Elton Moura Nickel

Mixed prototypes for the evaluation of usability and user experience: simulating an interactive electronic device

Mixed prototyping technology can be used to represent and simulate the behavior of interactive products at low cost and with great flexibility. This preliminary experimental research intends to verify the suitability of using this technology in the evaluation of usability and user experience of interactive products. Users and experts evaluate the mixed prototype of an image projector with regard to its own usability, and also with respect to its ability to be used to evaluate usability and user experience aspects of the real projector. Users perform tasks on both the real projector and its mixed prototype. In regard to these comparative performance evaluations, time to perform the task and number of errors show a clear positive relationship with the difficulty of the task for both mixed prototype and real projector. In regard to more subjective UX evaluations, the results show to be congruent. However, we realize that emotions assigned to the mixed prototype are influenced by the “fascination” that augmented reality arises in individuals. Experts evaluate the mixed prototype with respect to aspects of the interaction with the product that it is able to simulate, and with respect to the classes of products best suited to be prototyped. They highlighted the possibility of using the technology to evaluate product performance, ergonomics, and operation. In regard to the classes of products to be prototyped, experts’ suggestions coincided with the classes of products that have already been used in research: household appliances, information and communication devices, and automotive parts and accessories.

Correction to: Mixed prototypes for the evaluation of usability and user experience: simulating an interactive electronic device

In the original publication of the article, the following corrections have to be noted down.

Diretrizes Projetuais de iluminação para atender pessoas com baixa visão

A ciencia e a tecnologia estao inseridas cada vez mais na vida das pessoas. Como meio de incluir pessoas com algum tipo de deficiencia, a tecnologia assistiva fornece dispositivos, servicos e estrategias para proporcionar maior autonomia e qualidade de vida. Tendo em vista a falta de estudos que abordem recomendacoes de iluminacao para deficientes visuais, em especifico a baixa visao (ou visao subnormal), este artigo tem como objetivo a elaboracao de diretrizes de projeto de iluminacao para incluir pessoas com baixa visao para que estas possam frequentar ambientes internos com seguranca e conforto. Para isso, recorreu-se a revisao sistematica bibliografica, com o intuito de pesquisar e utilizar as normas, modelos e recomendacoes de diversos autores e sintetiza-las em um unico trabalho, para que seja possivel a aplicacao destas diretrizes. Permite assim que profissionais possam se basear nestas diretrizes e projetar ambientes para pessoas portadoras de visao subnormal, e que estas possam exercer suas atividades e frequentar ambientes internos e sociais percebendo o espaco de maneira mais plena possivel.

Work Macroergonomics Analysis (AMT Method): Identification of Ergonomic Demands in Sewing Laboratory

The sewing laboratory is a space used by students almost every semester throughout the fashion course degree. It is common for students to staying in the laboratory for several hours nonstop, which justifies the importance of carrying out a study on this environment in order to identify issues. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to perform a macroergonomic analysis in the sewing laboratory of the bachelor fashion design program at the UDESC - Santa Catarina State University (Florianopolis, Brazil), in order to identify the Ergonomic Demand Items through the Work Macroergonomics Analysis (AMT) taking into consideration the Human Factors involved in the activities practiced in this workspace. The methodological procedures involved the Work Macroergonomics Analysis method, proposed by Fogliatto and Guimaraes (1998). As a result, the macroergonomic approach was considered efficient in the identification of ergonomic demands, which help in the evaluation and propositions of suggestions for improvement the sewing laboratory, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the practices performed there, as well as health and wellbeing of the students, technicians and teachers who use this workspace.

Application of Assistive Technologies in Rehabilitation of the Visually Impaired

This article brings together studies aimed at the use of assistive technologies during the rehabilitation and/or support processes of people with total and/or partial visual impairments (whether congenital or acquired) and how the difficulties and limitations arising from this framework can be overcome through the recognition and exploration of the individual abilities and skills to perform tasks, through the use of AT. The methodological processes adopted in the research were conducted through observations and systematic comparative analyzes to recognize the patterns of behavior of individuals with visual impairment during the execution of their activities. The data analysis was performed to identify and compare the factors that contribute to the difficulties and successes in the application of assistive technologies for the rehabilitation of visually impaired people. It’s hoped that, at the end of these studies, their results may explain how AT contribute to improve quality of life to people with disabilities.

Evaluation of Macroergonomic Methods for the Application of Organization Analyzes in Startups

Startups are scalable, repeatable and innovative companies operating in an uncertain and temporary environment, that need to accomplish maximum efficiency. Under this context, the organizational analysis through macroergonomics is interesting because this approach refers to restructuring of the organization, so that increased safety, comfort, system efficiency and quality of life are achieved. The purpose of this article is to provide for an analysis of Macroergonomic Methods in order to determine whether it is possible to apply them to the organizational analysis of startups. This study was performed based on pertinent theoretical concepts. Then, the methods were presented, but only those specifically developed for macroergonomics were analyzed, which refers to eight methods. As a result, only the methods called HITOP Analysis and Macroergonomic Analysis of Structure were deemed applicable to startups, and we found that methods called Macroergonomic Analysis and Macroergonomic Design and Analysis may be applicable, provided that duly adjusted.

Analysis of the Supermarket Environment for Elderly: a Case Study

The article aims to analyze the experience of the elderly in a supermarket, in order to identify the difficulties and tools of assistive technologies available to assist them in the task. Through a theoretical reference on the elderly, the supermarkets environment and accessibility, a case study was carried out in which three elderly women were observed while they were shopping. The results showed that the environment does not have assistive technologies, nor does it help the elderly in their purchases, in addition to some sectors that are not accessible. This research is expected to consolidate knowledge about the subject, a special attention for this growing public that needs more care.

Avaliação comparativa de drives de armazenamento na nuvem: Usabilidade e learnability do Dropbox, Google Drive e OneDrive

Investigou-se o nivel de facilidade de uso e aprendizado de tres sistemas de armazenamento, em suas versoes on-line: Dropbox™, Google Drive e OneDrive, aplicando testes de usabilidade com usuarios novatos. Encontrou-se uma homogeneidade entre as plataformas, sem diferencas estatisticamente significativas. Houve um grande numero de desistencias, poucos erros e mais demora do que o esperado. As notas SUS foram similares e baixas para os tres drives . Encontraram-se tres grandes problemas de usabilidade dos drives para usuarios novatos: 1) a falta de homogeneidade na taxonomia dos botoes e menus; 2) a falta do uso de convencoes em relacao as plataformas mais tradicionais vistas em sistemas operacionais e 3) a ausencia de feedbacks e informacoes contextuais mais claros e enfaticos.

Residências unipessoais e decisões de compra: caso do mobiliário

Durante seculos a sociedade vem se modificando e, junto com ela, a maneira como as pessoas se comportam em relacao as suas moradias. Esse trabalho trata de uma analise comportamental das residencias unipessoais e das pessoas que ali habitam e como isso afeta suas decisoes de compra de bens de consumo. Para a pesquisa foi feita um estudo de caso com 5 pessoas que sao solteiras e moram sozinhas para comparar com outra pesquisa ja realizada pelo Instituto Market Analysis e verificar a se a tendencia apontada pelo Instituto e concreta. Ao final do estudo foi verificado que de maneira geral, as tendencias apontadas pela pesquisa do Instituto sao compativeis com os estudos de caso, mas todos possuem suas particularidades. Essa caracteristica deve ser observada pelo mercado de nicho que visa conquistar esse publico alvo, conforme ilustrado pelo mobiliario projetado em paralelo a pesquisa.