Compiling Interview Data & Poster/Presentation Preparation

Carrying on from the last post, the majority of the work completed over the last week was completing interviews with prospective users of the university rugby portal. I have now completed interviews with fans, players and coaches, and have obtained a range of valuable information that I can use. The next step before my meeting on Thursday is to put this information into tables and matrixs, and start to analyse and themes and trends that have been reguarly coming up. This will help me when drawing up functional and non-functional requirements for the portal.

As well as interviews, I also completed a few digital wireframes, using previous research and information obtained within the interviews. Using 'Omnigraffle', I was able to map out different sections of the home page, team page(s) and player page(s). Below is a screenshot of the player page in 'edit' mode, which is where an authorised user can edit the page:














The next stage of the project is to start analysing the data, and by Thursday's meeting, have assessed any trends and common themes that have been arising. Once this is completed, I can start compiling my poster and preparing for the presentation.

Interviews, Data Collection & Matrixs

Last Thursday was the second meeting with my tutor and group, in which I determined what work I need to complete within the next 2 weeks and before the poster presentation on the 10th of December. After agreeing with my tutor, it was decided that the next 2 weeks would be focussed around interviews. This gives me time to complete all the interviews (with players, coaches and fans), and the efficiently look through the data. One tool to draw out vital information is the use of 'Matrixs', which analyse and present trends and themes that are common across the interviews, which I will then take to incorporating into the requirements of the rugby portal.

Once this stage has been completed, I will use the following 2 weeks to prepare my poster for the presentation, and begin completing the first prototype for the project. This is likely to be a digital version of the wireframes that have been completing, using simple HTML and CSS to mock up 2 or 3 pages for the proposed rugby portal.

Interviews, Logos & Wireframes

After conducting the Competitor Analysis, I drew a few wireframe designs for the proposed rugby portal. The aim is to show these to the users within the interview, in order to gain initial feedback. As the design of the rugby portal will be user-centred, I hope to include user input for the next batch of lo-fi prototypes which I can present within the poster presentation at the end of term.

This week I had my first progress session with my project tutor, and gained valuable information of semi-structured interviews and what to ask users. I improved on my first attempt on the questions to ask the users in the interviews and am awaiting feedback so that I can begin the interviews with the chosen interviewees.

As well as continueing with expert based initial layout designs, I start to hand draw some logos for the rugby portal, and transferred these into digital versions that could also be shown to the users. I aim to settle with a logo that is effective in displaying the title of the portal, that is also visually appealing but not distracting from the content within the portal.

Over the next few weeks I am to move into the 'Modelling' stage of the project. Taking information from the interviews to assess any trends and patterns that have arised. Also, I aim to start modelling personas on the users of the website, and to create some charts (eg. pie chart) to display the information obtained within the interviews, all of which can be used within the poster that needs to be submitted at the end of this month.

Competitor Analysis, User Interviews/Observations & Initial Designs

After compiling a plan for the Competitor Analysis, and assessing available frameworks and examples online, I decided to use this week to extend the analysis. This is my first change to my project schedule, which should not affect any other tasks that need to be completed. I underestimated the importance and depth that the analysis needs to go into, and feel that it would be beneficial for the outcome of my prototype if I extend the analysis.

I also started to plan questions and observation techniques for the user interviews, in order to obtain initial feedback on ideas. These initial ideas are hand-drawn lo-fi layout designs for the portal, as well as logo designs which I hope to gain feedback on. I hope to have assembled a team of users to use for the interviewing stage by the end of this week, so that feedback and necessary changes can begin.