Supplementary Notes

1
Supplementary Notes

• Input and UsabilityDiscussion of
  AssessmentExamples of Previous Work

2
Rules of thumb (no pun intended)

• Its currently harder to input data on a handheld
  device than on a PC so remember the following
• Enable users to select an item rather than type
  it wherever possible
• Create reasonable defaults for both selected and
  entered data
• REMEMBER previous input
• Constrain input and restrict the kinds of mistake
  users can make
• Embed Helper characters (e.g. Input Leeds
  landline 0113 _______ )

3
Other help in input

• Using application in conjunction with the WEB
  (e.g. the user could enter bank info, and profile
  online then access the data via the mobile device
  rather than have to type it all in again). This
  only works if your users have Web access.
• Taking data from the device e.g. header data,
  phone number etc.
• Provide more than one possible input method (this
  is also true of navigation)

4
Remember User in Context
5
Assessment

• The Project Specifications whats required?
• Examine Guidelines
• Uploaded to Blackboard via TURNITIN (Surname,
  Initial project title PROJSPEC)

6
Examples of Previous Work

• Build on previous work rather than just
  re-produce it several examples are now uploaded
  to www.mobilitystudies.com
• Remember to REFERENCE any non-original code
• Note on plagiarism (if youre stuck see a tutor
  rather than copying!)
• http//lamp.inf.brad.ac.uk59087/mob_apps

7
MyMove

• Project received a first class mark uses PHP,
  MySQL, .CSS and WAP 2.0 specs as well as
  providing a version for the PC screen
• Innovative idea, very well presented all angles
  considered
• http//www.mobilitystudies.com/mymove/

8
Tank Attack

• Working J2ME game
• Download and get it working on your local machine
  (play with code etc.)
• Scored a good mark for technical sophistication
• Unfortunately this student did not conduct any
  user-testing

9
Health Application

• J2ME App
• High score for Technical Sophistication
• Medium scores for Usability Design and
  Appearance/Content

10
JobShop

• Another lovely design Ive set it up on my
  webspace for you to look at
• PHP, MySQL, WAP 2.0 .CSS
• Nicely mobilised from a Web concept (not just
  for the sake of it)
• http//linux2.inf.brad.ac.uk59087/mob_apps/JobSho
  p/index.php

11
.NET Checkers Game

• Designed to run online
• Used .NET and developed for the Palm
• Zip file available
• Scored well because it was a fully working app
  and in an area not covered on the course

12
Rover the robot

• Controlled by mobile phone which communicates
  with the internet, which in turn communicates
  with a local PC containing an infrared controller
• Use the phone keypad to control direction or spin
  the robot
• Based on the recent NASA mars robot

13
Go4Movies

• Text tickets to friends, scan a bar-code image
  from your phone on arrival at cinema, watch
  trailers, choose seats etc. all from your mobile.

14
Many other examples

• More J2ME Games
• Use of ASP, JSP and many more technologies
  depending on the background of the students
• Those students that scored highly worked very
  hard and paid close attention to the grading
  descriptors and assessment info (which are NOT
  JUST ABOUT CODE)

15
Tasks

• Examine and evaluate these projects from last
  year
• Can you do better?
• Discussion of report requirements
• Check schedule

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Evaluate www.bbc.co.uk/mobile

• Type the above URL into the mobile browser.
• Spend 5-10 browsing the site and evaluating out
  of 10
• Usability (navigation, simplicity etc.)
• Design (attractiveness)
• Content
• Sophistication
• Justify your answers
• Is there anything you can learn from this process
  in relation to the usability of your own project?