Rapid Prototype Blog

Posts Tagged ‘User’

Rapid Sheet Metal™, Inc. hosted over 70 members of the New Hampshire Solidworks User Group (NH SWUG) on Tuesday, December 2.  After tours of Rapid’s state of the art sheet metal facility dedicated to the ultrafast turnaround of prototype sheet metal parts and a bountiful buffet dinner, the crowd settled in for an evening of discussions on cyber metal bending in the world’s most widely used sheet metal design CAD software, Solidworks.

Jay Patterson, Product Definition Specialist for SolidWorks, reviewed the tools and methodologies of how to design sheet metal parts within Solidworks.  Covering the basics as well as expert tips and tricks, Jay demonstrated the power of Solidworks for designing sheet metal.  Steve Lynch, Engineering Manager for Rapid Sheet Metal, followed with a presentation on manufacturing considerations for sheet metal design.  The audience was shown how a sheet metal shop uses their 3D Solidworks data to make real parts and the impact on manufacturing of certain CAD design features such as bend radii, hemming, offset bends and hardware insertion.  Concluding the meeting was a Question and Answer session that many felt had to end too soon. 

The User Group meeting was a great way for Solidworks Users to connect with others in the engineering community and refine their sheet metal design skills.  “Steve Lynch provided one of the best presentations we have ever seen.  Overall, everyone got a lot out of the night and I would consider it our best NH-SWUG meeting yet!  Kudos to Rapid Sheet Metal.” commented Cindy Berend, NH-SWUG President.

Related Prototype Sheet Metal Parts Articles

What is rapid application development (RAD) and how can it help user interface designers?

Rapid application development is a software development methodology that emphasizes minimal planning and rapid prototyping.  It is an act first, think later method. The planning takes place through the fast flow of creative ideas and problem solving that take place during the rapid prototyping process.  Thus, rapid application development is very flexible and leaves room for endless improvements and a quicker software writing process.  In this article I will take a look at the history of the method as well as the pros and cons of using the strategy in user interface design.

Rapid application development: history and implementation

Rapid application development was introduced as a software design method in 1991 by James Martin, an IT consultant and Pulitzer Prize nominated author.  Since its inception, rapid application development (RAD) has evolved from strictly iterative development and prototypes to a method that can be defined more broadly, encompassing the use of various software frameworks and web application frameworks.

Rapid application development is a method that is designed first and foremost to deliver systems fast.  Before venturing down this speedy path in a user interface design project, make sure that you are using it to develop an interface design that can be delivered quickly.  For example, it is probably not the best method for designing a complex air traffic control system, but would work well if you are revamping an extant e-Commerce site.  Here are a few criteria that can help you discern whether or not to implement the method for the design of your new user interface:

•    Project Scope: a project with a scope that is narrow and well-defined is suitable for rapid application development, but a project with a broad and obscure scope is not.

•    Project Data: Project data that already exists (and therefore does not need to be analyzed) is suitable for RAD, but project data that needs to be generated and analyzed is not.

•    Project Decisions: Project decisions that can be made quickly by a small group of people who are always on-call are suitable for RAD, project decisions that must be made by a wide-range of people who are not always available are not.

•    Project Team: A small project team (about six or less) is suitable for RAD, a large product team (more than six) is not.

The abovementioned criteria can serve as a guideline to help you discern whether or not rapid application development is the right user interface design method for you, but it is ultimately your choice. If you do decide that rapid application development is a good fit, a typical RAD process can be broken down into the following steps:

•    Select a team: you should choose a team of designers/collaborators who will be able to give timely, efficient input and feedback.

•    Analysis: Assess your project goals and understand what you need to do, why you need to do it, and how you need to do it to realize the goal of your project.

•    Design workshop: Create a design workshop during which you and your team can rapidly iterate, prototype and conduct usability tests on each updated version of your user interface design until it has reached a point of satisfaction that aligns itself with your goals. At this point you are ready for implementation. The process of RAD is relatively unstructured so as not to impede the creative flow, but make sure you can work many uninterrupted hours—RAD is not for the faint of heart.

