Dustin Stevens-Baier
COMP 449
Assignment #8
This assignment continues work on the web-based ticket reservation system at the end of Chapter 7.
(a) Based on the information gleaned from the assignment in Chapter 7, suggest three different conceptual models for this system. You should consider each of the aspects of a conceptual model discussed in this chapter; interaction paradigm, interaction mode, metaphors, activities it will support, functions, relationships between functions, and information requirements. Of these, decide which one seems most appropriate and articulate the reasons why.
Conceptual model 1: Its interaction mode would be instructing, its interaction paradigm is pervasive computing. A suitable interface metaphor is buying a ticket at the box office window. This model will support buying multiple tickets, finding out what the best seats available are. Will allow people to pay online and hold tickets at the box office or mail them. It will also support giving driving directions to the event and looking ahead at future events. The information needed is number of tickets credit card number and name. It also needs approval of seat location.
Conceptual model 2: Its interaction mode is navigating, its interaction paradigm is again pervasive computing as it attempts to let people have access anywhere that they can access the web. A suitable interface metaphor is buying the ticket at the box office window or over the phone. This model will also support buying multiple tickets, will allow people to pay online and holds the tickets at the box office. It provides a confirmation number for picking the tickets up. The information needed is number of tickets credit card number and name. It also needs approval of seat location.
Conceptual model 3: Its interaction mode is navigating and instructing, its interaction paradigm is pervasive computing. A suitable interface metaphor is buying tickets at the box office or over the phone. This model support buying multiple tickets, finding the best seats available in a given price range. It will mail the tickets or hold them. It gives out a confirmation number after the tickets are paid for. It support driving instructions to the event as well as a forecast of future events. The information needed is number of tickets credit card number and name. It also needs approval of seat location.
The winner is: Conceptual model 3 because it incorporated the most functionality into the design allowing for multiple types of people to use the product as well as multiple events to use this system to sell their tickets. There was also two types of modes you could use to buy your tickets, either navigating through the site or just following the instructions the site provides.
(b) Produce the following prototypes for your conceptual model.
(i) Using the scenarios generated for the ticket reservation system, produce a storyboard for the task of buying a ticket for one of your conceptual models. Show it to two or three potential users and get some informal feedback.
User 1: It looks good. It reminds me of Ticketmaster except I don't know if Ticketmaster allows for finding driving instructions. I like how straightforward the site is. It allows me to just enter in my name and the number of seats I want and the price range I am willing to spend in. Then I hit "go" and it comes back with the seats and a map right next to it so I know where I will be sitting. I think it would work.
User 2: It looks very simple and easy to follow. I like the instructions option because I never buy tickets online and this makes me a little more comfortable with it. Although I still probably won't use it because I don't trust that the site is finding the best seats available I prefer to talk to somebody. I like that I can get driving directions just by entering my address.
User 3: It looks good enough the drawing is little rough so it is tough to tell if it will look cool or not. I like that I can navigate or follow the instructions. The fact that I can choose my price range is very useful although I have seen this before. It looks like the concept will work.
(ii) Now develop a prototype based on cards and post-it notes to represent the structure of the ticket reservation task, incorporating the feedback from the first evaluation. Show this new prototype to a different set of potential users and get some more informal feedback.
User 1: I like the set up it appears simple enough. You will have to add colors and graphics that represent your company or event so that it is more appealing to the eye. Make sure that the credit card information is secure so that people are comfortable putting their info online, also make it visible that it is a secure site.
User 2: It appears good enough a more elaborate sample might be better to determine if it is user friendly but it looks like it will work. The textfields for the information seems easy enough and makes it simple to collect data. I like that a confirmation number is posted on the site and not just emailed to you. I hate when I never get the email with the confirmation number.
(iii) Using a software-based prototyping tool or web authoring tool develop a software based prototype that incorporates all the feedback you've had so far. If you do not have any experience in using any of these, create a few HTML web pages to represent the basic structure of your website.
(c) Consider the web page's detailed design. Sketch out the application's main screen . Consider the screen layout, use colors, navigation audio, animation, etc. While doing this, use the three main questions introduced in Box 8.7 as guidance; Where am I? What's here? Where can I go? Write one or two sentences explaining your choices, and consider whether the choice is usability consideration or a user experience consideration.
The home page as shown albeit in skeleton form on the sample site is a textfield for number of seats, a dropdown box for event, another drop down box for the date and a lst drop down box for price range. Their is also a map of the seating areas that is visible to the viewer, with a color coding for prices. There is a graphic at the top of the page that displays the event location. Depending on what is the main draw to the location the colors of the home page can change. So if the Lakers play at Staples Center soon then the homepage is purple and gold. If the next big event is a concert then the background is the color they generally wear and maybe some musical notes and instruments. There is also a little sound that comes on right when you go to the site that corresponds to the event as well it plays a little diddy that the concert might have or a sound clip of players performing their sporting event. Then when you have filled out the textfields and selected the right amount of dropdown boxes the grayed out go label becomes fully visible and you can select it. After this the computer searches for the best available seats given your information and shows you where they are on the map or says unavailable and allows you to start over. If they are their and you like where they are and the price breakdown that is provided then the user can click on the button that says proceed to checkout. This page has textfields that need to be filled out for address, name, phone number, email and credit card along with a drop down box that selects the shipping this allows you to purchase the tickets by choosing the submit button. Then a confirmation page comes up and says that your order has been processed and that an email has been sent.