Human Digital Interaction - Assignment Example

Human Digital Interaction Part 1 The objectives of this assignment are to thoroughly scrutinize the current DVLA system, analyze the shortfalls and flaws of the current system, and to provide suggestions that aim to improve the overall usability of the current system by proposing a more interactive, easier to use redesign of the system that is currently in place. This will be achieved by suggesting a better more improved prototype of the system. In line with the prerequisites with the prototyping process model of system analysis, we will discuss; The main functional requirements and any constraints of the system (case study) above i) Improving the use of manual input system by incorporating a computerized input system, which will use up fewer resources while increasing productivity. ii) The proposed system will put into consideration suggestions by the employees so as to improve performance in the workplace, consequently improving productivity. iii) The new system also puts into consideration the employees’ familiarity with computer systems and will therefore increase the complexity of the interface according to the user experience with any computer systems. iv) The new system will perform calculations on behalf of the employees and will make them much simpler. All that will be required will be to input the required figures, and the system will compute them accordingly and provide the output ready for recording and further analysis. v) A much simpler main interface that will not only contain the necessary components, but will be much simpler to use. It will be more aesthetically pleasing as well. Build a persona of a typical user of the system in one only department A persona of a typical user of the system In order to put up an efficient highly interactive system, it is important to outline the main user tasks and delegations on the above system. As the system has been divided into three main parts as earlier suggested, the system will put into consideration the experience of the user in order to customize the interface to suit their use. Interaction with the company main interface Identify two of the main user tasks. Take one of these tasks and illustrate it using one HTA chart The main interface interconnects the rest of the DVLI interfaces. It should therefore be easy to access and use. The interface should as well be aesthetically pleasing, that is it should be relatively appealing to the user. The interface should include a help menu that is richly supplied with various help topics that assist the user to maneuver around the site. The interface should also switch with the other sections of the seamlessly. The main interface should therefore include, I) The proposed company logo to identify the company. II) Clearly defined icons to switch to the other interfaces of the system. III) A simplified about page. The menus should also include drop down menus that reference all the necessary details of the site. The VED requirements interface User profile: Licensing officers Semi- computer literate, males = 60%, females 40% Users of this interface are the least experienced in using any computer system. The would-be users also proposed an easy to use interface. It is therefore highly necessary that the user interface be as uncomplicated as possible. This will be achieved by, i) Use of entry boxes. The information to be input will be obtained by the use of probing and loaded questions that will prompt the user to input information into the system ii) The VED requirements interface will also use a logically structured decision table that will help the user to arrive at the appropriate VED values that will be required. This will require the use of structured English phrases so as to reach to the necessary conclusions. iii) In addition to the structured decision tables, appropriate metaphoric phrases will be added to the system to help the users affirm the decisions that they have made as well correct any input errors. This will assist the users to verify the decisions that they have made. • Findings Using the various suggestion tips from the employees and users of the VED Interface and incorporating them into the system will ultimately improve the user experience by computerizing the system the system and minimizing the workload. Also by using a relatively simply designed interface makes sure that even the most inexperienced of users can use the system. DVLA ITEM SALES DEPARTMENT: USER PROFILE: Item sales staff 80% female, 20% male AGES 38-52, relatively experienced with computer routines Users in this department are generally knowledgeable with computers and computer interfaces. The fact that they are sufficiently knowledgeable also suggests that they can be introduced to new and relatively easy to use technology that will make their work simpler. On the DVLA web site: • Identify any inconsistencies in the DVLA web site • Build a persona of a typical user of the DVLA web site • Identify one main user task on the DVLA web site and decompose it using HTA DVLA inconsistences: making calculations and generating invoices manually The DVLA website usually generates invoices from items that have been sold from an item file and make a copy of the invoice whilst sending the original of the copy to the customer. They also perform all the calculations of the items manually. They have suggested a computerization of the calculation system. The shortcomings of the current DVLA system are; • The current system uses a manual input system. The system should use a highly interactive computerized system which will improve the overall effectiveness of the system. • The current system lacks the necessary components. The improvements that the prototype system suggests to bring are; i) Introduction of a database system that will store all the transaction data of the items that will be sold in a day, as well as print out total items that have been sold within a day. ii) Fully computerize the calculation process, by the use of a computer register. This aims to speed up the calculations process. iii) Introduction of a barcode scanning system that will provide basic input of the items to be sold that will feed the information to the Database system held against a computer register. The computer register will then proceed to do the calculations as well as print out the invoices which will be stored in the Total sales file. iv) Numbering all the items to be sold and storing them in the database. The barcode scanner will only need to use the item code to identify the item on the database. This will make the use of the barcode scanning system much easier. v) A persona of a typical user of the DVLA web site vi) The proposed system of input will work with the customized interface to make the calculations done by the item sales staff easier. The printed out invoices can still be held in the paper requests file for further processing and scrutiny by the items search department. vii) User profile viii) Computer literate staff age: in their 20’s ix) Roughly 50 % male, 50% female. The department deals with retrieval and storage of vehicle information. It is of utmost importance that a database system should be used to maintain any of the stored records. Also, the use of an advanced structured query language is important in order to assist in the data mining and data manipulation process. The Structured query language should be infused with the user interface so as to ensure that the search process is easy to do. The search results should be easily customizable.         