DDQ TUE 2021-09-14

11. Theories & The Seven Stages of Action¶

11.1. Agenda¶

General Announcements
Discussion & Activity

Table 11.1 Current Assignments for Everyone¶
Category	Assignment	Day	Date
Paper Presentations	Pick a Paper	SUN	2021-09-19
Exams	Prepare for Exam 11^,2	FRI	2021-09-17
Exams	Exam 1 2	THU	2021-09-23
Term Project	Milestone 2 (Coming Soon)	TBA	TBA

1: The “Prepare for Exam 1” assignment is available on the course eLC website under the “Exams” tab. It is not an assignment that is worth any points. Its sole purpose is to provide you with an assignment that you can use to test your computer setup prior to the first exam. Please utilize it.
2(1,2): The exam is online and requires the Respondus LockDown Browser and a webcam. If you are unable or unwilling to install this software on your computer (or you do not have access to a webcam), then you may request to borrow a laptop (with webcam) online from the Miller Learning Center through the MLC Technology Lending Program. When making your request, be sure to let them know that you need it to work with Respondus LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor.

11.2. Activity¶

11.2.1. Introduction¶

Duration: TBD

In prior discussions, we talked about design-related guidelines and principles. Today, we are going to discuss theories, which are, “high-level widely applicable frameworks to draw on during design and evaluation as well as to support communication and teaching.”

framework¶

A supporting structure around which something can be built. Frameworks are the rules, ideas, or beliefs that are used to plan or decide something.

theoretical framework¶

A single formal theory, i.e., the structure that can hold or support a theory of a research study.

When a study is designed around a theoretical framework, the theory is the primary means in which the research problem is understood and investigated.

Notable Examples

conceptual framework¶

One or more formal theories (in part or whole) as well as other concepts and empirical findings from the literature.

Conceptual frameworks are used to show relationships among the various ideas and how they relate to the research study.

Consider the Seven Stages of Action in Norman’s The Design of Everyday Things [DOET], an explanatory theory and theoretical framework for human-computer interaction:

illustration of the :term:`Seven Stages of Action`;

Fig. 11.1 The Seven Stages of the Action Cycle [DOET]¶

Norman’s theory helps us create conceptual models to investigate human actions. It describes the relationship between goals and the physical actions to achieve those goals.

For many everyday tasks, goals and intentions are not well specified; they are opportunistic rather than planned.

—Don Norman

trigger¶: Something that starts the habit of a user using a system (product) or service.

Example: I am driving my car and decide that I want coffee.

Trigger

One possibility: the user is tired, it’s morning time, and they saw someone in another car drinking coffee.

Goal

The user wants to get and drink coffee.

Execution

Plan: The user considers their options, which usually differ depending on multiple factors. In this case, there is a Jittery Joes and a Starbucks near by. One of these has drive through service, but the other one has a kind of coffee the user regularly drinks.
Specify: The user picks one of their options. In this case, they chose to not go to the drive through location because they know the inside service is usually pretty fast.
Perform: The user navigates to the location, parks, orders, and pays.

World

At this point, the user receives a cup of coffee, then makes their way back to their car.

Evaluation

Perceive: The user feels the warmth of the coffee. They also taste it. When they do this, they’re filled with warmth and begin to smile.
Interpret: The user thinks to themself that the coffee tastes great. It’s not the usualy blend that they order, but that’s okay with them. The last time they felt this way after drinking some coffee, they had a great rest of their day.
Compare: The user’s interpretation of what they perceived leads them, in this case, to believe that they have met their goal.

11.2.2. Breakout Groups¶

Important

RANDOMIZE: Please move around to different tables and form a random group for this activity.

Quickly introduce yourselves to each other, if you don’t already know each other.
Pick a group representative. This person will be responsible for posting your breakout group’s response on Piazza before breakout group work ends for this activity.
Help your group representative respond to the following in a followup discussion to Piazza @31.
1. List the names of your breakout group members.
2. Provide a short, high-level description of a task that everyone in the group has either directly performed or is familiar with and that meets the following criteria:
  1. it involves a computer interface;
  2. there are alternative ways to complete the task (e.g., using different apps, services, hardware, etc.).
3. Describe your task in terms of its trigger and the Seven Stages of Action. If there are different responses from different members of the group, then please be sure to note that – it will make the responses more interesting.
  
  Trigger
  What triggered the task? In the next part, you get two write about the goal; however, here you should ask yourself: what prompts the user to have that goal?
  
  Goal
  What are the specific goals each of you have that lead to attempting the task? Are these goals themselves planned or opportunistic?
  
  Execution
  How do each of you plan, specify, and execute the actions needed to accomplish the task? What specific steps might you take to execute the task? Are there any alternatives?
  
  Evaluation
  How do you perceive the results of executing your actions? How much cognitive load is required to interpret the results and why? How do you determine if: i) the task is complete; and ii) your goal is met? Are (i) and (ii) the same thing?
4. Now that you’ve described your task, comment on each of the following in the context of your task:
  1. The Gulf of Execution; and
  2. The Gulf of Evaluation.
Look at and reply to the posts that other groups made.

11.2.3. After Breakout Groups¶

Duration: TBD

Look at some of the Piazza posts as a class.

11.2.4. After Class¶

Before 11:55PM today, individually comment on another group’s post by replying to their followup discussion in Piazza @31.

Important

You may comment more than once, and at least one of your comments needs to be for a post that covered a different task than your own breakout group covered in class.

Comments

Please keep the comments polite and constructive. In addition to whatever else you want to write, please comment on one aspect of a group’s post that you like and one aspect that you think needs improvement (e.g., you find that something is unclear or you don’t understand a justification). As always, be sure to provide a brief justification for each.
Continue reading the Usability module, and make sure you’re aware of current assignments and their due dates.