Comments on: Use Scenarios and Use Cases http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/ The adventures of Human-Computer Interaction in Open Source Software Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:22:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: C http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-145295 C Mon, 19 May 2008 07:43:10 +0000 http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-145295 IMHO： 1) The user groups / personae / profiles and the scenarios should be based on real users and developed in cooperation with real users in real world situations. They should not be developed by the developers (or HCI experts or BA) on their own. The developers (or even better a BA or HCI expert) should extract information from the environment and users base. They should not imagine their user base themselves, because they are intrinsically biased by their expertise. 2） "Advanced users" may be a user group, and "developers" another. IMHO：

1) The user groups / personae / profiles and the scenarios should be based on real users and developed in cooperation with real users in real world situations.

They should not be developed by the developers (or HCI experts or BA) on their own.

The developers (or even better a BA or HCI expert) should extract information from the environment and users base.

They should not imagine their user base themselves, because they are intrinsically biased by their expertise.

2） “Advanced users” may be a user group, and “developers” another.

]]> By: seele http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-145206 seele Sat, 17 May 2008 03:56:01 +0000 http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-145206 @5c: That is the point. The cases are developed for targeted user groups which are more than just "advanced users and everyone else". This is why user cases and scenarios are included in the same document with user profiles and personas: it all goes together. Creating user types that reflect the developer or advanced user is pointless, and so are developing use cases and scenarios in that way. It certainly isn't easy, which is why I hope when developers have a hard time answering some of the questions in the user research profiles, they will come to me or one of the other usability project members for help. The goal of all this effort is to help developers think about *all* the users of their software. Even if they don't get their user groups right the first time, fail to consider all the user types, or write less than effective use cases and scenarios -- it will all help more than doing nothing at all. @5c: That is the point. The cases are developed for targeted user groups which are more than just “advanced users and everyone else”. This is why user cases and scenarios are included in the same document with user profiles and personas: it all goes together. Creating user types that reflect the developer or advanced user is pointless, and so are developing use cases and scenarios in that way. It certainly isn’t easy, which is why I hope when developers have a hard time answering some of the questions in the user research profiles, they will come to me or one of the other usability project members for help. The goal of all this effort is to help developers think about *all* the users of their software. Even if they don’t get their user groups right the first time, fail to consider all the user types, or write less than effective use cases and scenarios — it will all help more than doing nothing at all.

]]> By: C http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-145127 C Tue, 13 May 2008 16:08:50 +0000 http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-145127 Whilst I do agree on you classification of use cases and use scenarios, I am afraid their use does not always lead to appropriate conclusions: both use scenarios and use cases are indeed often written by people of mixed skills (very advanced users, who have knowledge about development). It is particularly the case with OS development and even more with KDE. A very good example is the removal of the print button from Okular: it may well make the tool bar more pleasing to the more experienced user / developer but does negatively effect the usability for unskilled office workers. It is these workers we are targeting with desktop linux(es), and particularly with new generation KDE. To be effective, use scenarios and use cases must be .... use scenarios and use cases, that is cases and scenarios drawn from real daily life use, by the average real users. These users may be very experienced in their jobs, for example reading and commenting pdf research papers with Okular, but very unskilled at using graphical interfaces, particularly new interfaces. I am not referring to a theoretical situation, but to very practical cases I met and meet with: I manage a small company which develops OS based solutions, and if we have a complaint from our customers and users is about the friendliness of interfaces. Whilst I do agree on you classification of use cases and use scenarios, I am afraid their use does not always lead to appropriate conclusions: both use scenarios and use cases are indeed often written by people of mixed skills (very advanced users, who have knowledge about development).

It is particularly the case with OS development and even more with KDE.

A very good example is the removal of the print button from Okular: it may well make the tool bar more pleasing to the more experienced user / developer but does negatively effect the usability for unskilled office workers. It is these workers we are targeting with desktop linux(es), and particularly with new generation KDE.

To be effective, use scenarios and use cases must be …. use scenarios and use cases, that is cases and scenarios drawn from real daily life use, by the average real users. These users may be very experienced in their jobs, for example reading and commenting pdf research papers with Okular, but very unskilled at using graphical interfaces, particularly new interfaces. I am not referring to a theoretical situation, but to very practical cases I met and meet with: I manage a small company which develops OS based solutions, and if we have a complaint from our customers and users is about the friendliness of interfaces.

]]> By: Identifying users « Komandeering Developers Everywhere http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-145117 Identifying users « Komandeering Developers Everywhere Tue, 13 May 2008 05:00:29 +0000 http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-145117 [...] notice that Celeste has been on a tear.  She’s discussed user research profiles, use scenarios and use cases, user types (Plasma) and user types (Okular).  Now, as a member of the elusive Marketing Working [...] […] notice that Celeste has been on a tear.  She’s discussed user research profiles, use scenarios and use cases, user types (Plasma) and user types (Okular).  Now, as a member of the elusive Marketing Working […]

]]> By: seele http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-144349 seele Tue, 06 May 2008 21:34:08 +0000 http://weblog.obso1337.org/2008/use-scenarios-and-use-cases/#comment-144349 skierpage: yeah, it's basically the same thing, but inverse. skierpage: yeah, it’s basically the same thing, but inverse.

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