Heidi Krömker

A framework to measure user experience of interactive online products

Over the past years, User eXperience (UX) research in the academic community has created various approaches to UX evaluation frameworks. However, industry adopted these approaches rather vaguely into product development. Due to this existing gap between research academics and companies, this paper concerns the question of how UX evaluation can be integrated into the software engineering process of interactive online products. Therefore, influencing factors that need to be measured, including human and system aspects, emotions, a spatiotemporal dimension and motivation, were analyzed. In order to evaluate these factors transparently and to link UX factors to actual product functionalities, existing evaluation methods to collect qualitative and quantitative user data were selected and joint to an evaluation method set. First experiences of using the UX framework and this method set by means of a new web-community concept will be outlined and discussed.

Analyzing varying environmental contexts in public transport

The basis for user-centered design is the knowledge of users and tasks. Developing systems, e.g. mobile applications, which are used at varying locations, requires knowledge of the environmental context as well. This paper describes an approach for the analysis of varying environmental contexts in public transport. The results are presented as context templates to derive information needs of users in public transport dependent on influencing context factors and can serve as a communication tool for interdisciplinary groups.

Model of Mobility Oriented Agenda Planning

Today people have a wide range of choices in their means of transportation and their mobility options that it offers. Usability and flexibility are paramount in the application to individualized lifestyles. At the same time however, the provision of information and the planning process has become more complex and the users must collect information from a wide range of different systems. In order to reduce the workload of the planning processes, the task structures of different system must be analyzed and tried to combine. This paper describes how the mobility planning process can be integrated into the agenda planning process.

Towards Paperless Mobility Information in Public Transport

Following the integration of mobile applications into the mobility information system of public transport, public transport companies seek new opportunities to reduce paper-based information. A common example for these new opportunities is the so called ‘paperless stop point’. This paper describes different expansion stages of public displays for mobility information at stop points, based on empirical evaluations with users and experts. Four stages are discussed, which range from static information screens to individual interactive displays. In addition, the widespread expectations of users and transport companies are described, which provide the base for the stage development, are described. As a result, this paper provides insight into typical challenges towards paperless mobility information at stop points in public transport.

Evaluating Methods and Equipment for Usability Field Tests in Public Transport

Usability experts require high quality of evaluation data, in order to achieve detailed and meaningful results. In particular, evaluation in public environment, e.g. in public transport, involves influences of different contexts. In order to observe these context factors, a wide range of technical test equipment, for instance eye-tracking or video glasses, are available. This paper describes the evaluation of different combinations of test methods and equipment for a field test in public transport. The goal of this study is to identify a test setup which enables a natural behavior of the test persons and a high quality of data.

A pattern-based framework for the exploration of design alternatives

Design patterns serve the documentation and sharing of proven solutions for recurring design problems. Additionally, patterns can provide guidance on design alternatives. In this paper we present a pattern-based framework to support the designer in the exploration and evaluation of design alternatives and their tradeoffs. Based upon the systematic identification of recurring design problems and solution alternatives and their tradeoffs the framework consists of a generic hierarchy of design problems and solution alternatives as well as of two generic interaction design pattern templates. The presented framework can be used to specify design problems and existing solutions for a specific platform or application domain as well as to think about design alternatives and to develop new solutions. In addition, it can be used to structure interaction design pattern collections. The approach is illustrated by a case for interactive television applications.

Guidelines for Usability Field Tests in the Dynamic Contexts of Public Transport

Public transport is one of many fields of application where a system is not used in only one context of use, but in different and varying contexts. Evaluating these systems in lab-based tests can only cover a small part of the real context. This paper describes a usability field test of a mobile passenger information application in public transport, the challenges of testing in a highly dynamic context, and also solutions to overcome these challenges. As a result, a classification of the variety of dynamic factors in public transport and guidelines for typical test contexts in public transport are derived from the gained experiences and empirical findings.

Evaluation of Dispatcher Requirements on Automated Customer Feedback in Public Transport

This paper presents a study to analyze fundamental requirements for dispatching systems in public transport, integrating the new technical possibilities of automated customer feedback. Dispatchers in German transport companies are surveyed on their acceptance and expectations, regarding the integration of automated customer feedback in their dispatching decisions. The results serve as a basis for the user-oriented development of dispatching and mobile information systems in public transport with bi-directional communication.

Context Elicitation for User-Centered Context-Aware Systems in Public Transport

In the area of public transport context-aware systems have great relevance regarding the barriers. The service of these systems can be adapted to the individual situation in order to support the user in carrying out his tasks during the journey. The adaption is based on the context of user which is mainly influenced by the user goals and the associated tasks. In the context-aware system development for public transport the early stages of requirements engineering require more detailed investigations. The research of this paper is focused on the initial context elicitation which is a precondition for the analysis and modelling of the context. The first part discusses the knowledge lack of the developer team about the context in the beginning of a development and presents a task-oriented context taxonomy of public transport to overcome this problem. Furthermore, the second part sets out to address the concerns of designing a concept of user data acquisition and provides a framework for the selection and combination of elicitation methods.

Extending the information of activity diagrams with a user input classification

This paper presents an extended notation of actions in activity diagrams. The suggested method combines activity diagrams with a user input classification in order to support interdisciplinary teams, particularly in the early phases of development. In this way, the user input classification serves as a communication basis for user requirements, which is adapted to the needs of software engineers. The method is evaluated within a case study in a nationwide research project for public transport.