New interface design

Proposal 19

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Find Books

Renew Books

Reserve Books

Modify Account Information

Contact The Library

Help And Information

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The main operations to be automated within the interface are as follows:

SearchSearching for a book is an automated operation of the interface

RenewRenewing a book currently on loan is another of the interfaces

automated operations

ReserveThe ability to reserve reference material for priority use is now

also one of the automated operations of the interface

AccountModifying account information is also an automated operation of

the interface

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Main Interface NavigationMain navigation area arranged in an uncluttered, easy to

understand manner.

Drop ZoneArea in which the user interacts with the interface by dropping

icons into this sector.

Search FieldThe text input area of the interface used to enter search strings.

Feedback PanelFeedback area of the interface used to display information

including book locations, book renewal confirmation and date, search input type and available reservation times as well as other

helpful information.

Main PanelThis is the main display panel which contains all user

manipulative icons and pages of information.

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Icons that once dropped in the drop zone initiate that type of search

Area that will display help related to the

type of search, for example

how the search should be inputted.

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List of books currently on loan that once the icon next to the book has been dropped into the drop

zone renews the book

The feedback panel then displays a confirmation of renewal message

Book Successfully Renewed

Artificial Intelligence

New Due Date:28th April 2005

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These icons, once dropped into the drop zone open account related pages allowing the user to view books currently on loan as well as modify

account related information

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Icons that once dropped in the drop zone open pages containing information and help about

both the interface and the library

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The newest feature implemented into my interface is the opportunity to reserve library reference material for priority use during a specific time and date.

The reservation screen is identical in layout and

operation as the search screen but it only looks for

reference books that cannot be removed from the library.

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Once the search for the reference material has been performed the results are displayed in the main area of the interface.

The user then drags the icon next to the book they wish to reserve to the drop

zone (same as on the renewal screen). The

available times and ability to change date is then

displayed in the feedback pane of the interface.

All the user has to do then is select the date and time they wish to reserve the material for priority use.

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SearchA card catalogue has been used as the icon associated with the

search facility of the interface

RenewThe renew icon has an image of a book with arrow leading to itself to

resemble renewal

ReserveThe reserve icon has a stop watch on it to symbolise the book being

available for a limited amount of time

AccountThe icon used to represent the users account is a library card

Contact UsA letter icon has been used to represent the image associated with the

contact facility of the interface

InformationThe information icon is similar in design to that used to represent

tourist information centres on maps and road signs

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The main metaphor of the interface is the drop zone, it has several real life meanings which help explain it’s use.

• Technical computing documents define a drop zone as:An area of the workspace, including the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) Trash Can, Printer, and Mail control icons, that accepts a dropped object.

• A military definition of a drop zone is:A specific area upon which airborne troops, equipment, or supplies are airdropped.

• In skydiving a drop zone is defined as:A specified area into which skydivers intend to land.

• In forestry they define a drop zone as:Target area for air tankers, helitankers, and cargo dropping.

The drop zone is the area designated as the target for icons to be dragged to and dropped, to execute interface operations.

The drop zone metaphor is pretty self-explanatory, it’s the zone in which objects are dragged to by the user and then dropped.

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Objects & Attributes

• Drop zone: size, location…

• Icons: name, size, image…

Relationships

• Icons can be dropped on the drop zone

Actions• Select icons, drag and drop icons onto the drop zone

Objects & Attributes

• Screen: size, colour…

• Icons: name, size, image…

Relationships

• Icons can be visualised on screen

Actions• Drag and drop icons, input text, display icons…

Source Characteristics

Target Characteristics

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Task How the user performs it How the interface performs it

Task 1. Search for a book Drag and drop search type icon onto drop zone and enter search string

Task 2. Renew book Drag and drop book icon onto drop zone

Task 3. Reserve book Drag and drop book icon onto drop zone then select required time and date from feedback pane

Task 4. Change PIN Drag change PIN icon onto drop zone and enter new PIN into text

input area

Task 5. Change PIN Drag change PIN icon onto drop zone and enter new PIN into text

input area