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Thursday, 27 November 2008

People 13



Final Report

My response to this project was to develop a product that could help people. I thought of a device that could help people find there grocery's in supermarkets.my device is perfectly suited for family's and people who are looking to find food easily in stores.I hope my device will be small practical and easy to use.
My first priority was to look at ways this could be done and the technology behind them. To do this I
looked at RFID a form of data tracking which is used in most stores to help find products, keep stock and organise them. It reads barcodes but it can read them while the items are moving. It is similar to other forms of tracking like Wifi, found in stores, Internet cafes’s and some phone box’s in major city's.
Bluetooth is also something I thought of using as it’s a device that transfers data in a short range, which in a store full of products all within close range I believed this would be use full. I also looked at barcodes and how they work in stores read by RFID but are also read by USB scanners.
so even after looking at these major forms of data trasference I discovered that my device would be better as a application they are found in I-phones and mobile devices. They are easy to download and are easily available online. The program works by using the application software to use RFID to lock on to the location of the item and directs the customer to the item in question.
The user must first turn on the device enter the items into the application and then go to the store. The RFID scans the items and transfers the data back into the device. It also helps the user by telling them how far the items are and also alternatives if the customer cannot find or wants a cheaper option. I feel companies may want to purchase this device like Tesco or ASDA because it will speed up shopping for customers make things less stressfull and suggestive sale for the users which will increase profit for the company's. However if it is a child or old age pensioner it will not do suggestive sale as this this is taking advantage of there age.
I made some sketches of the device and what it will look like on my device and how it functions and works. I thought perhaps this way it would be easy to show how the product works and how the user can manage it. More importantly demonstrates how simple the item is to use in a crowded store. As the application is found in mobile phones it will be light weight and easily moved around. Easily accessible and its destined that way so it will be comfortable for any user. But also because they will be expert users of a phone and novice users of the device it will also be simple to learn how to use and access.
I looked at the Christene Faulkners Theories of computer interaction found that applications, software and programs and found that her theories help me develop what my device should or should not do. They should be easy to function and should give sufficient feedback and they should have not have too many options to confuse the user.they should also give help the user and that no special training will be necessary. This can be found in the book called The essence of human computer interaction where she has many theories on how applications and software should work.
I found after the application “Tasty tracker Mk 1” was completed I was satisfied how the software would work and how the application on mobile phones would work. I feel that this idea will benefit shoppers and family's alike and that it will enrich the shopping experience.

Tuesday, 25 November 2008

People 12

According to the book written by Christine Faulkner, The essence of human computer interaction my application should apply to users who are experts of phones. Yet they will be a novice user with the application.
In theory her book suggests that my device should be easy to understand as "all initiatives should come from the computer" which means that my application should require information within it so at any time the users will be able to use the device. However i do not want to overcomplicated the device with over the top information and keys that will confuse the user. As stated with her book "All inputs should be brief" this should allow the user to move around the application more freely.
They should also be "consistent with the user expectation" which means that all the input in my device should work as expected and respond as required for my user.
"no special training should be necessary" my application should not require any one to be skilled to use it and should be as easy as opening a closed door. Yet with the device "all system messages should be clear and nonvocal" so the user does not have to read manuals all the time.
According to Christine Faulkner however their should be only a small set of options that the user can choose from so they do not get frustrated with so many options.
But also the user "should control the pace of interaction" so that its not to fast or too slow to use then like a automatic pacer.
Its clear to me also that thier should be that "user desition making should be in responce to a specific request for outcome" so that they expect what will happen insted of complications.
Also thier should be "help available" and "sufficiant feedback" to help and assist he user but also the is enough infortion so that user knows that he/she knows what they have done is correct.
These theories from Christene Faulkner are to show what a device is supposed to achieve and provide for its users and i feel with this information this should improve my device.

People 11





The layout of my appication would be somthing like this (figure A) shows drawings of what the application will look like. (Figure B) is the actual device in the phone. The device has the ability to track items in a shop using RFID.

Monday, 17 November 2008

People 10-2


Above (figure a) is a simple diagram that shows how the product works. There are too processes to this design the long process with needing food is to go to the store and find it yourself. The short process is to use the item locator called "tasty tracker". This will help find items in less to no time at all.

People 10







Looking into my product device i have made a few drawings and diagrams to show what my product would look like. I also looked at some other simular applications already in place now.

This is what the prototype looks like in a diagam. Here we can see me in my kitchen with obviously nothing to eat. I then add a list of things i need into the application. After adding the list to my mobile phone applictaion i then proceeded to Marks and Spencers where my shopping could be found. I then looked at the information on my device and pointed the device in the direction of the products. It read the nearest item on my list and led me to its location then i checked of the item and it led me to my next item.
My device uses RFID and bluetooth in order to find all of the products on the list and helps guide me to its location.
Below is a sample diagram of what my device does and how it works apon usage.

Thursday, 13 November 2008

People 9



The more I began to look into it I found that my item finder would proberly work better as a application, a software found in most products Applications are software which can used by the user to enable them to preform various tasks. Its typically found as word processors and media players but can be found in packages which are sold in a large files.
Many people can make user written software that is a tailor made program made only for the user’s spesific needs. These can be anything from Macros to animation scripts.
Embedded software are software applications that are found in microwaves and dvd players these applications that are added during manifacuring.
There are various different software types that are available enterprize software, content access software, media development software.