Reference no: EM132174170
Describe the prototyping process of designing forms and reports. What deliverables are produced from this process? Are these deliverables the same for all types of system projects? Why or why not?
What initial questions must be answered for an analyst to build an initial prototype of a system output?
When can highlighting be used to convey special information to users?
Discuss the benefits, problems, and general design process for the use of color when designing system output.
How should textual information be formatted on a help screen?
What type of labeling can you use in a table or list to improve its usability?
What column, row, and text formatting issues are important when designing tables and lists?
Describe how numeric, textual, and alphanumeric data should be formatted in a table or list.
What is meant by usability and what characteristics of an interface are used to assess a system’s usability?
What measures do many development groups use to assess a system’s usability?
List and describe common website design errors.
Provide some examples where variations in users, tasks, systems, and environmental characteristics might affect the design of system forms and reports.
Problems and Exercises
Imagine that you are to design a budget report for a colleague at work using a spreadsheet package. Following the prototyping discussed in the chapter (see also Figure 6-7), describe the steps you would take to design a prototype of this report.
Consider reports you might receive at work (e.g., budgets or inventory reports) or at a university (e.g., grade reports or transcripts). Evaluate the usability of these reports in terms of speed, accuracy, and satisfaction. What could be done to improve the usability of these outputs?