so they were aligned with the context and could yield interesting solutions • Finalized challenge structure and timeline • Briefed judges on the competition context and structure • Moderated dry run of the competition |
| Design Objective - Extranet |
| Redesign an extranet interface to make it easy to securely share and manage documents between Quarry team members and Clients |
| Understand/Observe - Extranet |
• Observed users using the extranet and interviewed them on their preferences and behaviour. • Reviewed existing extranet usage logs to look for usage patterns. • Asked users to rank a list of preferred features |
| Visualize - Extranet |
• Held brainstorming sessions with intern student • Prototyped concepts on whiteboards, paper, and Illustrator |
| Evaluate/Refine - Extranet |
• Created screen shots of the user interface • Facilitated design checkpoints to evaluate the interface • Refined the design based on insight from design checkpoints |
| Implement - Extranet |
| • Communicated design through a design document that included screen shots, screen elements, scenarios, and behavior information |
| Design Objective - FedEx Usabilty |
| Determine how effectively customers will use a new feature on the fedex.com website. |
| Understand/Observe - FedEx Usabilty |
• Met with interaction designers, facilitators, client service team and client representatives to understand the design and business objectives • Reviewed the feature's design with the interaction designer to understand the core design usage and alternate scenarios |
| Evaluate/Refine - FedEx Usabilty |
• Worked with interaction designers and client marketing managers to create detailed usage tasks and interview questions to extensively evaluate the new feature • Worked with the client to create demographic profiles to send to third party participant recruiters • Conducted screening interviews to select participants • Asked participants introductory background questions to establish rapport and set context • Facilitated participants through accomplishing specific tasks and prompted them to explain their decisions and expectations • Conducted debriefing interviews with participants and debriefing sessions with clients |
| Implement - FedEx Usabilty |
• Identified key design issues in the new feature and wrote a detailed usability report with quantitative and qualitative results • Made recommendations on design changes to address issues identified |
| Design Objective - Design Checkpoint |
| Evaluate the current direction for the information architecture and the branding of a website and logo for the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum. |
| Understand/Observe - Design Checkpoint |
• Reviewed the design intention with the information architect and artist • Toured the new museum facilities and met with the museum marketing team to understand goals |
| Evaluate/Refine - Design Checkpoint |
• Prepared for design checkpoint by creating possible interview questions and small user tasks • Asked introductory questions to participants to establish rapport and set context • Prompted the customer to verbalize their thoughts and expectations • Encouraged the participant to explore the wireframe designs and asked the participant to explain the design back from what they saw • Facilitated through small tasks on paper prototypes to look for mental models and expectations • Used a word sorting technique to see how the logo and website aligned with the client's intended brand attributes • Debriefed the clients with top findings |
| Design Objective - Savings Calculator |
| Create a tool to help the BASF sales team explain complex and overlapping product discounts to farmers. |
| Understand/Observe - Savings Calculator |
• Met with client service to understand industry practices for agriculture sales • Met with project management and software development to understand solution constraints |
| Visualize - Savings Calculator |
• Sketched out concept solutions with paper prototypes |
| Evaluate/Refine - Savings Calculator |
• Communicated design to software development for prototyping • Adjusted the design based on a heuristic evaluation of prototype and implementation tradeoffs |
| Implement - Savings Calculator |
| • Coordinated with software development and artwork to debug and complete the final release |