Tool Evaluations
(details tentative)
Goals:
- Learn new tools for creating GUIs, such as Flash, Multimedia
Fusion, Maya, 3D Studio Max, ColdFusion, etc.
- Evaluate tools from a user interface perspective
The Process
- Groups will be assigned during class on September 13.
- Each group will have 2 to 5 members.
- Each group will investigate one software product.
- Free software (or software with trial versions) will be used so
that every member can potentially download the software. Any
member who cannot download the software for some reason should arrange
to work with another group member.
- Team members should develop a small program using their selected
tool.
- This program can be done either individually or in teams of
two (three max).
- The student can select a task of interest.
- The major requirement is that the program provide the
opportunity to work with a variety of GUI components. It should
exercise many features of the program (but likely not all, depending on
the tool selected).
- As part of the process, individuals should evaluate the sofware
from a user interface perspective (described below).
Group Presentations
- Presentations will be given on September 27, September 29 and
October 2.
- Each presentation will last approximately 25 minutes
- The presentation should begin with a demo of the
environment. This should give other class members some idea a)
the audience of the software (i.e., who are the prospective users, what
are they expected to create), b) what features were useful and c) what
could be improved. This part of the presentation needs to be
coordinated among all group members.
- The final part of the presentation should consist of short demos
of the program(s) created using this tool.
Individual Papers (Due the day of the presentation)
- Each student should write a critique of the tool.
- Ideas may be shared among the group, but each person's work must
be his or her own.
- The critique must include references to specific issues raised in
the text or in class. That is, I don't want just "I liked this
feature " but "In chapter 14, the authors recommended … and this
software is a (good or bad) example because …"
- The paper should be 1 (full) page long, single-spaced, with 1"
margins.