Usability Testing- Educational Application Design/Evaluation

Description: You are required to write a 1500 word report around your experiences in designing and evaluating an educational desktop application (with both free and premium options) through following a user-centered design process. This will require that you conduct user/market research (using tools such as “personas”), brainstorm different concept ideas, complete a range of prototyping to explore different interaction approaches 4 (including low/high fidelity mock-ups, interactive wireframes, accessibility features, etc.), and conduct usability testing to evaluate the effectiveness of your user experience. You need to pick a specific theme that you are interested in for the application (e.g. games, crafts, photography, sports, fashion, music, etc.) as opposed to a more generic site that provides a broad range of courses or tutorials across multiple sectors (e.g. [login to view URL]). Your application can contain resources in the form of articles, video, or audio (whichever is most relevant for your chosen theme). You must ensure that you consider common features of an education-focused application such as:  A range of courses (related to your overall theme) grouped under appropriate topics (e.g. a topic of “Development” may have courses on JavaScript, C#, C++, Java, etc.).  User accounts (i.e. registering an account, managing a profile, logging in/out, managing credit card details, etc.).  Signing up for a premium subscription/membership.  Allowing users to access premium content/resources. These are the minimum features you need to consider and address – however, you are free to add other features and elements that are important/relevant for your application. In particular, ensure that you provide evidence of the following key stages of the design process in your report:  Personas: Screenshots of at least one persona focused on your target audience and one with some form of impairment.  Scenarios and Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA): At least one scenario focused around your personas purchasing a premium membership via your application. A HTA diagram is also required that highlights the key tasks associated with your scenario(s).  Paper Prototypes: Photos or scans of multiple interface/concept ideas along with sketches for all tasks/pages required as part of your scenario(s).  Digital Wireframes: Wireframe screenshots for your chosen homepage design and each task/page required as part of your scenario(s).  Hi-Fi Prototype: A high-fidelity interactive prototype that builds on your digital wireframes and (at least) enables users to: o Browse through courses that contain free content. o Allow users to login or register (depending on whether they are a registered user or not). o Locate a “Sign Up” button (or something similar) and sign up for a premium membership. o Confirm and complete an order for a premium membership. o Allow users to access premium content/resources (i.e. content/resources that can only be accessed via purchasing a membership). 5  Usability Testing: At least one usability study (using two different data collection techniques with five or more participants - e.g. observation, a think-aloud protocol, paper questionnaires, online surveys, semi-structured interviews, etc.) where both qualitative and quantitative data have been collected and appropriately analysed. Your evidence for each of the above areas can be provided through scans/photos, screenshots, tabulated data from test participants (e.g. task completion times), and participants’ comments/feedback. Accessibility: Ensure that you incorporate and demonstrate relevant accessibility features (in the context of your chosen persona) into your paper prototypes, wireframes, and highfidelity prototypes. Note: For the high fidelity prototypes, you do not actually need to code/develop an application – you are instead producing a “mock-up” that shows how your design would work when developed. This mock-up is what you should then use for your usability testing.