Creating task models first requires understanding user tasks. This can be achieved with different approaches. In Chapter 12 of Smashing UX Design, the authors favor user testing over other methods, but many UX designers prefer contextual research or stakeholder interviews.
Discuss the merits of each method for a project where the application being created is a metaphor for a real-life activity (such as online shopping for a company that has brick-and-mortar stores). Recommend one of the mentioned methods, or suggest your own method for understanding user tasks.
Merits of User Testing
When using this method for creating a metaphor for the real life activity such as an online shopping company the following are the merit for the application.
It is able to allow one in creating of exactly what that your users think about. One is able to not only know exactly what they think as well as how they are able to interact with certain elements or perhaps the content (Bauersfeld, de Rojas & Vos, 2014). Additionally one is able to access a large pool of diverse users as well as watch on the users on their own computer in the home as they shop online.
Merits of the Stakeholder Interviews
There are various merit for including the stakeholders in the decision making process. They usually have unique way when it comes to the decision making process. The stakeholders could secure resources to assist on the project (Bauersfeld, de Rojas & Vos, 2014). Additionally, one is able to build trust which could increase on the consensus for the project. There is an increase transparency which could lead to better decision making.
Merits of the Contextual Research
The advantage for this method one is able to gather data through observing on what the client customers are doing especially how they are purchasing online and how they make their decision (Li, & Myers, 2016).
Recommendation on best method
Based on this advantages of these method, I think the ideal method which could be useful in case of real life activity such as the online shopping for a company would be the contextual research .We have seen this method one can observe how the customers are browsing and making the purchase. They are not in any controlled form but only one observes how they make their decision in regards to any purchase and how they seek assistance.
References
Bauersfeld, S., de Rojas, A., & Vos, T. E. (2014, May). Evaluating rogue user testing in industry: an experience report. In Research challenges in information science (rcis), 2014 ieee eighth international conference on (pp. 1-10). IEEE.
Li, T. J. J., & Myers, B. (2016). Smartphone text entry in cross-application tasks. In CHI Workshop on Inviscid Text Entry and Beyond.
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