Assignment 1, COS 436 HCI Technology

Assignment 1, COS 436 HCI Technology

Ethnography and Interaction Design

First, Read the Verplank and Oliver Paper
Note the iterations, observations, etc.
that were involved in their process.

Then, observe yourself and others using
desktop, laptop, and palm/smartphone computers.
Look at all three types of computers and users.
Actually do this, don't rely on your memory or suppositions.


(* see below)

Things to look for and think about:

Write down these observations in a nice orderly form.

Now think deeply about one of the tasks, the related
movements, and the input/output devices used.

Write this up and turn it in in class.
Sketching is vigorously encouraged,
for describing objects, movements, etc.
Even if you can't draw (like me), it's still a
wonderful tool for ethnography, and for organizing,
documenting, and remembering things in the future.

(* Thanks to Bill Verplank for the sketch)