Design

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The login screen for this design. The "username" and "password" prompts disappear when the user starts typing.
There is a link for if Ms. Frizzle forgot her username or password. Pressing "go" brings up the next screen.


This screen gives Ms. Frizzle a list-view of all her classes. Selecting one will bring the next screen. There is also a back button on the top of the screen. This button appears on all future screens. Ms. Frizzle selects Arnold's class.


This screen gives Ms. Frizzle all the options particular to the chosen class. Here, she wants to send a form so she clicks on "forms." This brings the next screen.


On this screen Ms. Frizzle selects "Permission Slips."


Ms. Frizzle must choose whether to create a new Permission Slip or to create a new one. She clicks on "Create New." This brings the next screen.


Here Ms. Frizzle inputs the title of the Permission Slip. Then she must input the "Trip Date" text field. Upon clicking this field a new screen appears with a full-size calendar.


Today is the 9th. The trip is on the 24th. She clicks on the 24th. This brings her "back" to the previous screen but fills out the "Trip Date" field. The same happens for the "Due Date" field.


This screen appears after selecting the dates. Ms. Frizzle checks "Required Signature" checkbox.


ConnectEd generates a Permission Slip based upon Ms. Frizzle's selections. Its text is visible above a "Send" button. Ms Frizzle hits the send button.






After this, Arnold's Mom gets a notification that there is a Permission Slip waiting for her to look at.


Arnold's Mom logs in to ConnectEd the same way Ms. Frizzle did.


Arnold's Mom must choose between her two children.


Arnold's Mom wants to see the Permission Slip so she clicks on "Forms".


There is only one form waiting for Arnold's Mom. It is the Permission Slip for Arnold's ice skating trip! Arnold's Mom clicks on it to see it.


Arnold's Mom can now see the text of the Permission Slip. She can decide between "Yes," "No" and "Defer".

This is the end of Arnold's Mom's part.







Now we go back to Ms. Frizzle.


Ms. Frizzle can navigate to the Permission Slips again and wants to view which parents have signed the permission slip already. She selects "View Existing."


There is only one Permission Slip, the Ice Skating Trip one, so Ms. Frizzle selects it.


The list of parents, categorized by "Responded," "Not Responded" and "Declined" shows on the screen. Ms. Frizzle can also choose to resend the form by clicking "Resend".


Hitting "Resend" brings Ms. Frizzle to this screen. She can either resend the form to all parents or she can resend to the ones that have not yet responded.

Analysis

Learnability:

Pros:
  • very easy to understand list-view structure that people are used to
  • extremely simple layout
Cons:
  • hard to understand hierarchy because of extremely linear flow
  • easy to forget where one is up to because previous selections are not visible at all

Efficiency:

Pros:
  • fast navigation between screens
  • easy way to get to last screen with "back button"
  • no superfluous information or pictures distracting the user
Cons:
  • must go through every single screen between one screen and another in order to get to it
  • must go through many screens just in order to send a permission slip

Safety:

Pros:
  • large buttons with concise text prevent mistakes
  • no unnecessary information around the selections
  • user can just navigate back with "back button" if he made a mistake

Cons:

  • if user went too far he must click back through every single screen
  • since hierarchy is hard to tell due to linear nature of list-view, user can easily lose track of where he is and go to the wrong place
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