Dialog Design I

1
Dialog Design I

• Basic Concepts of
• Dialog Design

2
Dialog Outline

• Evaluate User Problem
• Representations, Operations, Memory Aids
• Generate Dialog Diagram
• Outline the structure of the dialog on paper
• Start with a Simple Hierarchy Structure
• Robust and easy to manage
• Generate Skeleton Code -- Functions Later
• Code that calls screens without actions

3
Dialog Purpose

• Produce Output Representations
• Enable User to Call Operations and Feed
  Parameters to Them
• Access Memory Aids
• Provide Control Mechanisms

4
Objectives of Good Dialog

• Promote man/machine symbiosis.
• Identify Problem to be Solved
• Identify Users for the System
• Identify Functions to be Supported
• Design Dialog

5
Dialog Design Principles

• Machine Status
• Print screen name on screen display, record
  parameter status.
• Shop Standards
• Consistent presentation for common operations
  and messages.
• Documentation
• Record objectives. Internal documentation.

6
ROMC

• Representations
• Operations
• Memory Aids
• Controls

7
Fundamental Principles

• Plan Content
• Match User Needs
• Plan and Test
• Determine Formats

8
Plan Content

• Criteria
• Basic output requirements
• Process
• User interface needs
• Content
• Data and processing requirements
• before
• Format

9
Match User Needs

• Natural Action Sequences
• Minimize Stress From
• Lack of control
• Unexpected Events
• Novelty
• Poor Responses (e.g. codes)
• Focus on HELP when
• Getting Started
• Getting Stuck
• Recovering

10
Planning and Testing

• Sketch dialog before coding
• Test
• Representative users
• All hardware
• Saturation and degradation
• Logs (errors, system failures, recovery)
• Security
• Acceptance measures

11
Format

• Input
• Match user expectations
• Assure consistent keystrokes
• Plan defaults
• Request input in user terms

12
Format

• Output
• Meet system objectives
• Perform business tactic
• Human likes
• Short lines
• Highlights
• Accurate labels, units and titles
• Minimize clutter
• Beware of codes
• Provoke action (so what?)

13
Dialog Diagramming

• Machine Display
• User Responses
• Machine Actions
• Data
• Process

14
Machine Display

• Access Forms and Reports
• Linked or Embedded Objects
• Design should describe the approximate display.
  Graphical design tools will do the details.

15
User Responses

• Identify All responses
• Assure that there is a machine action for all
  user actions

16
Machine Action

• Describe the code module or macro that is to be
  executed. Describe objective rather than code
  detail.

17
Formal Design Models

• Comparison of tools used for designing program
  architectures

18
Web Map

• Used to describe Web and other event driven
  interfaces
• Has a navigation component and a sequence
  component

19
Body
P2
P1
P3
Process
20
Action/Event Diagram
21
Dialog Diagrams
R
M
D
User Responses
Screen Name
M
Display Descr.
M
Machine Actions
22
Object/Event Hierarchy
Screen Name Data Source Object 1 Event 1.1
Action Data Source New Focus Event 1.2
Action Data Source New Focus Object 2