Pros and Cons of rapid application development in user interface design projects

Rapid application development can be a very effective user interface design method if used for the right reasons and under the right circumstances.  RAD promotes a collaborative and creative environment in which all stakeholders can take part in a very detailed project.  RAD can give fast results and bring forth successful new ideas that might have seemed too risky to use in a more deliberate process. However, RAD also has its drawbacks.  Its use is contingence upon a strong, cohesive team that does not have time constraints.  Its quick nature can allow for many errors and does not promote organization or well-thought-out solutions.  However, experience shows that the consequences of RAD pitfalls can generally be avoided if you carefully assess whether or not it is an appropriate method for your project—careful assessment at the beginning can open the floodgates to rapid success.

Related User Interface Prototyping Articles

This article is part of the series Information Architecture for wireframes using Justinmind Prototyper

A Navigation map of you site will help you understand the pathways users take, helping you create shortcuts, cutting off unnecessary pages or steps, reducing bounce rates and increasing usability. It is very important to create the flowcharts before designing the wireframes.

Collaborative work

With Justinmind Prototyper, your navigation map can be commented and all requirements can be linked to specific pages with drag and drop, so, for example, the Project Manager can write that page 2 needs a login, the Information Architect can describe what kind of content goes on the library page, and the designers can change sizes or typography, and annotate that on the project. All comments will be saved and organized in a database, which can be filtered according to many criteria.

Advantages of interface-flow diagrams

On AgileModeling.com, Scott W. Amber says “User interface-flow diagrams are typically used for one of two purposes. First, they are used to model the interactions that users have with your software, as defined in a single use case. For example, a use case can refer to several screens and provides insight into how they are used. Based on this information, you can develop a user interface-flow diagram that reflects the behavioral view of the single use case. Second, (…) they enable you to gain a high-level overview of the user interface for your application. This overview is effectively the combination of all the behavioral views derived from your use cases, the result being called the architectural view of your user interface (Constantine and Lockwood 1999). I prefer to take the high-level overview approach, also referred to as the architectural approach, because it enables me to understand the complete user interface for a system.” http://www.agilemodeling.com/artifacts/uiFlowDiagram.htm

He mentions several sources and articles related to the subjects on his site, so it’s worth a visit.

Tip: KISS – keep it simple, stupid

Flowcharts don’t necessarily need all information you’ll have on your website: just what’s crucial. You’ll have more information on your homepage than described, but obviously, you just need the things you think your users will need less. For more info about it, please read Steve Krug’s website (http://www.sensible.com/)

Presented as a small, nearly inconsequential feature on the Gibson Lifestyle newsletter is an article featuring video of the Gibson Robot tuning system. Not so newsworthy. . . until you realize that the system is installed on an EJ160E John Lennon ROund Shoulder acoustic.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

What is Contextual Design?

Contextual Design is a User-Centered Design process that was developed by Hugh Beyer and Karen Holzblatt. It gathers information for the purposes of understanding how users work in order to create user interface designs (or other products) that adequately support users and assist them with accomplishing their goals. According to Beyer and Holzblatt, Contextual Design “uses extensive field data as the foundation for understanding user’s and business’ needs”. It incorporates ethnographic methods for gathering data relevant to the product, field studies, rationalizing workflows, system and human-computer interface designs. The ultimate goal behind Contextual Design could be described as producing user interface designs that are usable for a specific group of target users, a critical factor in achieving product success.

Contextual Design is important to interface design

Just like with many other products and services, contextual design is vitally important to user interface design. Successful UI (user interface) designs are the ones that help users accomplish tasks as easily and quickly as possible, and that requires some work on the UI designer’s part. Contextual design is all about knowing which functions and features and design characteristics are needed to accomplish that. It gives designers the ability to comprehend the context in which users employ a specific user interface. Taking the time out to conduct research and identify with user contexts is intended to give user interface designers the knowledge required which they can then fashion into wireframes on the road to creating great user interface designs.

The Contextual Design sequence

In the first post on Contextual Design we clarified what Contextual Design is and why it is important for creating usable UIs. Now it is vital that we discuss how the Contextual Design process occurs. Contextual Design is a process that happens sequentially in the following hierarchical steps: Contextual Inquiry, Interpretation, Data Consolidation, Visioning/Storyboarding, User Environment Design, and Prototyping. Each of these steps is equally important in contributing to the synergy of the Contextual
Design process and buttresses the resultant user interface design in a positive user experience.

