Rishi ChopraCS160 Final ReportProblemSolutionDesign EvolutionPop-up buttonsChange Views FrameWe found that the problem was actually easy to fix – in our final prototype, we explicitly labeled the frame “Change View.” Additionally, we have widened the frame, putting the different views side-by-side. This helps the user understand that the three views are actually three choices for them to make. Finally, for aesthetic reasons, we gave this frame the same Simpsons cloud background as the rest of the site.Search ScreenThe search screen is an example of a feature of our site that changed largely because of our heuristic evaluation phase. Our expert heuristic evaluators pointed out a discrepancy between our fields and the universally accepted standard – our field labels appeared to the right of the fields instead of to the left. Additionally, they suggested that instead of requiring our users to type in a season number, we give them the option to choose a season from a drop-down list, to minimize error. We incorporated these changes and again added the Simpsons cloud background for our final prototype.Help and Front screenFinal InterfaceFunctionalityUser Interface DesignAny wizard of oz techniquesTools you usedAppendix AChanging ViewsOTHERAppendix BRishi ChopraAmit BakshiCynthia PrenticeBen HartshorneCS160 Final ReportProblem The goal of The Simpsons Portal is to demonstrate the value of integration of two forms of media, television and the internet, for a user community that currently uses both.Both mediums provide users with valuable content, but in different forms. For example, the options given to fans of The Simpsons via television are limited. Users are forced to watch whatever episode of the show that happens to be playing with little opportunity to acquire additional, supplemental information about the show or interact with others (besides those who happen to be watching the show in the same room). The internet, on the other hand, offers users a vast array of services. Fans of The Simpsons can locate anddownload episodes of the show, find general information, and interact with others. However, being inherently decentralized and disorganized, the internet forces the user to spend a considerable amount of time finding information that he or she is looking for. SolutionThe Simpsons Portal aims to combine the advantages of “push” (television) and “pull” (internet) to provide its user community with the ultimate Simpsons experience, allin one place. This concept is to allow users to view all previously aired episodes of the show, find information regarding specific episodes, and communicate with other fans regarding the show. To accomplish this, the Simpsons Portal user is provided with options for activities to participate in through a menu bar that sits at the bottom of the computer screen. Using the navigation bar he can access any episode he wants at any time. The screen in broken up into different frames, and the user can engage in different activities in each frame, so as to customize the individual experience. The user can selectthe number of available frames so that he can do one, two, or three things at once. Users are provided with hierarchical contextual menus, allowing for deep browsing of information, as well as broad information at-a-glance.Tasks:The three user tasks allow us to test the main functionality of the Simpsons Portal.Our goal is to provide fast and easy ways of simultaneously accessing many forms of information. The tasks cover the different ways that a user can retrieve the information and episodes provided. The tasks also ask the user to experience the different view modes. Our tasks do not cover the third view mode (full screen), as our prototype did notfully implement full-screen functionality. The tasks were chosen to determine theintuitiveness of our user-interface metaphors, as well as to test as many aspects of the design as possible.1) Browse for the episode in season 10 called “Viva Ned Flanders” and read its plot summary. (EASY)This requires the user to use the bottom menu bar and the browse screen. While looking for the plot summary, the user while have to test the hierarchical menu expansion method we use to compact information. We also initially used this task to test the labeling of our buttons (browsing v/s searching).2) Search for the episode where Bart uses a radio to fool the town into thinking a little boy falls into a well. Now watch it. (MEDIUM)This tests our search interface and requires the user to do two different kinds of things, both searching for an episode as well as starting an episode. This provided feedback on our search feature and our menu system. It was also interesting to see where users intuitively sought out information (one particular subject already knew the season number of the episode and went directly to the browse menu.)3) Find out who does Lisa Simpson’s voice while watching a Simpsons episode and having an open chat. You are a returning user. Your login is: Bartfan. Your password is: itchy. (HARD)This task requires the user to change the screen mode from standard to extended to do three things at once. He also needs to use the pop-ups above the buttons on the bottom menu bar to choose which frame the chat, video, and character information are sent to (the other two tasks allowed the user to get away with sending information to the default locations.) This task also tests the general info screen, when the user attempts to find out who does Lisa Simpson’s voice. This task allowed us to truly test the site’s maximum functionality in terms of concurrent access to information.Design EvolutionWe found ourselves modifying our site throughout the semester, fitting with the “iterativedesign process.” To illustrate our design evolution, here we show the changes we made to three different types of features. We found ourselves changing our pop-up buttons, which appear in the bottom menu frame, at every step of the process. We made changes to our Change Views frame largely because of our two testing phases. Changes to our search screen were inspired by suggestions from our heuristic evaluators. Finally, we implemented a help section as well as information on using the site to the front screen. Pop-up buttonsThe evolution of our pop-up buttons is particularly interesting because it involved distinctchanges throughout every phase of our iterative process. In our
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