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Design Evolution
Our design changed dramatically throughout the semester.
This metamorphosis came about as we focused and refined our
efforts; transforming the design from a tool that attempted
to satisfy every user request to one that performs the most
important function really well - lay out charts quickly for
easy comparisons of the survey data. The early design stages
were characterized by a huge feature set that attempted to
satisfy our users' numerous needs. Although we were aware
early on of the importance of narrowing the scope [Cooper,
1999], we found the user base's enthusiasm during our early
needs assessment difficult to resist.
The process involved refining this feature set, by:
- Consolidating similar features.
- Removing features that duplicated those in the existing
reporting tool.
- Simplifying or removing features that, while powerful/flexible,
were difficult to use or understand.
- Removing features that were not germane to the ultimate
focus, chart layout.
- Deferring advanced features to the future work list.
More information on our design process is available in the
following sections:
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