EXCISE DUTY PAYABLE ON A VEHICHLE         PART A: NEW VEHICLE               Body type of vehicle: ### CHOICES ###   Excise Duty Rate €/cc Engine Displacement (cc):   cc 0.00         Initial Excise Duty: 0.00 €           Additional Excise Duty ( 0,02/cc ): 0.00 €                                   FINAL EXCISE DUTY LIABILITY FOR NEW CAR 0.00 €           PART B: REDUCTIONS OF EXCISE DUTY FOR USED VEHICLE               Vehicle Age Calculator     Date of first Registration   (DD/MM/YY) Date of taxation   (DD/ΜΜ/YY)       Reduction % on excise duty balance Vehicle age (in days)     0.00                 Reduction according to vehicle age 0.00 €           Fuel ### CHOICES ###   % reduction of E.D. for high mileage Distance covered (km):   km 0.00 Total km on common use km Amount of reduction       € 0.00       #N/A Maximum authorised amount of reduction for high mileage 0.00 € #N/A         FINAL EXCISE DUTY LIABILITY FOR USED CAR 0.00 €   ANALYSIS OF EXCISE DUTY PAYABLE         Initial Excise Duty 0.00 €           Reduction according to vehicle age and body type: 0.00 €   Reduction amount for high mileage 0.00 €   Excise Duty Balance 0.00 €   Additional Exc. Duty (0,02/c.c) 0.00 €           FINAL EXCISE DUTY LIABILITY 0.00 €           Main user task on the DVLA web site and the Hierarchical Task analysis Chart: The chart aims to establish the order relationships amongst the individual entities from the highest to the lowest. Below is the schematic chart representing the same. The prototypes logic is solid, and additional improvements to the model may be made in later upcoming versions if there will be a need to improve the system. Part 2 Build a persona of a typical user of the DVLA web site; Number Plate Reader (automatic) The automatic Number Plate Reader system will collect images of moving vehicles from the roadside video cameras. Then the computer software will digitize the images, searches for the number plates and reads the registration mark. The scanned mark will then be compared with a listing of unlicensed vehicle registration mark details which will be extracted from the vehicle database. When a match is found, the image and event details will be stored as evidence of the offence. Eventually the images of vehicle registration marks that are not matched to the unlicensed vehicle data bank will be discarded. In addition the new website will incorporate a new Car tax calculator. The interface will be; Find the cost of a tax disc for any car                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 The process of calculating the tax. The VED is based on the car's CO2 emissions and the type of fuel it uses. In addition, the tax is based on engine size also. There is one rate for engines up to 1549cc and one for 1550cc and over. For instance, the tax for Road tax costs for Alfa Romeo 146 (95-01) 1.6 L 5d from 1 February 2013 Registration Date 6 months 12 months CO2 1 May 1995 - 1 Mar 1997 £121.00 £220.00 - - - a• Conduct a quantitative usability evaluation/test of the DVLA web site, testing against 3 metrics (measurable goals) which should be identified. • The DVLA website is able to complement notification through direct web-services • By automating the processes through technology, the website has enabled the DVLA to work across the artificial boundaries of Government. • The website has managed to implement modern systems that support law enforcement and road safety. Qualitative usability evaluation of the DVLA web site using an existing set of guidelines/heuristics The usability evaluation of the DVLA website is based on key aspects of usability: Efficiency: The user is able to understand the Vehicle Excise Duty [VED] Learnability, Efficiency, Memorability, User Recovery/errors or other components as described in the unit. Purpose: primary purpose of the DVLA is to maintain accurate driver and vehicle registers, then to provide flexible secure access to this data to those who need it most notably the delivery partners the Police, Courts and Local Authorities. Customizable. Part 3: The interface includes a help menu that is richly supplied with various help topics that assist the user to maneuver around the site. The interface also switch with the other sections of the seamlessly. The main interface includes. IV) The company logo to identify the company. V) Clearly defined icons to switch to the other interfaces of the system. VI) A simplified about page. The menus also include drop down menus that reference all the necessary details of the site.                 VED calculator               Body type of vehicle:   Excise Duty Rate €/cc Engine Displacement (cc):   cc         Initial Excise Duty: €           Additional Excise Duty ( 0,02/cc ): €                                 FINAL EXCISE DUTY LIABILITY FOR NEW CAR €           PART B: REDUCTIONS OF EXCISE DUTY FOR USED VEHICLE               Vehicle Age Calculator     Date of first Registration   (DD/MM/YY) Date of taxation   (DD/ΜΜ/YY)       Reduction % on excise duty balance Vehicle age (in days)     0.00                 Reduction according to vehicle age 0.00 €           Fuel   % reduction of E.D. for high mileage Distance covered (km):   km 0.00 Total km on common use km Amount of reduction       € 0.00       #N/A Maximum authorised amount of reduction for high mileage 0.00 € #N/A         FINAL EXCISE DUTY LIABILITY FOR USED CAR 0.00 €   ANALYSIS OF EXCISE DUTY PAYABLE         Initial Excise Duty 0.00 €           Reduction according to vehicle age and body type: 0.00 €   Reduction amount for high mileage 0.00 €   Excise Duty Balance 0.00 €   Additional Exc. Duty (0,02/c.c) 0.00 €           FINAL EXCISE DUTY LIABILITY €           Read More