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User and Task Analysis
© Ed Green© Ed Green
Penn State UniversityPenn State University
All Rights ReservedAll Rights Reserved04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 1
What is “User Analysis”?• User Analysis – evaluation and assessment of the
user community• User needs
• Requirements to do a job or complete a task• Social and technical
• User interactions• Explanation of how users relate to each other
• Individual to individual• Individual to the group
• Explanation of how users relate to other work groups• User processes
• Explanation of the steps taken to complete a task• Work done• Effort expended
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 2
What is “Task Analysis”?
• Task Analysis – evaluation and assessment of work• Objects
• Inputs required• Outputs produced
• Process• Set of steps executed to turn inputs into outputs
• Sequence is important
• Decision points and alternative are key
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 3
Why User and Task Analysis is an Important Consideration• Task Analysis described as an “IPO”
• Input• Process• Output
• Users must interact with HCI• HCI will frame input collection from users• HCI will produce outputs users must use
• Process will perform repetitive and redundant sub-tasks• Responsibilities must be known and understood
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 4
User and Task AnalysisA Study in Relationships
Release
ProjectStart
UserAnalysis
TaskAnalysis
Task Model
Usability testing
User’s conceptual model
Implementation of design
Paper prototype
Use model
Prototype with dataflowand interface
Usability testing
Usability testing
UsersUser goals/tasksUser environments
User profilesTask AnalysesEnvironment profiles
Source: Hackos & Redish,User and Task Analysis04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 5
User and Task Analysis is Related to Interface and System Development
ProjectStart
System AnalysisDataflowObjects
Data Model
User & Task AnalysisUsersUser goals & tasksUser environments
Corporate ObjectiveLong-range goalsDecisions on marketsFeasibility/cost decisions
Task ModelUser profilesTask analysesEnvironment profiles
Technology decisionsPlatforms supportedArchitecture
User’s conceptualmodel
Paper Prototype
Use Model
Usability Testing
Prototype with dataflow and interface
Usability Testing
Implementation of Design
Function Testing Usability Testing
Release
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 6
Who are Users?• Individuals who buy software and use it without assistance or
interaction• Individuals who use the interface and (resulting) information as part of
the work they do• Groups of people who use software and information as part of a larger
business process• People who administer/manage the software so that others may use it
successfully• Users of the administrative interface
• Individuals who repair products that are broken or trouble shoot systems or processes that fail
• People who install products for themselves and others• Users of installation software and information
• Customers of users and others affected by users working with the interface and information
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 7
Classification of Users• Primary Users
• Those individuals who themselves use the interface and information to perform tasks
• Secondary Users• Those individuals who are impacted or affected by the actions,
services, or products generated or produced by primary users• User Communities
• The set of people who • Directly use the interface and information to perform tasks• Are indirectly impacted by the results or output of performed tasks
• Surrogate Users• Individuals who speak on behalf of a user community
• For example, managers and supervisors
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 8
What About Users• Users are work focused
• Task-centric• Know their jobs• Understand their domain• Have their own vocabulary
• Technology neutral• Computer literacy the ability to turn the computer on, log in, and
initiate the desired application
• Users are individuals• Individuality comes through even in a work group• Physical and cultural differences• Motivational differences
• Users bond into “informal organizations”
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 9
What About Tasks?• Tasks represent work to be performed by a user
community• Tasks existed long before computers• Goal-oriented
• Described • Workflow analysis• Job analysis• Task lists and task inventories• Process analysis and task sequencing• Task hierarchies• Procedural analysis
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 10
Achieving Goals; Performing Tasks (per Norman)
1. Forming the goal
2. Forming the intention
3. Specifying an action
4. Executing the action
5. Perceiving the state (of the world)
6. Interpreting the state (of the world)
7. Evaluating the outcome
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 12
Considerations in Task Analysis• Seeing how users choose tasks to meet goals
• How do users select from among options?• Seeing what happens when users have problems
• How do users react when things go wrong?• User decision making
• Keeping goals as part of decision making• Device dependency• Task analysis must be done within a context
• Identifying different types and levels of task analysis• Performing workflow analysis• Performing job analysis• Task list; task inventory• Process analysis/task sequencing• Task hierarchies• Procedural analysis
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 13
Identifying Different Types and Levels of Task Analysis• How work gets done when several people are involved (workflow
analysis)• What a single individual does over some period of time (job
analysis)• How workflow analysis and job analysis interact• What tasks are performed by all people (task list/task inventory)• The order in which tasks are performed (process analysis; task
sequencing)• Task size and set of sub-tasks (task hierarchies)• Steps taken and decisions made to accomplish a task or sub-
task (procedural analysis)
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 14
Task Analysis Diagram
1.1. 2.2. 3.3. 4.4. 5.5. 6.6. 7.7.
