Usability failures

Where the quality of design is rendering the application unusable or unreliable for its users. This often appears as a mistake as the user does not know what to do. For example:

• Clicking on a magnifying glass and expecting to search, but instead the view is zoomed in.
• Searching for store hours in the contact information, when they are in the about section.

Failure is Subjective

And that's okay

As it is the experience and utility that tends to drive users to continue using application, the subjective view of 'what is a failure' is something we need to accept.

Phases of Interaction

Keep in mind that as a user engages with an interface, different errors are more likely at different points:

1. Read/scan phase: Perceptual errors are more likely; i.e. mis-interpreting interactive elements.
2. Thinking phase: Cognitive errors are more likely; i.e. evaluating options or making decisions.
3. Response phase: Motor errors are more likely; i.e. username/password entry.

Attention is Selective

Generally we can only deal with one message or situation requiring our attention at a time, effectively. Let's take a look at an example of attention and focus.

For lecture...

We will be critiquing sketches and take a couple of sample project submission for critique.

Next week's lecture

Interface the Future

Looking into future considerations or aspects of interface design. Pre-recorded lectures and slides will typically become available the day of the lecture.