ASSIGNMENT # 1 HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION ANALYSIS OF THE DESIGN OF THE iPHONE

SAAD SHAHID ASHIR MANZOOR MUHAMMAD NAUMAN ALI 02018

The best part of the iPhone is the subtle, life-like fluidity i.e. the absence of abruptness. Apple believes in focusing on the details and creating their devices an enjoyable experience for the user. iPhone being the flagship product of the company is no different. With the advent of many companies and competitors in the smart phone world combined with multifold improvements in technology, features in a phone are no more the deciding factor in a smart phone. It comes down to much more than that and iPhone is a prime example placing better experience ahead of more features.

(A)

FROM YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS, WRITE DOWN WHAT FIRST COMES TO MIND AS TO WHAT IS GOOD AND BAD ABOUT THE WAY THE DEVICE WORKS.

The first thing you notice about the iPhone is the perfect finish; the high end aluminum body and the glass back that differentiates it from its rivals and adds to the wow factor of the device. The outlook and finish of a smart phone is a very important part of the user experience as it is a very important part of most users life nowadays. On using it, the iPhone is easy to use, efficient and pleasurable to work with providing a very satisfactory user experience as is evident from the increasing sales of the product and most customer reviews. Without a doubt the iPhone has revolutionized the Smartphone industry. Unlike its competitors in the industry the iPhone and Apple inc. on the whole puts design and usability ahead of putting in the best available hardware.

Pros
User friendly Small learning Curve Smooth transitions Beautiful design A wide range of apps Small size thus easy to use with a single hand Intelligently placed buttons

 Cons

Camera button makes taking pictures easier The control center makes frequent tasks less burdensome A notification center that makes it easier to use. A very efficient voice command feature known as Siri Accessibility features that are helpful for the impaired.

Lack of flexibility in IOS Outdated hardware Hard to share or retrieve data Lack of home screens Lack of personalization features Smaller sized display as compared to its rival phones The antenna gaps are not well placed that results in loss of signal quality.

(B) GIVE A DESCRIPTION OF THE USER EXPERIENCE RESULTING FROM INTERACTING WITH IT.

Using an iPhone is a very pleasurable experience on the whole. It is very intelligently designed to provide the user with maximum options without compromising the design and usability and it mostly succeeds in doing so but has its drawbacks too. The Physical Design: Overall the physical aspects provide great user satisfaction. Its elegant and simple which is a plus considering the market that the iPhone caters to. The design makes sure that using the device isnt cumbersome with just a home button on the front of the device. The device has a small size that makes it easy to handle and is very useful for people who tend to use it while doing other tasks. The handset has a really solid build to it, with every button feeling like it could handle more than two years of daily use without becoming flimsy. The retina display of the iPhone provides for a great user experience. The iPhone is highly rated among the smart phones when it comes to the design aspects of the devices.

The Design of the iOS:

o o o o o o o

Simple. Tile based design that is easy to use even for the non technical users.
Transitions. Easy to the eye, provide smooth transitions between the apps that adds to the user experience. Deference. The UI helps users understand and interact with the content, but never competes with it. Clarity. Text is legible at every size, icons are precise and lucid, adornments are subtle and appropriate, and a sharpened focus on functionality motivates the design. Depth. Visual layers and realistic motion impart vitality and heighten users delight and understanding. Accessibility and voice control features. These features are really helpful with imparities. Lack of Personalization.

(C) BASED ON YOUR READING OF CHAPTER 1 (WHAT IS INTERACTION DESIGN?) AND ANY OTHER MATERIAL YOUVE COME ACROSS, COMPILE A SET
OF USABILITY AND USER EXPERIENCE GOALS THAT YOU THINK WILL BE MOST RELEVANT IN EVALUATING THE DEVICE. DECIDE WHICH ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES AND EXPLAIN WHY.

