- Because the company has never had a customer interface, and hence never had a computer system, there will be a huge cost on them to get the correct systems in for the interface to be stored on.
These are the town main limitations that I am faced with, and I am sure to run into more as I design the interface.
Before I start the practical designing I will need to set out objectives, and what the proposed system has to achieve and outline main goals of this interface.
The main objective of the interface is it has to provide efficient and accurate information to the users (customers). It should save the company time, as it should speed the process of buying the actual car, because the customer does all the browsing prior to buying the car. The database in the system will be able to store more cars than what the company has at the showroom, so it should also increase the profit margin, as they will be able to possess more cars.
The data that needs to be held on the system include:
- Type of car (SUV or a Pickup)- the customer can pick from 4 different pictures, 2 of the pictures will be of SUV vehicles and 2 will be of Pickup trucks. This is a good validation method because it doesn’t allow the user to click on an unknown source, and it eliminates the chances of a mistake being made.
- Name of car (Sonoma, Envoy, Yukon and Sierra)- the validation method for this will be same as above.
- The specification- this will be in a read only format, when the user places the cursor over the car model the spec will come up, this spec cannot b altered.
- And the correct prices for each. - These prices will be protected so that the customers cannot change them.
- The extras will be stored in. The user will have a drop down validated list of options from which they can choose. The user will have to make a choice from stored extras and the prices of each will also be stored this will reduce mistakes being made.
All the data that needs to be stored on to the system will be done by me when im designing the interface. However, the customer will have to input only one piece of information, and that will be either a Yes or a No, which they will b able to choose from a drop down menu. The reason I will use a drop down menu is because it allows the customer to input only correct data, it eliminates the chances of wrong data being entered.
The system will only be used by two different groups of people; the customers (to get the quote), and the admin team (to add information to the database).
In order for both groups to use the system for different purposes I will have to design a separate sheet, which is protected by a password, so that only authorised personal can alter it.
What the user should and should not be able to do
The user will be able to do perform limited tasks on the system. the other parts of the system will only be available to the admin staff.
Usability Testing:
There are a variety of approaches to usability evaluation that an evaluator may choose to take. The methodologies can be divided into two broad categories: those that gather data from actual users and those that can be applied without actual users present. Whatever approach is chosen, it is vital to take other factors into consideration; factors such as: such as the cost of evaluation, the appropriateness of the technique to your project, time constraints of the project, and the cost associated with the implementation and training of new users.
Usability testing is the mainstay method when it comes to finding usability problems. Nothing is more convincing than watching person after person encountering difficulties with the same part of software or information system or any product. The difficult areas that repeat themselves between multiple test participants reveal areas that should be studied and changed by the developers. User testing can often uncover very specific areas needing improvement, where focus groups and task analysis often find more general areas needing improvement.
How is a test carried out?
Existing prototypes of the spreadsheet can be tested. Typical users are recruited for the tests and each test session involves one user using the product. Usability testing team shall:
- Establish user profiles, typical tasks and situations in which the spreadsheet will be used.
- In a formal assessment, define measurable usability goals.
- Identify typical users who will carry out tasks during the tests.
- Understand user expectations and to analyse their opinions and attitudes to the spreadsheet after having used it.
- Log user actions during tests, providing objective data about how tasks are carried out.
Test Goals
The type of usability test chosen depends primarily on the goal of the test as well as the product's development stage. A test can follow two goal strategies in the evaluation of the spreadsheet, and it is essential that the usability experimenters decide before the test takes place as to the nature of their evaluation. This is important as it becomes increasingly difficult and disorderly if a dramatic shift is made in the goal of the test while the test is taking place. While the tasks and the features of the spreadsheet can be changed around, it is important that the primary goal of the test be either on improvement of the product or comparing different alternatives.
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A formative evaluation helps in the improvement of the product as part of an iterative design process. A reliable technique for a formative format is the thinking aloud procedure, that encourages the participant to speak out their actions, thoughts and concerns while using the spreadsheets. The formative evaluations correspond with exploratory, assessment, validation and comparison usability test types.
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In Summative evaluation, the overall quality of the interface is assessed, with an emphasis on quantitative measurement. This usually involves a test between two or more alternatives for specific design characteristics. Specific goals can be formulated to address concerns in particular situations. Summative evaluations correspond more with controlled experiments that can be used to assess statistical differences between strict quantitative measures of usability between one product feature and another.
