N341 - Help, Search, Project Finish

Overview 

The Stock Trading site is nearly complete, all that remains of the implementation is to add search and help. A self-critique will serve to identify implementation problems before public release.

The user interface implemented for the project was not designed following any recognized method or practices but was arbitrarily assigned by the instructor. The result is an excellent example of a Web system with a few strengths and many weaknesses. At this point the interface is implemented; the concrete has been poured, any significant changes would be costly. However, as a functioning user interface it does present an opportunity for a critical examination of its flaws.

The assignment then is to add search and help to the implementation and to critique the user interface, offering recommendations for improvement. The lecture notes provide discussion of common practices, reasons for their use, and examples for basing your critique and recommendations.

Assignment

1. Follow analysis and design methods from class notes to design a help system. The system should provide help for the stock trading site.
   • Construct a site map containing only the help system. Begin with the start page location through a complete task of discovering help. Assume there are multiple help topics but consider in detail only that for withdrawing a payment from one's account. Also assume there are at least 3 possible methods of payment (e.g. bank transfer, credit card reimbursement, etc.); provide help on only one. Because the complete site page links could be extensive, only show no more than 3 links from pages along the path to the help on your selected method of payment.
      
   • Mark on the site map the scenario that will be implemented to test the help system using a paper prototype.
      
   • Hand draw the paper prototype for testing the scenario.

    

2. Implement site help and search accessible from each page.

• Implement in HTML/XML/XLS/script/graphics/etc. only the portion of the help system implemented in the hand drawn paper prototype.
   
• Add the IU site search service; search files in your IU account (e.g. http://homepages.ius.edu/username or  http://iu-uits-eiwp1.ads.iu.edu/username). See course notes on local search. You can also View Source of this page to see how IU search is implemented or visit http://kb.iu.edu/data/atch.html. Search begins on HTML pages in your home directory (e.g. http://homepages.ius.edu/username) that are several days old, time enough for the spider to visit. IU site search still may not add a search link to your personal pages, as spiders must follow a top-level link to any individual page. Use IU search of your pages even though the search make not return page references.
   
• To make help and search accessible from each page, considering adding to a navigation element such as top, left or bottom navigation.

3. Prepare a written critique of your project implementation on the following:
   1. Mark and identify on screen shots one violation of accepted user interface practices from each of the 4 class note sections listed below, a total of 4 violations. Reference the practice violated.

       

      1. Designing for Users
      2. Navigation Systems, Site Maps
      3. Page Sizes, Page Margins, Layouts
      4. Concepts and Terminology, What you don't know, Body Type, Display Types

      Windows screen capture: Alt + Prnt Scrn keys capture the currently open window to the clipboard. It can then be pasted into Word, etc.

       

   2. Give written and/or graphical (hand drawn and scanned is OK) suggested improvements.

   Example:

   

   a. Violation: Designing for Users, top-navigation is low contrast.

   b. Improvement: Use CSS to specify that all navigation are consistent colors of higher contrast, such as example below.

   

Testing

The user interface (implemented in N341) for the stock trading site requires logic and data to fully test the implementation.

Test your project with a completed logic by:

1. Create a new directory named W:\N341\Project Test
    
2. Copy all files from W:\N341\Project to W:\N341\Project Test
    
3. Download N341 Test Project file to extract the logic files; extract to W:\N341\Project Test
    
4. Test all site functionality in IE:
   • In browser address enter:
     • http://iu-uits-eiwp1.ads.iu.edu/username/N341/Project Test/Welcome.xml
   • Register, starting with an amount of $1000.00,
   • Login,
   • Buy and sell, placing several stocks in the cart,
   • Remove several stocks from the cart,
   • Commit the cart selections,
   • Portfolio display,
   • Account display,
   • Logout.

Problems, things to try:

Verify Project.mdb exists in the Project Test directory.

Reset, forcing all users off by: http://iu-uits-eiwp1.ads.iu.edu/username/N342/Project Test/Reset.asp

Close browser and reopen.
 

 

Turn in - Due on the date listed in the syllabus.

OnCourse Drop Box

1. The N341\Project Test directory should contain, in addition to the Project files, the 2 Word or PDF documents from Assignment 1 and 2 named:
   • Help
     • Consists of diagrams and text defining site map and paper prototype. Hand drawn and scanned is OK. CV112 lab has a scanner.
        
   • Critique
     • Consists of:
       • Screen shots - Mark and identify violations of good user interface practices on the screen shots; give suggested improvements.
       • Your written project critique.
          
2. Compress the N341\Project Test folder:
   • In Windows Explorer, right-click on the Project Test folder.
   • Click Send to then click Compressed (zipped) Folder.
   • Project Test.zip will be created.
      
3. Upload Project Test.zip to your CSCI N341 OnCourse Drop Box using the Display Name of Project Test.
    

IMPORTANT

• The period of time between the project due date and turning in grades is very short so it is very important that the files be named and placed in the locations specified by the instructions. Otherwise I may be unable to locate and grade your work.

• Verify the Drop Box version works by copying back to directory W:\N341\FINAL and rerunning the tests.