1. Wolverine Access: Faculty Center School of Information | University of Michigan Tiffany Chao, Saurabh Koparkar, Jane Loegel & Megan Morrissey 18 April 2008

2. Presentation Outline • Product Overview • User Population • Methods • Persona and Scenario • Findings and Evidence • Recommendations SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

3. Product Overview • Faculty Center functions as an online University course management system for faculty and graduate student instructors (GSIs) to conduct administrative duties • Currently known as ‘Teaching Support’ • Some new features are: • Class Search, Faculty Search, Browse Catalog • Also offers more customization capabilities, improved interface, and visual icons SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

4. User Population • Faculty Center serves both faculty and GSIs • Faculty (full-time/part-time): 5,542 • Graduate Student Instructors: 2,234 • Our target population was very specific and therefore the pool of available and willing participants was limited SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

5. Methods • Generalized Transition Network • Personas and scenarios • Comparative Analysis • 2 indirect competitors • Heuristics Evaluation • 4 evaluators; 10 heuristic components • Online Survey • 50 respondents • Usability Testing • 3 GSIs, 2 faculty: 5 tasks • Vocabulary Analysis • Metaphor analysis, object/action analysis, & general vocabulary analysis Preparing for the Usability Test SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

6. Persona & Scenario • Charles Shein, Assistant Professor • Comparative Literature, English Department • Single, enjoys old war movies • Uses Dell PC laptop computer to type assignments and check email SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

7. Scenario • Time: Beginning of the semester • Professor Shein wants to download class and photo roster for the two classes he is teaching • Needs to print off both rosters to bring to class • Logs onto University wireless network with his laptop SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

8. Summary of Findings • Successes • System provides useful functions • Improved interface compared with predecessor • Areas of Improvement • Finding 1: Inconsistency in terminology throughout system • Finding 2: The meaning of visual icon functions were inconsistent • Finding 3: The interface contained layout and color issues SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

9. Finding 1- Inconsistency in Terminology • Inconsistency in function of terms used • Learning Management tab and the Learning Management icon • The two have the same name but represent two separate functions which causes confusion for users LM tab - takes user to external resources LM icon - takes user to CTools • Evidence: • Heuristics Evaluation of the Faculty Center System (violation of ‘consistency and standard’ heuristic) SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

10. Finding 1- (contd.) Class Search – a search function for finding courses Browse Catalog – a course catalog indexed alphabetically • Confusing vocabulary • Evidence: • Usability Testing: user responses to task Both tabs essentially perform the same function SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

11. Finding 2- Inconsistency in Visual Representation of Features • Icon does not convey function • 'download class roster' icon • Evidence (Usability Test): • Substantial amount of time required to find the icon • A tester’s comments - "This is ridiculous!” • The icon was identified only after the icon tool tip was encountered SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

12. Finding 2- (contd.) • Lack of consistency among icons • Same icon is used for two different reasons: 1) to show that a class has a waitlist 2) to show that an error has occurred • Evidence: • Heuristic Evaluation of the Faculty Center System (violation of ‘consistency and standard’ heuristic) SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

13. Finding 3- Aesthetic Value • Usability is compromised by poor visibility • Teaching Schedule and Exam Schedule tables difficult to distinguish based on same color scheme. • Evidence: "I wouldn't have known that was the exam schedule, it looks exactly like the class schedule." - A user from the Usability Test SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

14. Summary of Recommendations • Recommendation 1 • Establish a visible ‘Help’ feature • Recommendation 2 • Enforce visual and vocabulary consistency across the system • Recommendation 3 • Improve the visibility of icons and color differentiation of features SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

15. Recommendation 1 • Establish a visible ‘Help’ feature for users Short-term goals • Visual ‘Help’ icon or link • Create a Glossary with explanations of features • ‘Learning Management’ • Differentiation between function of ‘Browse Catalog’ and ‘Class Search’ • Long-term goal • Creation of a tutorial or information session for new instructors SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

16. Recommendation 1- (contd.) • Current System • Faculty Center SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

17. Recommendation 2 • Function of icon should be effectively conveyed: 1) Include the 'download' icon in the icon legend 2) Use the typical University email attachment download icon; this would achieve consistency Download Roster SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

18. Recommendation 2 - (contd.) • Enforce consistency among icons: 1) Use unique icons for different functions 2) Use standard error message icon for consistency SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

19. Recommendation 3 • Use a different color scheme to differentiate between Exam Schedule & Class Schedule • Make icons larger and more brightly colored to increase visibility and transparency SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

20. Conclusion • Overall, an improved user interface compared to Teaching Support • Some usability issues such as inconsistent visual representations, aesthetics and terminology exist • Short term recommendations: • Improve the terminology inconsistencies • Change the color scheme to help differentiate the features • Long term recommendations: • Modify the visual icons • Implement ‘Help’ feature SI 622: Wolverine Access- Faculty Center

21. Thank You! Questions?