Page History

...

Because user testing occurred after our final implementation, we could not incorporate their changes. Below are some proposed changes and/or solutions: TODO

Other Design Decisions

Other design decisions include:

1. Autocomplete on destination textbox
2. Navigation bar on top
3. Reset button

Autocomplete

Autocomplete was included for the destination textbox to make the user's experience simple.

Image Removed

Figure 5. Autocomplete box for better user experience.

Navigation Bar

We included a navigation bar on the top for the user to easily navigate between the map page and the trips page.

Image Removed

Figure 6. Navigation bar for easily flipping between pages.

Reset Button

We included a reset button (which can be seen in Figure 5) in case the user messes up his trip planning and wants an immediate reset.

1.2 Alternatives

There were several alternatives that we considered:

1. The link to enter the home page from the landing page should change colors when scrolled over to show it is a link.
2. The text color/button color combinations should be changed to make them easier to read
3. The buttons that perform different actions within the website (reset, save trip) should have different colors so the user can more easily differentiate them.
4. Clicking a location from the autocomplete menu should perform the same action as if the user had also clicked search with that value in the text field.
5. The graph should be visible once there is a valid location and date range on the home page.
6. All of the markers shouldn't disappear once the user selects a date range even if he/she has selected a location.  This confuses the user and makes them believe they've done something wrong.
7. Some indication should be added (potentially a picture on the landing page) that shows that the markers are clickable.
8. The list of trips on the my trips page should be listed in chronological order.
9. There should be a button in the contact list pane that copies the list to your clipboard.
10. The names in the contact list should be clickable like the list of trips.

Other Design Decisions

Other design decisions include:

1. Autocomplete on destination textbox
2. Navigation bar on top
3. Reset button

Autocomplete

Autocomplete was included for the destination textbox to make the user's experience simple.

Image Added

Figure 5. Autocomplete box for better user experience.

Navigation Bar

We included a navigation bar on the top for the user to easily navigate between the map page and the trips page.

Image Added

Figure 6. Navigation bar for easily flipping between pages.

Reset Button

We included a reset button (which can be seen in Figure 5) in case the user messes up his trip planning and wants an immediate reset.

1.2 Alternatives

There were several alternatives that we considered:

1. Line-graph data representation of travelers near the user and then two map pages
2. TravelGroups
3. Facebook integration
4. Line-graph data representation of travelers near the user and then two map pages
5. TravelGroups
6. Facebook integration
7. Forum

Line Graph and Two Maps Representation

...

• UI design requires both detail-oriented and big-picture vision: Over the course of the semester, each of us came to learn that the UI design process is a delicate one. Every detail matters, but it is also important to establish a goal and direction early on in the design process – and also make sure to remain goal-oriented throughout.
• Usability testing is an involved process: Standardization is important and necessary in order to obtain valid and accurate responses from potential users. A key skill is knowing how to interact (and remain silent) with users during the testing process; there is a fine line between too little and too much when explaining the interface to the user. Additionally, it is important to test a variety of users, as some may be more experienced or knowledgable about a certain topic than others.
• Less is more: Throughout this process, we came to understand the importance of simplicity and minimalistic design. When an interface is crowded with several features, each of them loses significance – we decided to focus on a few important aspects that eventually created what we believe to be a successful product.

4.2 What Would We Do Differently? (Meta-Level)

• silent) with users during the testing process; there is a fine line between too little and too much when explaining the interface to the user. Additionally, it is important to test a variety of users, as some may be more experienced or knowledgable about a certain topic than others.
• Less is more: Throughout this process, we came to understand the importance of simplicity and minimalistic design. When an interface is crowded with several features, each of them loses significance – we decided to focus on a few important aspects that eventually created what we believe to be a successful product.

4.2 What Would We Do Differently? (Meta-Level)

• More testing: Though the amount of usability testing that we conducted was sufficient enough to provide us with valuable feedback, we feel that testing both the paper prototype and initial design on a wider variety of users would have given us more insight into our target user population.  Additional paper prototypes would have saved us a great deal of time and provided more user feedback during additional iterations.
• We also believe that we should have done more iterations of testing after coming up with new designs after GR4.  We were too focused on creating a final product that was what we wanted instead of ensuring that from the beginning that we were focused on something that that our user population would want and could useMore testing: Though the amount of usability testing that we conducted was sufficient enough to provide us with valuable feedback, we feel that testing both the paper prototype and initial design on a wider variety of users would have given us more insight into our target user population.