Measurable Targets:
- The ease of use
- Correct data being inputted into the correct place
- The understanding of the staff
- The reaction of the users to the prototype
- Produces the correct output
To complete this usability test, I will use the design myself, and see if it operates fully and meets the users requirements. The user requirements I am going to be looking out for include:
- Easy to use and interpret;
- Correct outcome achieved
The tasks that the different users on the system are able to perform include:
The customer should be able to enter:
- The Name of car (Sonoma, Envoy, Yukon and Sierra)
- Type of car (SUV or Pickup)
- Whether they want all the extras
- Print the invoice
The administrative team should be able to enter:
- New car to the database
- Remove a car from database
- Alter details of current stock
The software/application that I am going to design this interface on is going to be MS Excel. The reason for this is because it will be much more easier for me to design the interface on, and it meets all the requirements that are set out to the user. It allows me to use formulas and functions, and they can be password protected to control level of access.
It is also very easy to use and manipulate. As I am assuming that the users (customers) will have no prior knowledge of how to use such a system, then this application is very useful as it is simple and straight forward to use. It will consist of drop down boxes to even simplify the use for the intended user.
The System In Detail
Majority of the data will already be stored in the system. The stored data will include:
- Type of car (SUV or a Pickup)- the customer can pick from 4 different pictures, 2 of the pictures will be of SUV vehicles and 2 will be of Pickup trucks. This is a good validation method because it doesn’t allow the user to click on an unknown source, and it eliminates the chances of a mistake being made.
- Name of car (Sonoma, Envoy, Yukon and Sierra)- the validation method for this will be same as above.
- The specification- this will be in a read only format, when the user places the cursor over the car model the spec will come up, this spec cannot b altered.
- And the correct prices for each. - These prices will be protected so that the customers cannot change them.
- The extras will be stored in. The user will have a drop down validated list of options from which they can choose. The user will have to make a choice from stored extras and the prices of each will also be stored this will reduce mistakes being made.
INPUTS
In the system the user is going to have a range of options from which they can choose. The options will be of extras, which they can change and add. They will have to make a selection from the drop down menu.
The other type of input they will have will be on the personal details page, where they will be required to fill in details such as, name, DOB, postcode and the type of car they enquired about (this will be from a drop down menu, so the user has fixed choices).
For the above-mentioned inputs, I will need to take security measures to avoid wrong information being entered. I will use data validation method, which will only allow the correct data being entered. The validation will be a list of options for each type of extras. For example, for the type of alloys they user will have a choice of 2 alloys, which they can choose. This way only intended data will be entered in the correct fields. Validating the data will also help reduce and cancel out errors being made. Data will be entered every time a new customer uses the interface. This data will not be archived, and the administrative team will update it accordingly.
Other inputs include:
- Name- this will be restricted to characters between 2 and 15.
- DOB- this will be restricted to maximum of 8 numbers.
- Type of car inquired about- this will be a validated list of cars available from which the user inquired about. This will be a limited choice.
- Post Code- this will be limited to maximum of 6 characters.
PROCESS
In order for the interface to fully function I will need to use functions, formulas and macros. Using these will make the system much easier for the user to use. Some examples of the formulas and functions I will be using include:
- =IF(b3<g4, “True”, “false”), this will be used to calculate totals with the extras and without. For example =if(d13<1,”£700”,”£0”) this basically means, if the data in cell d13 is less than one, then it will display £700 and if it isn’t then it will display £0.
- =Vlookup(c4) this will be used for reference. This formula looks up the left most values in the given cell reference and brings them back.
- =Sum this formula sums up all the data in different cells. For example, =sum(a13:e13) this will add up all the figures in cells a13 through to e13.
Above are only some of the functions I will be using. I will also be using macros to link the worksheets together. A macro is a recorded programme that makes a process much easier. For example, I will have a “ENTER” button on the front sheet, and that button will be assigned to a recorded macro, and when that button is clicked the macro will direct the user to the “Welcome Sheet”.
Macros:
Macro 1: “Click Here to Enter” this button should direct the user to the Main page.
Macro 2: “Sonoma Pic” clicking on this picture, the system should direct the user to the Sonoma page.
Macro 3: “Back to Homepage” by clicking this, it should direct the user back to the home page.
Macro 4: “Back to Main page” clicking on this, the user will be directed back to the main page.
Macro 5: “Done” clicking on this button, the system will copy relevant information on to the receipt page. There will be 4 of these buttons in the system.
Macro 6: “Print” this macro will print the receipt. There will be 2 of these buttons.
Macro 7: “Back” this button will direct the user back one screen.
Macro 8: “Please Click Here” this button will direct the user to the personal detail page.
Macro 9: “Done” this button will copy relevant data on to the filter page and finish back on the personal detail page.
Macro 10: “Thank You” this button will direct the user back to the Home page.
Macro 11: “Filter” this button will filter the data to match the search criteria.
Macro 12: “Clear” this will bring all the information back.
For the filter sheet I will have to set up an advanced filter, so individual data can be filtered i.e. name.