• Contextual Inquiry: Contextual Inquiry is the crux of Contextual Design. It is used to reveal what people actually do and why they do it that way. Contextual Inquiry happens at the very beginning of the design process and calls for one-on-one field interviews observing subjects in their natural working or living environment doing what they would normally be doing.

• Interpretation: The interpretation phase is when the data from all the interviews is analyzed and detailed work models are created in order to ascertain context of use and aspects of work that matter for the user interface design team. What matters here is looking at the interviews from a macro birds-eye-view level for key insights across the board.

• Data Consolidation: Data consolidation is the level at which individual interviews are analyzed. An example of a good method of processing observations from a bottom-up design approach (piecing together systems to give rise to grander systems) for data consolidation purposes is by making affinity diagrams.

• Visioning/Storyboarding: Visioning is akin to brainstorming, but distinctly it is the gathering of a cross-functional team in order to create stories or visions of how new product concepts, services, and technology can better support a user in accomplishing her tasks. After determining key issues and opportunities from the consolidated data, the visioning team sets out to generate new concepts by way of scenarios of use. These visions are then fleshed out further through the use of Storyboarding.

• User Environment Design: User Environment Design is the stage of Contextual Design whereby the stories created begin to become more refined in terms of product and system requirements. What are the different parts of the system? What functions are available in each part? How do all these components support and enhance a user’s work? Where in the user interface design scheme should they be integrated? User Environment Design seeks to answer these questions.

• Prototyping: Prototyping is an efficient way of creating preliminary partially functional UIs that can be used to test the structure of a User Environment Design for usability issues. But prototyping is also great as a communication tool for stakeholders of a project to flesh out user interface design ideas. Prototyping can be done through the use of paper prototypes (hand drawn or printed out) or, better yet, through interactive wireframe prototypes.

Performing these steps is an art of itself but can be immensely helpful in creating superior UI designs.

***Student Work*** The objective was to define the web prescence for Green Banana while providing a unique user experience. This project, given during an Information Architecture class, was based on a fictitious company that sold alternate sources of power. It became apparent that the web presence for Green Banana be an engaging experience tailored towards the user’s needs. Credits: Stephen Hadinger (CT) Harrison Perkins (CT) My Roles: Omnigraffle Prototype (PDF), Creative, User Experience Design

Rapid Prototyping and User Testing using Drupal Prototyping Framework by Jeff Noyes Prototype with no need to know Drupal! The official description and resources are at boston.design4drupal.org

Rapid Sheet Metal™, Inc. hosted over 70 members of the New Hampshire Solidworks User Group (NH SWUG) on Tuesday, December 2.  After tours of Rapid’s state of the art sheet metal facility dedicated to the ultrafast turnaround of prototype sheet metal parts and a bountiful buffet dinner, the crowd settled in for an evening of discussions on cyber metal bending in the world’s most widely used sheet metal design CAD software, Solidworks.

 

Jay Patterson, Product Definition Specialist for SolidWorks, reviewed the tools and methodologies of how to design sheet metal parts within Solidworks.  Covering the basics as well as expert tips and tricks, Jay demonstrated the power of Solidworks for designing sheet metal.  Steve Lynch, Engineering Manager for Rapid Sheet Metal, followed with a presentation on manufacturing considerations for sheet metal design.  The audience was shown how a sheet metal shop uses their 3D Solidworks data to make real parts and the impact on manufacturing of certain CAD design features such as bend radii, hemming, offset bends and hardware insertion.  Concluding the meeting was a Question and Answer session that many felt had to end too soon. 

 

The User Group meeting was a great way for Solidworks Users to connect with others in the engineering community and refine their sheet metal design skills.  “Steve Lynch provided one of the best presentations we have ever seen.  Overall, everyone got a lot out of the night and I would consider it our best NH-SWUG meeting yet!  Kudos to Rapid Sheet Metal.” commented Cindy Berend, NH-SWUG President.