The usability goals which will be relevant in evaluating this device would be Effective and Fulfilling to use Efficient to use Is easy to learn Good utility Accurate and complete performance Encourages recognition Safe to use

The above mentioned usability goals must be prioritized. This is usually done by outlining the level of achievement which is required for each usability goal. Safety for example should be prioritized as the most important goal and should have a 100% achievement level. Accurate and complete performance would be second on the list and we believe that it requires an achievement level of above 90%. The user experience goals that can be associated with this device can be divided into two categories i.e Desirable and Undesirable aspects. Desirable: Satisfying, Pleasurable, Helpful, Supporting Creativity, Value for money Undesirable: Making one feel guilty, gimmicky, making one feel stupid

(D) TRANSLATE EACH OF YOUR SETS OF USABILITY AND USER EXPERIENCE GOALS INTO TWO OR THREE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. THEN USE THEM TO ASSESS HOW WELL YOUR DEVICE FARES.IS THE DEVICE EFFICIENT?

The iphone 4s is efficient to use. Once the user completes the learning process the everyday use of this device is very smooth. Most of the basic tasks associated with the device can be completed with great accuracy and in a short time. The quality of the outputs in each task is also commendable. Is the device good value for money? It can be argued that there are devices in the market which can perform all of the tasks that the iphone performs with similar results but are available at a cheaper price. The iphone is marketed with exclusivity as one of its main selling points. However this quality does not support great value for money per say. Nevertheless this does not take away from the value of the device on its own and the quality of the results that it produces. The value can only be challenged when compared to other similar devices in the market.

Does the device support creativity? The iphone does support creativity in more ways than one. The wide range of apps that are available on the device encourage endless creativity. The multi-touch interface makes the use of these apps even more interesting and the opportunities are endless.

(e) Repeat (c) and (d) but this time using the design principles outlined in Chapter 1.

Visibility: Are the features easily accessible?

The icons are placed in a tile structure. Control center can be accessed from anywhere and has most of the shortcuts that are commonly used. Visibility of system status-always keep users informed about what is going on with the device and notification center keeps the user updated.

Is the device design easy to understand and use?

The buttons are well placed to enhance visibility. The font design is very good and provides good visibility.

Feedback: Is the device responsive? The lack of processor speed provides some lag but overall the device responds well to multiple instructions. Does the phone crash? The iphone is reliable and most stock apps dont crash but the downloaded apps are less stable with numerous problems that are irritating at times. Constraints: Does the app support multiple user interactions? The multitasking feature and background app refresh helps most apps work concurrently.

Are there constraints applied? There are many constraints that are well managed like;

Banners enabled when using another app. Music stopped when headphones are plugged out. Only emergency calls available when phone is locked.

Mapping: Are the controls well mapped? The keyboard is well designed for swift typing. The volume buttons are well placed for use while using the phone Consistency:

Affordance tells you what to do. Pro. Volume buttons , silent, icons. Cons. Home button, power.

(f) Finally, discuss possible improvements to the interface based on the answers obtained for (d) and (e).

INCREASED SCREEN SIZE. The smaller sized screen as compared to the other phones isnt favored by many users who like watching movies and reading books on their phones. On the other hand the iPhone being able to be used by a single hand is greatly favored so a balance needs to be achieved. MORE MEMORY AND PROCESSOR SPEED. The lack of memory and speed sometimes results in lag while performing tasks which is a real disappointment for the user considering the kind of money invested. Thus better processors and more memory can help improve the user experience greatly. PERSONALIZATION FEATURES. The iOS can be greatly improved by adding more flexibility to the iOS to provide the user with options like creating home screens, changing themes and creating shortcuts. MORE BUTTONS. More buttons could be added like separate buttons for back, home and menu to reduce navigation problems. SLIPPERY. The iPhones body has a great finish but is slippery which creates problems for some users. the slippery nature of the screen can be reduced. ADMIN PRIVILEGES. The user can be given more control over the phone. SRI WITHOUT INTERNET. The voice control features should be available offline for more usability.