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| This first screen would be the screen that the user first sees upon opening a file set. At the top, there is a title bar indicating that the user is in analysis mode. There is a flat very lightly colored gray scale map of the area in question (pictured here is the northern two-thirds of Africa). Similarly to Google Maps, the user can drag around the map with the mouse, as well as zoom in and out using the controls on the left. In the top left there is a button that toggles between month and year (other option can maybe be added) and corresponds to the slider on the bottom. For instance, if you are in month-mode, the slider will move through monthly averages of the data from January to December while in yearly mode, it would move from 2000-2012 or something of that nature. On the top right of the screen, there is a button titled "Layers" which will generate a drop-down list upon click that will contain all the possible data sets the user can add to the map. The large arrow on the right of the screen will shift the user into the next mode (which for lack of a better name is referred to as the edit mode in this design). |
| If the user clicks the "layers" menu and selects an option, "demographics" (here written as population) for instance, the first that will occur is that a box with the name "demographics" and a small "x" will appear to the left of the "layers" menu. In addition, the data set will be added to the map. Color and specific shading can of course be determined later, but let's assume for this design that demographics is represented by the color red. In that case, a light red area representing the entire year's population area will appear on the map, and a bright, solid red will indicate the area covered in that |
| On this screen, we can see more details in Analysis mode, in terms of overlaying data sets and popping open the "layers" menu. It becomes more apparent as to how the user would use the program to visualize the exact set of data he'd like to analyze. |
| When the user is done setting the data, he can hit the arrow on the right side of the screen to move forward. The first thing to occur after this action occurs is that the title bar will change to "edit" mode (here written as "edit hotspots"), and a pop up window will appear as the background fades out in some way indicating inactivity. The window will indicate some backend sort of magic occurring (not the focus of this class, so we will just assume it exists) |
| This last frame is the "edit" mode screen that the user can actually interact with. Note that now the arrow is on the left side of the screen, indicating the way which the user can return to the analysis screen. |
Design #3
This interface views important information in an efficient way, as well as an easily manuverable layout.
Frodo is a frequent user of this system. He opens up the program automatically to a login screen. He has the option to create a visualization as a guest, or sign in with his username and password. He can then choose the source from which his data is coming from and the type of visualization that will be used. This is very learnable because users are used to login screens, and this one is very similar to many that exist. It is efficient because you only have to go through one screen in order to login. Also in Frodo’s situation the username, password, and most frequent datasets could be autofilled since he is a frequent user. 
Once Frodo hits “Go”, he will be brought to the main page interface. This interface allows users to pan through a stack of multiple data maps vertically (similar to cover flow in Mac OS). This main frame contains a general map that can be zoomed and moved, as well as some more specific data information. His data maps include satellite coverage, current Wifi towers, rainfall, and demographics. He wants to quickly find regions that have insufficient coverage and map that against the wifi towers that exist, so he will pan to the “satellite coverage” map, click “overlay”. Now when he pans, that map will stay static and the rest will pan. He will then pan to “current Wifi tower” and hit overlay. Now, both of these maps are overlayed on the main page, as well as more detailed information about both in the bottom right corner. 
In order to actually optimize coverage, given the current Wifi towers and adding one or more new towers, Frodo will go to the top panel and check “tower location” and “tower number”, since these are the things he is looking to change. Then he will hit “optimize”, which will give him the option of what he would like to optimize. This is not too learnable, but once someone shows you how to do it, though if the user is experimenting with the software he will probably come across it. It is very efficient in terms of optimization based on certain things. The alternative method, which is widely used now is querying. This is a lot more efficient than that. For safety, there is always the option to cancel, or once you hit go, you exit the optimization with the button in the bottom left. Once the data is optimized, and the new towers are added, Frodo can hover over one of the new data point(s) and see and edit information about it. 
Through his project he periodically hits “share” at the bottom right side of the entire screen in order to show his coworker, Samwise, his progress.