Models for Interaction

In the book of Interaction Design, four conceptual models for interaction are proposed by Preece, Rogers and Sharp based on type of user activities performed in interaction.

• Instructing – issuing commands to the system
• Conversing – interacting with the system as a conversation
• Manipulating and Navigation – interacting with virtual objects or environment
• Exploring and Browser -  users are provided with structured information

Let’s look deep in to instructing interaction and conversing interaction with sample application available.

Instructing Interaction

Instructional interactions are probably the most common form of conceptual interactions, underlying a diverse of devices and system such as VCRs, vending machines, word processors, etc.

As a sample application of instructional interactions, we can consider Microsoft Word application.In MS word application, user tells system what to do by clicking on icon, selecting menu options, pressing keys or buttons or by voice commands. Though most basic instructional interaction is thought command line, MS word has used icons, menus, buttons and control keys as ways of improving the usability of the application in instructing the system.

-Use of icon in MS word

-Use of Menu option in MS word

With the use of this model, MS word allows users to take most control over the application. Users are facilitated for quick and efficient interaction with the application. Instructing has been applied very much effectively in MS word especially in case of repetitive user command and dealing with multiple objects in the application.

Conversing Interaction

Conversing interaction model the interaction as a conversation between the system and its user. Implementation of conversational model requires voice recognition and text parsing. Help-systems and search engines are the primarily level systems which use conversing interaction.

Siri application available in IOS is one of good example which uses conversing as its interaction model. Siri works as an intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator. The application uses UI of human natural language  to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions. By taking the advantage of conversational model,  Siri make the user experience more natural. As Siri requires input as voice or text and it provides output as voice or text, interaction become very much easier for system users. So that users can work with the application even without any special knowledge and expertise.

-Below is a demonstration of how Siri works

References

http://cs4760.csl.mtu.edu/2014/lectures/interaction-styles-and-mobile-interactions/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siri

Usability and User Experience Goals with Sample Applications

Usability and User Experiences Goals

Usability answers the question, "Can the user accomplish their goal?"(Spool, 2007).

User experience answers the question, "Did the user have as delightful an experience as possible?" (Spool, 2007).

Figure 1. Morville's user experience honeycomb

(Source: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/usability-and-user-experience)

Usability has different kinds of theories but all the theories try to achieve following goals.

• Effective
• Ease of learning
• Efficiency of use
• Memorability
• Error prevention (Safety)
• User Satisfaction
• Utility

Here are some examples applications two of which meets appropriate usability and user experience goals, and two of which does not.

Two Applications that meets Usability and User Experience Goals

• Google Search Engine
• Its search box effectively evokes auto-complete and correct suggestions to the users.
• Simple user interface that is easily memorable to its features.
• Google logo design is attractively and relatively updated on world's remarkable dates.
• Navigation is well designed to other google apps

Figure 2. Simple UI design

Figure 3. Auto-complete suggestions for searching keywords

Figure 4. Correction of suggestions for searching keywords

• Facebook Application
• It has a good search option, sharing’s, events and photos as the news feed,Chat, Notifications, check in facility, create events,increase effectiveness.
• Navigation is well designed and its features are clearly expressed and easy to remember.
• It has the privacy control, report and block harmful friends and posts, secure authentication increase the safety. 
• Chatting, gaming Sharing photos increase the user's satisfaction

Two Application that does not meet Usability and User Experience Goals

• PizzaHut web application
• It has less effectiveness as tasks can’t be completed accurately and not provided required information.
• Application error leads for less satisfaction.
• Not providing full functionalities leads for less motivation.
• Not providing informative error messages  leads for less helpfulness.

Example -01: Delivery order sometimes encounters error message

Figure 2. PizzaHut's order page

Figure 3. PizzaHut's order page error

Example -02: Session timeout problem

Figure 4. Session timeout

Example -03: Unpredictable User Interface

Figure 4. UI before clicking 'Delivery'

Figure 4. Result shown after clicking 'Delivery'

• One Stop @ SAC web application.

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