OUTPUTS
There is only going to be one output in this system, which is the final invoice that is going to be printed. These invoices will be printed every time the customer decides to proceed with the sale. The invoice will contain the following information:
- The model of the car;
- All the extras, and which they have chosen to have;
- The total amount;
- Date and the time;
- Thank you note.
These will be the produced out puts, which the user can print. Along with these outputs there will also be outputs, which do no print, they only appear on the screen and these will include the car picture and the company logo.
The System Diagram
The Software
The application the system will use is MS Excel. MS Excel is a spreadsheet application. It gives professionals the tools they need to manage critical business data, and everyday users the power to get the most out of their information.
Formulas can be used in Excel, and this makes carrying out certain tasks much more easier. Macros can also be used, which speeds up processes.
This application should be familiar to users who own a PC; it is the most popular and user-friendly spreadsheet application. The reason behind using MS Excel to create this user interface is because it will require the minimum training.
The functions that this application will use in the system are:
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Macros- these are recorded processes, which will speed up processes. All the buttons in the interface will be assigned to a macro, which will direct the user to the desired page.
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Formulas- these are functions that can be used to calculate prices, and they can also be used to filter data. The formulas I will be using include:
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=Sum} totals up selected data
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=If} this is used to set boundaries between data, for example, we can say =if (b1<20, “ok”,”no”) this basically means that if the data in cell b1 is less than 20 then display ok and if not then display no.
The system will be designed to operate as an interface, this is because it will make it even more user friendly.
The other good thing about this application is that it requires no link to other applications in order for all the functions and macros to function fully.
The hardware that this system can support is a basic Pentium 2 processor. There isn’t much additional hardware that the system will need to make it work.
Any basic computer system will allow this software to work.
Usability Testing Planning
My usability testing will be based on the Sonoma SUV. This is due to the reason that the functions and the formulas will be repeated on all the other models of cars. They will be performing the same task. So it makes sense for me to fully complete Sonoma and ensure it is fully operable, and carry out my testing on that system. I can then repeat the process for the other vehicles.
Drop Down Boxes:
Alloy: 22”
24”
Finish: Chrome
Polished
Painted
Tyres: Avon
Goodyear
Yokohama
Stereo: Kenwood
Pioneer
Sony
Colour: Red
Grey
Black
Interior: Mahogany
Beachwood
System Testing
I will test the system myself by using sample data. I will test the system module by module and see if it generates the correct outcome.
I will now click on the Sonoma picture and the macro should direct me to the Sonoma main page.
I now know that the drop down menus is fully working and performing the tasks that they were designed to perform.
I will now test the DONE button.
System Testing Evaluation
After testing the system from beginning to the end, I was satisfied by the results, which I collected.
My main objectives for this test were:
- To see if all the functions and formulas worked;
- Test if all the macros worked;
- Test the drop down menus and if they produced the correct outcome;
- Test that correct data was being copied into the correct fields;
- Test the validation method and the error messages.
Now, after testing the system I can say that all the objectives were effectively met. All the functions, formulas, macros and the validation methods worked as they were designed to.
All the test results come back positive so I can now see that I do not have to make any major changes to my design as everything works as it was meant to.
However, during carrying the test out there was one thing, which I could change. Although the system was fully operable, I still think that the system needs to be more flexible. By this I mean that the system should be able to allow the admin team to add new cars to the database and also to remove cars from the database. The current system is solely aimed at just the customers. The customers were my main intended users when I started the design, and the main aim of the design was to make the system user-friendly and fully operable. My testing showed me that I met these demands for the customers, as the system is very easy to use, everything is set out in an easy to use approach.
So in conclusion, the main feedback I got from the testing was that my system was not very flexible in the manner that it didn’t allow the admin team to add and remove cars from the database. However, the aim before the design was that the system is very user friendly and it is full working, I have met my objectives on the system.
User Guide
Using this system should not be very complex. The intended users (customers) do not have to enter much detail and anything they have to enter can be done via a drop down menu or by clicking on a button.
This user guide, however, should make using this system even more easier.
Homepage
This page consists of a button “Click Here To Enter”. To enter the system click on the button.
Main page
This page consists of the car images.
Sonoma Page
These same settings and buttons will be used for all other models of the car. So the same instructions will apply. Follow same rules for all other models.
Receipt page
Personal Detail Page
FAQS:
1. Why don’t the macros work?
When you opened the system did you click on enable macros? If not please do this.
2. Why can’t I enter my name?
This cell is restricted, it will only allow up to 15 characters.
3. Why can’t I see the filter screen?
The filter screen is only available to the management team; this part of the system is not available to the customers.
4. Why can’t I have more options?
The system is only designed to offer the extras that are available for a particular car, if this is not available then you will not be able to select it.
The Management User Guide
The user guide for the management is the same as the user guide for the customers. The only difference is that the management team will be able to access the filter screen. Below is how to use this part of the system:
