Q1: You’ve been given a budget to do some user research to find out more about your users and how they use the application. What types of research might you want to do? Why would you choose these methods? What information would you expect to get out of it? Explain at least two types of research. They can be methods mentioned in the lecture or other methods mentioned in the readings either in class or on your own. (Platform: eLearning on Blackboard).
1. A prototype evaluation will gather data on the usability of Blackboard. It’ll give us an idea of how useful each feature is in the perspective of the user depending on what they want to accomplish. It will help us understand if the design of Blackboard works as it’s intended to, and what the users see when they go to use it.
2. Cultural probes will give us more empathetic data (context on the users’ feelings and thoughts over time using the interface). This will allow us to form a bigger picture regarding the types of users that are primarily utilizing Blackboard.
Q2: Name at least 3 possible user groups for eLearning at UT Dallas that you discovered. Tell me if each is a primary, secondary, or tertiary user.
- Students
- Professors
- Teaching Assistants
All three are primary users because they are directly interacting with the interface frequently.
Q3: Choosing one of the user groups you indicated in the previous question, create a brief persona of a possible user. Include at a minimum a name, age, role, goals, day in the life.
Name: Matthew “Matt” Patel
Age: 20
Role: Student
Demographic Info: male, middle-class university student
Goals: Get through sophomore year, not miss any assignment deadlines, nab an internship at the end of the year.
Day In The Life: Matt is a seemingly average 20-year-old college student majoring in accounting, but what sets him apart from the others is his passion for hot yoga. He runs a really well-designed blog about his insights and experiences called The Heated Mat(t). Every morning after his session at the local studio, he sits down with eLearning to complete his assignments before submitting them on Blackboard. Then, he goes to his first class of the day, takes notes, and breaks for lunch. Afterward, he goes to his second class. After this, he heads back to his apartment to do some reading before dinner. During this time he might check Blackboard for any posted readings or upcoming quizzes for the week. After dinner, he might work on an entry for his blog, surf online for possible internship opportunities, or watch TV.
Q4: Name at least 5 possible tasks for eLearning at UT Dallas that would be performed by your user group.
- Checking grades
- Downloading/reading posted assignments
- Submitting Assignments
- Taking online assessments
- Emailing classmates
Maisha Razzaque 