Dennis BernardoDavid ChenHagop MarkarianVikram KumarHenry LeungOlivia OngChad SeegerAssignment 2: Task AnalysisProject Background: Our project is a group scheduling application that will run on a mobile device. Our initial aim is to make scheduling group meetings easy by proposing possible meetingtimes and reminding group members about their meetings. Through this contextual inquiry we hope to figure out what essential tasks our application needs to handle as well as what platform users prefer the application to run on.1. Plan for Contextual InquiryBecause our project’s aim is to help group coordination, we determined that individual interviews would not be a helpful way to analyze the task. Therefore, instead of doing 3 separate interviews of individuals, we found 2 groups of 3 test subjects. In our contextual inquiry, we will question the subjects in a group format and analyze how they perform tasks as a group.1.1 Talking Points and Questions Introduce the group Introduce the current problem of group coordination Get general demographic information: age, sex, major Ask participants how they each handle their individual schedules Ask if their current method a preferred method or done because another method isunavailable to them Ask about views of scheduling devices: necessary or unnecessary Ask if they consider their schedule to be private information or if they are open to sharing their schedule with others Ask participants about their experiences with coordinating group projects. Ask how long it usually take to schedule a meeting Ask what medium of communication is most often used Ask how they determine a location Ask how often do group members miss meetings Ask how often are meetings cancelled Ask if they are open to a better scheduling technique Ask how much time they would spend learning a new scheduling technique Give key tasks to perform (see section 1.2) Ask participants questions while they perform task11.2 Key TasksGive participants the following scenario: the three participants have been assigned to a group for a class project due in 1 week. Exchange contact information Set up a meeting time Set up a meeting location Assume some group member can’t make the meeting. Reschedule the meeting. Assume a group member A has an emergency. Member A contacts B to inform him. Group member B, relay the message to the rest of the group. Exchange the group deliverable (paper) between group members1.3 Plans for Gathering InformationOur plan is to have most of our group members present during the interviews performing complementary tasks. One group member will operate a digital video camera so we can review the interview session again if necessary. Two other group members will question subjects. While most of the questions will be based on section 1.1, additional questions might be asked when a follow-up question is appropriate. Two group members will write down notes to capture our subject’s dialogue and reactions. We have created a sheet of questions and tasks to help the note takers. The two versions of notes will be compared afterward to see if the note takers interpretations of reactions of responses are different. Inthe even of discrepancies, we will review the tape and analyze the responses as a group. 1.4 Talking Point for Wrap-up Thank the participants for their help and cooperation Give them details of the plan going forward Debrief them again about what will be expected of them over the course of the semester Exchange contact information Offer to send them a copy of notes taken Give them timetable as to when they can see results of our project Provide refreshments1.5 Description of How Plan ChangedOut first interview went very well. Initially, we were unsure which platform we wanted toprovide an application for, but the participants all seemed to be in favor of using a cell phone. Also during the first interview, when we asked the group to communicate, we didn’t restrict how they communicated so they ended up just talking to one another. In thesecond interview, we had them simulate calling and emailing one another. Here is list of additional changes:2 Ask more questions about cellular phone usage. Ask more questions about learning curve for new scheduling methods. Ask more questions about inefficiencies and time spent contacting group members and establishing meetings. Add task of handling delinquent or unreachable group members2. Tasks2.1 Easy Task: Exchanging Contact InformationDescription: Project group members want to exchange contact information with each other so that they can communicate ideas and keep in touch.Method: Participants all exchange contact information in the same manner. First, each participant takes a piece of paper and passes it around to the other members. Then, each member writes down his or her own information and circulates the papers until all members write their information every piece of paper. If the group were larger, one groupmember will be chosen to compile the information. Then this member will send out an email to all members with the information.Objects and Communication: Our participants used pens and paper to exchange contactinformation. The other group of participants designated one person to distribute contact information via email.Environment: Participants mentioned that they would normally exchange information at the end of the class period in which they chose or were assigned groups; however, since the contextual inquiry could not achieve the exact same scenario, they performed the taskin a room of an apartment.2.2 Easy Task: Maintaining Own ScheduleDescription: Members want to keep track of their own schedules so they know when they are available for meetings.Method: The methods of maintaining schedules used by the participants of the inquiry include the following:1. Kendra always carries her schedule with her in her planner. After any new event, she notes it inside her planner.2. Bernadette and Guillermo type their schedules into a software program. The programs generate calendars for them to view their schedules.3. Amy and Simon commit their schedules to memory since their schedules tend to be simple.Objects and Communication: Each of the above methods requires different objects. Nocommunication is required to group members about the method each person uses to retainhis or her schedule because it does not affect the
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