Design
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After completing our collection of data, we moved on to a period of parallel design, during which each group member would exercise their own individual creativity to produce a concept. We imagined several different devices, each adopting a different workflow and using a form factor optimized for that workflow. After it became apparent during discussion with our clients that potentially any of the workflows could be combined with any of the form factors, we broadened the scope of our designs even further. This not only fit our original focal division between the physical form of the handheld and its abstract interactive workflow, but also considerably opened up our design space, which became the cross-section created by the two axes:
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possible form factors:
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★ A Digital Camera - like device built with the internal components of a cell phone, and designed for maximum familiarity of use with maximum functionality
★ A small Wearable computer worn around the wrist, designed for one-handed stylus use and retaining all personal computer functionality
★ A device resembling the UPS form factor we had seen in an early contextual inquiry, with additional touch screen interface capability -
possible workflow models:
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Technicians carry a device supporting their existing problem reporting habits. After using the device to gather rich media, the reports are typed up on a nearby base station. The device's audiovisual recordings aid the technicians' memory.
This supports the current workflow, but does not significantly improve upon it. It reduces the amount of contextual loss between problem and workstation, but cannot prevent it.
★ All-in-One Workflow
Technicians carry and enter problem reports in their entirety through a single versatile device, which supports both audiovisual recordings and text entry. This allows full entry of a problem report directly from the problem, but requires a powerful text entry method.
At first we thought that this workflow was unsustainable in a handheld interface, but user testing and concept validation found this to be the proper goal of our project.
★ WAD-Structured Workflow
Technicians log in, receive their WADs, and buy off on completed worksteps through the device. Problem reports become a specialized form of annotated buy-off, unifying all paperwork and reporting into a single interface, while allowing the PR system to leverage the WAD system for additional context.
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After the creation of design criticism of several prototypes extended our understanding of our system to the point where we could become more specific and concrete about our guiding requirements, and so we reiterated and extended them.
Our second iteration of requirements included a specific demand for photography and possibly even richer media, the facilitation of easy creation of readily searchable reports to allow engineers easy access to trends in archived PRs while still reducing the burden of paperwork upon the technicians, and increased levels of satisfaction, efficiency, and quality of work. As the self-respect of technicians and their place in the local pecking order depends on high quality of work, all three of the latter are subtly related.
Here we began our phase of physical prototypes. We began by creating "sketchy" paper prototypes for quick iteration and initial user tests in order to receive more honest criticism from users than more refined prototypes tend to receive.