Design Specification
This part of the report will concentrate on how HCI elements fits into the design. In
particular, this section will state the designer's
conceptual
model and the
interface
metaphor used.
Conceptual Model
Most parts of the design for the client is based on
manipulating
and navigating. For example, clicking on tabs located at the side
of the client will bring out a list of discussions that the current user have
access to, or a list of courses that the user currently is registered in.
Same model is applied to the set of calendar functions (be it shared or
personal). The user can click on a particular day to see that day's schedule
or click on an event and see in a clear visual way if an open slot, from
that users' personal schedule, is availbie for the user to participate in
that event.
The client also have search functions. For example, it is possible
to use the "UVIC Messenger" to search for a fellow UVIC student by
name and be able to contact that student via the "UVIC Messenger".
The use of the set of search functions will be based on the conceptual model
of
instructing.
Another example of using "instructing" as a conceptual
model during our design is the function for professors to create forums/discussion
groups.
So, through out the writting of the design, two conceptual
models (based on activities) are used and they are
Maniupulating and
navigating and
Instructing.
Interface Metaphor
Although most users are familiar with instant messengers,
like Yahoo!, MSN and ICQ, it would still be useful to keep interface metaphors
in mind when designer a new Messenger. The motivation is that as designer for
a new messenger we don't want to copy directly other messengers and in doing
fall to the same pits. That is to say, instead of copying features,
and how those features are implemented, from other messengers, it is useful to
keep our interface metaphors in mind so that new functions and new layout of functions
can be designed.
Since the "UVIC Messenger" have a diverse set of funtions and features,
it is not likely to have only one interface metaphor. For our design, we
picked three physical objects to use. Each one has been successful and had
faced wide spread use, and some are still used daily by people all over the
world. The first metaphor is the
pager. Just like a pager
our messenger will notify the user if messages are waiting for them. Also
users have the flexibility to check what messages are left for them at their
convience. Our second metaphor is the
day planner.
The "UVIC Messenger" will have the ability to display a user's
timetable according to the courses that user is in, plus the meetings that
the user has instructed the system to add. Finally our third metaphor is the
bulliten board. Users can leave messages and read messages in the forum set of
functions.