University Fitness Tracker: Interaction and Usability Report MOD002591

This report, submitted for the Interaction and Usability module (MOD002591), explores the design and evaluation of a personal fitness tracker application. The report begins with an introduction highlighting the need for improved activity trackers, followed by a critical exploration of usability principles, particularly learnability and affordance. A user needs analysis is conducted, including the creation of a persona (Andrew Douglas), a usage scenario, task analysis, and environmental analysis. Preliminary and detailed design phases are described, focusing on decisions related to user needs, usability, and cognitive issues. The implementation section is followed by a comprehensive evaluation, including cognitive walkthrough and heuristic evaluation methods to assess the application's effectiveness and identify potential improvements. The report concludes with references supporting the design choices and evaluation methodologies, showcasing a thorough understanding of user-centered design principles.

Interaction and Usability
(MOD002591)
PersonalFitness activity tracker
Due Date: Turnitin, 2pm, Friday 24th April, 2020
Faculty: Science and Technology
Department: Computing & Technology
Module Code: MOD002591
Academic Year: 2019/0
Trimester: 2
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Content
1. Introduction............................................................................................................2
2. Critical Exploration................................................................................................2
3. User Needs Analysis..............................................................................................3
3.1 Persona.........................................................................................................3
3.2 Scenario........................................................................................................4
3.3 Task Analysis...............................................................................................4
3.4 Environmental Analysis...............................................................................4
4. Preliminary Design.................................................................................................5
5. Detailed Design......................................................................................................5
5.1 Decisions Relating to User Needs Analysis.................................................6
5.2 Decisions Relating to Usability...................................................................6
5.3 Decisions relating to Cognitive Issues.........................................................6
6. Implementation.......................................................................................................7
7 Evaluation.............................................................................................................11
7.1 Cognitive Walkthrough..............................................................................12
7.2 Heuristic Evaluation...................................................................................13
9 References............................................................................................................14
1. Introduction
With the increase of the popularity of the various applications in the present times,
the users are constantly demanding the improved technologies that would help with
the improvement of the various aspects of their life. The activity trackers that are
presently available in the market are not optimised enough to provide the various
information to the customers. The “PersonalFitness activity tracker” would provide
the users with the clear information of the various activities that are done by them
and it would help with the users to gain the improved knowledge about the
requirements of conducting any further activities.
2. Critical Exploration
The most crucial sector of the interaction and the usability associated with the
PersonalFitness activity tracker application is the extent to which it is easy in learning
the utilisation of the system properly (Garrido-Hidalgo and Fernández-Caballero
2019). Various researchers in the earlier researches have determined the
significance of the learnability in the interfaces (Blythe and Monk 2018). It has been
stated by the researchers that the decision of any particular user of trying any new
system and then continuing exploiting that particular system, relies significantly on
this specific sector of the interaction design. There are various approaches that could
be utilised for enhancing the learnability of any particular interface (Cao and He
2019). The most common concept that is presently being used for making the
interface easier is learning is the understanding affordance that has been defined by
the earlier researchers. The cognitive affordance denotes to role that is played in the
aiding any cognitive processes of the users. The primary goal of the understood
affordance is the indicating to any user how the specific interface element is required
to be used for gaining the major benefits (Alotaibi 2017). The perceived affordance
might help in making it significantly easier for any user in learning the methods by
which the application is required to be utilised, the users might require the proper
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understanding of the elements of the interface, rather than recalling the aspects that
have been read by them in the particular instruction manual of the application (Roda-
Sanchez et al. 2019). This application would be using the touchscreen interface and
it has been perceived by the earlier researchers that the users are particularly
comfortable with using the touchscreen element of the applications (Issa and Isaias
2016).
3. User Needs Analysis
The user needs analysis could be described as the section of the procedure of
development of any particular application that would help in successfully meeting all
the needs of any prospective users (Poobrasert and Mupattararot 2018). Along with
the identification of the crucial needs, it helps with the balancing the potential
conflicts in desires of the owners of the applications, the stakeholders and then target
the particular audience groups.
3.1 Persona
Name Andrew Douglas
Occupation Gym trainer
Demographic 25 years old
Male
Lives in California
Completed the post graduate course
Goals and tasks  Andrew wants to plan a suitable trip
filled with the memories for his friends
and family
 He feels like he could plan the
training sessions for himself and
follow the particular schedule for
ensuring that his health is maintained
properly
 He desires some kind of application
that would provide the real time data
of the output of the activities that are
done by him and provide some
valuable suggestions that would help
with ensuring that the activities are
performed better
Environment  He constantly uses various
technologies in his daily life and is
quite fluent in using the various
applications that are available in his
phone.
 He has quite improved understanding
of how the applications works and
has the ability of properly functioning
using the application.
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3.2 Scenario
In the present times, Andrew does not have any kind of fitness application
downloaded in his phone that would suggest the types of daily activities that are
required to be done for staying healthy. The user presently visits the gym and relies
on the instruction of other trainers and the suggestions of the other trainers who
suggest him what kind of work is required to be done for staying fit and stay healthy.
The trainers have been suggesting him various kinds of activities that could be done
in his home but he does not have any proper mechanism of monitoring the amount of
the work that is done and the significance of the benefits that are gained from the
various activities that he does. The users desires an application that would take the
input of his personal health details and then suggest the kinds of various indoor
activities of workout that could be done for maintaining his health. The user desires
an application that would provide the constant notification of the workout that is being
done and the benefits of the workout and the side effects of the workout. Based on
the benefits and the limitations of the workout, the most appropriate amount of time
that is required to be spent on that particular workout is determined and then it is
suggested to the users.