Process StepsProcess Steps
Knowing when to begin
Inputs
Knowing when finished
Outputs
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 15
Task Action Diagram Example
Scenario: Develop the task action diagram that describes the Scenario: Develop the task action diagram that describes the order entry activity by a waitperson at a family order entry activity by a waitperson at a family restaurant. restaurant.
1. (Server) enters id2. (Server) enters table
information3. (Server) enters a
customer order. If last order, step 4 else step 3
4. (Server) closes entry5. (Server) receives
confirmation
Order EntryOrder EntryOrder EntryOrder EntryTerminalTerminal
CustomersCustomers
Menus Menus
Orders Orders
CustomerCustomerOrder 1Order 1
CustomerCustomerOrder nOrder n
..
..
..Table Table OrderOrder
Table Table OrderOrder
Customers seated withCustomers seated withmenus, questions answeredmenus, questions answeredand orders given to serverand orders given to server
Order for the table is Order for the table is received in kitchenreceived in kitchen
Table NumberTable Number
Server IDServer ID
..
..
..
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 16
Levels of Users• Novices• Competent Performers
• Infrequent• Frequent
• Experts
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 17
Classes of Users
• Primary – frequent hands-on exercisers of the interaction functionality
• Secondary – occasional users and/or those that use the interaction functionality via an intermediary
• Tertiary – those affected by the introduction of the system or those that will influence its purchase
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 18
Stakeholders• People and/or organizations that will be affected by
the system• Includes users
. . .and a lot more
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 19
Stakeholders Versus Users• Users are stakeholders• Stakeholders are any group or individual who has a
vested interest in the success of a system
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 20
Stages of Action Models (Norman 1988)
1. Forming the goal
2. Forming the intention
3. Specifying the action
4. Executing the action
5. Perceiving the system state
6. Interpreting the system state
7. Evaluating the outcome
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 21
“Gulf of Execution”• Mismatch between the user’s intentions and the set of
allowable actions
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 22
“Gulf of Evaluation”• Mismatch between the system’s representation and
the user’s expectation
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 23
Norman’s Principles of Good Design
1. State and action alternatives should be visible
2. Good conceptual model with a consistent system image
3. Interface should include good mappings that reveal the relationships between the stages
4. User should receive continuous feedback.
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 24
Consistency• Consistency is a hallmark of effective user
interfaces• Characteristics of consistency:
• Orderly• Predictable• Described in a few rules
• Easy to learn and retain
“Even if you are not totally correct, be totally consistent!”
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 25
Consistency Examples
• An environment is consistent when the same term is used to identify or name an action in a given environment• Same word in a character-oriented environment• Same symbol in a graphical language environment• Same syntax in in a character-oriented environment• Same symbol placement in a graphical display
environment• Common responses to common stimuli
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 26
Action Grammar• The language and syntax that is pervasive across an
entire environment
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 27
Task Action Grammar• The language and syntax that is specific to an
individual task or set of tasks within an entire environment
04/18/23 User and Task Analysis 28