Comments on: How to create a user interface specification http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/how-to-create-a-user-interface-specification/ Advance Your Business Analysis Career Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:08:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Laura Brandenburg http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/how-to-create-a-user-interface-specification/comment-page-1/#comment-11756 Laura Brandenburg Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:30:47 +0000 http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/?p=821#comment-11756 Hi Alekya, Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your project. Your question is a complex one and a lot depends on the questions Kai asks but also what the use for the specs will be, etc. Is there someone in your organization you can ask for some assistance in establishing expectations and working through this first project? If not, you might check out our mentoring program as we'll be able to pair you up with a senior BA who could help you out over the phone. http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/business-analyst-career-mentor/ Best, Laura Hi Alekya,
Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your project. Your question is a complex one and a lot depends on the questions Kai asks but also what the use for the specs will be, etc. Is there someone in your organization you can ask for some assistance in establishing expectations and working through this first project? If not, you might check out our mentoring program as we’ll be able to pair you up with a senior BA who could help you out over the phone.

http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/business-analyst-career-mentor/

Best,
Laura

]]> By: kai http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/how-to-create-a-user-interface-specification/comment-page-1/#comment-11745 kai Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:10:30 +0000 http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/?p=821#comment-11745 Aleka 1 is this a new system or existing 2. Is this web, vb, sap or a hospital consol in cobol? What type of app is it 3. What is the difference in ur BRD and FSD? Aleka
1 is this a new system or existing
2. Is this web, vb, sap or a hospital consol in cobol? What type of app is it
3. What is the difference in ur BRD and FSD?

]]> By: alekya http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/how-to-create-a-user-interface-specification/comment-page-1/#comment-11743 alekya Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:18:50 +0000 http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/?p=821#comment-11743 Hello , Recently i am put on healthcare project for hospitals. BRD and FSD is ready. I am told to create User interfaces based on functional specs. I dont have any idea of doing this. As a BS this is my first assignments. Help me how to start with and can i do in powerpoint. Regards, Alekya Hello ,

Recently i am put on healthcare project for hospitals. BRD and FSD is ready. I am told to create User interfaces based on functional specs. I dont have any idea of doing this. As a BS this is my first assignments. Help me how to start with and can i do in powerpoint.

Regards,
Alekya

]]> By: Jim Willette http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/how-to-create-a-user-interface-specification/comment-page-1/#comment-10413 Jim Willette Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:33:08 +0000 http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/?p=821#comment-10413 Going through the mockups is fine. I would suggest a "dynamic" walkthrough where you "play computer" while an assistant, or less ideally a representative of the customer, uses a pointer to click through the set of mockups. You then expose the next screen, or shift focus to the new area of the same screen. You can also give them the feedback that would be experienced if they don't provide the required input, etc. With a proper introduction, explaining how your are going to present the mockups, your audience should appreciate your efforts and allow that your aren't as fast as a computer, and may fumble around a bit finding the next mockup. You do need a comprehensive understanding of the whole setup (and lots of practice). I would suggest writing up and index to help you navigate. Also keep a pad handy to take notes on where there were issues that were not demo related. These notes should include spoken comments as well as hesitations or confusion you notice, again excluding those that were caused by the nature of the demonstration. There is a usablity technique called "thinking aloud" where the participant describes what he or she is thinking, which will help you understand when difficulties arise. It often requires you to prompt them when there is a long silence, but it provides insights you would miss otherwise. You can also record them for later transcription if that is helpful, and particularly if you are doing this alone. Does this make sense in your situation? I have done this, and seen it done, several times. The viewers always liked the ability to play with / explore the interface this way. It can also be a good first usability test, that will yield a better product in the end. Good luck, Jim. Going through the mockups is fine. I would suggest a “dynamic” walkthrough where you “play computer” while an assistant, or less ideally a representative of the customer, uses a pointer to click through the set of mockups. You then expose the next screen, or shift focus to the new area of the same screen. You can also give them the feedback that would be experienced if they don’t provide the required input, etc. With a proper introduction, explaining how your are going to present the mockups, your audience should appreciate your efforts and allow that your aren’t as fast as a computer, and may fumble around a bit finding the next mockup. You do need a comprehensive understanding of the whole setup (and lots of practice). I would suggest writing up and index to help you navigate. Also keep a pad handy to take notes on where there were issues that were not demo related. These notes should include spoken comments as well as hesitations or confusion you notice, again excluding those that were caused by the nature of the demonstration. There is a usablity technique called “thinking aloud” where the participant describes what he or she is thinking, which will help you understand when difficulties arise. It often requires you to prompt them when there is a long silence, but it provides insights you would miss otherwise. You can also record them for later transcription if that is helpful, and particularly if you are doing this alone.

Does this make sense in your situation? I have done this, and seen it done, several times. The viewers always liked the ability to play with / explore the interface this way. It can also be a good first usability test, that will yield a better product in the end.

Good luck, Jim.

]]> By: kai http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/how-to-create-a-user-interface-specification/comment-page-1/#comment-10410 kai Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:48:46 +0000 http://www.bridging-the-gap.com/?p=821#comment-10410 Hi Jim, I have a walkthrough with the customer next week. I am trying to see how how i want to run the meeting to best shows the look at behavior. I have a BRD done and I have screen mockups done. I was going to go through the mockups one at a time to show the look but then it would not convey the behavior? Any sugguestions on how to facilitate a meeting using low-level prototypes? Hi Jim,
I have a walkthrough with the customer next week. I am trying to see how how i want to run the meeting to best shows the look at behavior. I have a BRD done and I have screen mockups done. I was going to go through the mockups one at a time to show the look but then it would not convey the behavior? Any sugguestions on how to facilitate a meeting using low-level prototypes?

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