3.3 Task Analysis
Task analysis could be considered as the procedure of properly learning regarding
the ordinary users by the observation of them in action for understanding in extensive
details about how they are performing their various tasks and then achieve the
intended goals (Miranda 2017). The task analysis assists with the identification of the
major tasks that are required to be supported by the application and could also assist
with the refining or even re-defining the navigation of the application or even the
search by the determining of the suitable scope of the content.
3.4 Environmental Analysis
The environment analysis mainly determines where the application would be
primarily used and how it would be used. In the situation of the PersonalFitness
activity tracker, the application would primarily be used by the users while performing
the various daily activities or even during their workout sessions in their homes. The
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application could be opened, then the type of the workout would be provided and
then the system would determine the regulated level of the workout that is suitable
for the users and then depending on it a goal would be suggested. It would also
provide the users with the functionality of altering their goal and input their preferred
amount of the goal. When the workout is initiated, the application would monitor the
time that would be required for completing the workout and depending on that the
calories burnt would be determined. The application could also be used while running
in the park where the daily goal would be set for the steps that are required to be
travelled daily. The application would count the steps of the users using the sensors
or any wearable technology that is used by the user. The users would be provided
with a notification when their daily target is approaching and would provide a
suggestion appropriately when any of the daily target has not been completed
accurately.
4. Preliminary Design
5. Detailed Design
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5.1 Decisions Relating to User Needs Analysis
As mentioned in the persona of Andrew, that he desires some kind of application that
would help in setting particular goals for the day and then work according to that goal
and then gain the notification when the goal has been completed, the interface
design has been created appropriately that would help the user to input their daily
target and then work according for fulfilling their goals. The system would need
Andrew to first register in the application using his personal details such as name,
address, mobile name, age and gender and allow him to create his own unique
username and the password or even he could use his email as the username. After
the completion of the successful registration, he would be instructed to login in the
application using the created username and the password. After login into the
system, the application would display his previous history of workout and the data
stored of the workout. And below there would be a button where he could click on
present day and then set his daily target. After setting his daily target, he would click
on proceed. The wearable device that he would be wearing during his daily activity,
the sensors in the wearable devices would count his steps and this information would
be stored in the application and when the daily target has been reached, then the
application would provide a notification to him.
5.2 Decisions Relating to Usability
With the analysis of the user experience goals that were defined by the previous
researchers, the goals that were chosen are the efficiency, the learnability, the
helpfulness and the satisfaction (Tractinsky 2019). The learnability goal of the user
interface denotes the extent of the affordance. The application that is being
developed for the users as the fitness tracker, would contain all the information of the
health data and the previous activities data that would provide the base for the users
to make their plans ahead.
The design of the interface has been kept simple and it would provide the exact
information for each of the interactions that could be done with the application. The
goal of efficiency is effectively met by this application, and it is not mandatory for any
of the users to execute their actions that are not completely associated with the major
task (Kumar and Mohite 2018). The data that is required to be filled in each of the
forms would be easily accepted in the initial attempt and it would allow the users to
gain increased satisfaction from using the application.
From this analysis, it could be observed that the application provides the extensive
satisfaction to the users by offering them the accurate and appropriate feedback for
the activities that are conducted by them. For each of the actions that are made by
the users, the application provides the appropriate reaction that effectively informs
the users regarding the acceptance of the input and if any of the input has been
rejected then it is also clearly highlighted to the users (Shneiderman et al. 2016).
It could be observed that in the persona it has been mentioned that Andrew Is
extensively comfortable with the use of various technology and increasingly uses his
cellphone and it would lead to the reduction of the requirement of providing the help
or even any detailed instruction to the users (Peng et al. 2019).
5.3 Decisions relating to Cognitive Issues
For improving the perception in the application, the names and the logos of this
application has been properly organised in the columns. With the help of the method
of presenting the various information along with the use of the whitespace, that the
displaying of the information has been ensured to be extensively salient and hence it
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would be made increasingly readable for any of the users (Cong et al. 2019). Along
with this, the utilisation of the whitespace among the rows and the columns has been
done that would help with achieving the similar goals as division of the lines deprived
of addition of any kind of unnecessary congestion in the screen.
6. Implementation
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7 Evaluation
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7.1 Cognitive Walkthrough
The cognitive walkthrough could be described as the structured approach that is
required for evaluation of the usability of any product (Miraz, Ali and Excell 2017). It
includes the tester, who might not be any users asking the four simple questions
regarding the manner by which any particular user journey has been executed. It
would effectively record the primary outcome of the questions, in their opinion and
then use these particular observations for the improvement of the product further.
The questions that would be considered for cognitive walkthrough are:
1. Is the effect of action similar to the goal of the users at this particular
situation?
2. Would be users be provided with the ability of viewing that the action is
available?
3. As soon as the correct action is found by the users, would they know that it is
the one that is desired by them?
4. After the completion of this action, would the users comprehend the feedback
that is gained by them?
Action
number
User action or
system response
Description Answers (yes or no) to
each questions
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
1 UA User taps on the option of “Register”
Yes Yes Yes Yes
1
1
SR System provides the register form to
the user where the information would
be input
2 UA User now clicks on the login screen
Yes Yes Yes Yes
2 SR System provides the login form to the
user where the credentials would be
input
3 UA Users clicks on input health data in
the application Yes Yes Yes Yes
3 SR System provides the health data form
to the user
4 UA User clicks on proceed on health
data form Yes Yes Yes Yes
4 SR System provides the homepage to
the user
5 UA User clicks on view yesterday data
on the calendar present on the
screen Yes Yes Yes Yes
5 SR System provides the details of the
workout that was done yesterday
6 UA User clicks on set today’s target
Yes Yes Yes Yes6 SR System provides the daily target
setter
7 UA User clicks on confirm in the target
screen
Yes Yes Yes Yes7 SR The target has been accepted by the
system and then daily target has
been stored.
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