Blackberry Smartphones Specifications download pdf (Page 18)

• wireframes of major tasks

• prototypes

User research methods

User research methods typically involve meeting with users one-on-one or in very small groups. You can use the following types

of user research methods to help you build the workflow:

User research method Purpose

fit/gap analysis This type of analysis identifies how well the design outputs match user perspectives

of the workflow and allows you to identify and address unmet expectations.

card sorting This type of research method helps you understand how users categorize information.

This research is useful when you have a lot of information or options to group and

prioritize.

walkthrough of major tasks This type of research method demonstrates where the workflow breaks down. Use this

information to make decisions about the order, sequence, and priority of tasks.

Evaluating the workflow provides information to help you close the gap between your understanding of the workflow and your

users' understanding of the workflow. As you iterate the design, the gaps get smaller. If there are technical or design limitations,

try to address the gaps by using clear terminology, inline help, prompts, or visual cues.

Best practice: Developing the concepts and building the workflow

Consider the following questions:

• What concepts need to be communicated between users and the application? Choose specific nouns and verbs to describe

each concept.

• What does the application need to do and what do users need to do? Consider the tradeoffs. If the cognitive load is too high

for users, the application might be too difficult to use. For example, avoid forcing the user to remember too many things or

making them open other screens to find the information that they need.

• What data is required to perform each task?

• What are the relationships between tasks? If a task depends on the completion of another task, then you might want to

restrict users to completing tasks in a particular order.

Consider the following:

• Define the major navigational pathways, staying focused on the user goals. Make navigation easy and provide cues so that

users always know where they are. Help users achieve their goals easily by allowing them to complete primary tasks from

the first screen of the application. Take advantage of the conventions of the Escape key and the Menu key.

• Consider how you can integrate your application with other applications such as the phone, BlackBerry® Maps, camera, or

contacts. For example, if users click a contact in the application, retrieve the contact details from the Contacts application.

UI Guidelines

Stage 2: Developing the concepts and building the workflow

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Blackberry Smartphones Specifications Page 18