Activity Flow Design - or - Organizing the users’ Work
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Transcript of Activity Flow Design - or - Organizing the users’ Work
Gabriel Spitz
Activity Flow Design - or -Organizing the users’ Work
Lecture # 11
1Types of activity flow
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Activity Flow Activity flow deals with the dynamic aspects of the User
Interface When designing the activity flow we need to:
Describe the way in which a specific outcome will be achieved using our UI
Describe the rules and regulations that will govern the flow Designing the Activity Flow is often referred to as interaction
design
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Activity Flow or Interaction Design Design of Activity Flow is based on our previously identified
use stories or user tasks and the task analysis which we created and which describe how tasks are organized to support a given activity
During Activity Flow design we decompose the tasks into a set of actions and organize them in a way that is: Logical – from a business perspective Meaningful – from a user perspective Integrated – from a work perspective
This organization will represent what we want the user to do in order to achieve a specific goal
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Focus of Activity Flow Activity Flow is concerned with what we want the user to
do – the sequence of actions to be taken It is separate and distinct from how we want the user to
accomplish a given task It is logical to assume that we:
First decide what we want the user to do Then decide how it should be done
In reality the two design steps – UI design and Interaction design are performed in parallel and inform each other
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What vs. How of an Activity Flow
Select the desired servicesSpecify departure citySpecify departure dateSpecify desired departure timeSpecify destination citySpecify Return dateSpecify return timeSpecify no. roomsSpecify travelers categories
Specifying the scope of a vacation
Entering Data
Selecting
What How
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What is Activity Flow Design
Activity flow design focuses on how a unit of work and user actions flow
The flow or structure of the unit of work is often unique to a given application and business domain
In controlling users actions we often adhere to more generalizable principles that include: How actions are chucked – to support closure
E.g. Select Ship Pay The flexibility we give users in adhering to a
recommended sequence of actions E.g., Cannot enter shipping address before selecting an
item The guidance we provide users the user through the
interaction E.g., user guide, bubble help, etc.
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1 1
2
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Good Flow Poor Flow
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Objective of Activity Flow Design
Is to help user navigate through the interface effectively and efficiently
It includes: The flow of users’ action at the interface and the
rules governing the flow The support that the interface provides to guide
and constrain users’ action
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How Should Activity Flow – Some Determinants
Business factors Sequence in which tasks have to be executed Privileges & Roles
Users’ factors Flexibility Closure Guidance
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Business Factors and Activity Flow Business factors are critical in determining the flow of
action within a component or information space Example:
Merchandise can be ordered for established customers only
Claims in access of $2500,00 must be handled by a senior consultant
Trip can not be saved without paying for it But, always question the validity and criticality of
business rules, particularly when they conflict with users needs
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Business Driven Activity Flow
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Activity Flow – Different Perspectives
Developer’s flow Open a folder Name folder Specify type of claim (car,
home, etc.) Enter identification info. Insert supporting
documents Save
• User’s preferred flow• Open a folder• Insert supporting documents• Enter identification info.• Specify type of claim• Name folder• Save
Creating a claim folder
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Issues in Designing Activity Flow - Behavior
Degree of flexibility offered in the order and manner in which tasks are executed
Number and nature of breakpoints offered to users during the interaction
Nature and extent of guidance offered users during task execution
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Activity Flow – How Much Flexibility Instinctive answer
Provide users with maximum freedom Constraining the activity flow has several benefits
Eliminate path that have no closure due to business rules My system enables me to download applications, but then
prevents me from installing them Increase consistency of usage
Always going through the same sequence of steps helps the user build a coherent conceptual model of the application
Reduce users’ mental workload Eliminates the need to decide what should be the next
task
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Activity Flow – Designing Flexibility From an interface designer perspective we provide or
limit activity flow flexibility through the type of flow we impose on user’s actions
Actions in an activity flow can be parallel or Independent
Actions in an activity flow can be sequential Actions in an activity flow can and often are a mix of
both
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Activity Flow Options
MS outlookParallel
WizardSequential
Excel GraphSequential, but – user can select the path
To Attach
Subject Content
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Sequential Activity Flow
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Adding an Image in PP- Mixed Activity Flow
Instruct – to insert
Select a shape
Modify Shape
Resize, Re-color, Add shape
Parallel
Sequential
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Activity Flow - Limiting Flexibility
When confining the activity flow to a specific path Make it visible
Avoid hiding dependency e.g., an account has to be established before an order can be placed
Adopt paths that are “natural” to users not to the computer You first select a document to print and then print
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Restricting Activity Flow
There are several ways to restrict or constraint the flow of users activity at the interface Leading them down a path – Wizard Blocking off certain paths – disabling commands Aiding them – task list Guiding then - Help
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Constraining Activity flow – Users Needs
Users feel that they need maximum flexibility in the order in which they perform a unit of work
However, constraining the Activity flow has several benefits including: Eliminate path that have no closure due to business
rules Increase consistency of usage Reduce users’ mental workload