GR4 - Computer Prototyping

Platform and software requirements

PickFind's computer prototype can be viewed through a web browser. It has been thoroughly tested using Firefox 4.0 with Javascript enabled.

Usage Instructions for prototype

To run the prototype, click on this link: PickFind.

Prototype Features

  1. Layout: The layout of PickFind is mostly implemented. On the main page, the header provides access to the main page, by clicking "PickFind", access to the user's Profile page from the drop down menu on the right, and the button to "Create Game". The left pane shows the filtering options and a list of all existing games, each with a "Join" or "Leave" button depending on whether the the user has already added the game or not. The right pane shows a news feed of upcoming games and games the user's buddies have joined recently. Similarly the Profile page's layout shows all the user's data, including their personal information, their buddies, their upcoming games and their game history. All of the displayed information is accurate drawn from a large set of canned data.
  2. Game Creation: The user is able to create a new game. Selecting the "Create Game" button reveals a pop-up that displays with a form to create a game.
  3. Joining a Game: The "Join" buttons are functional, allowing a player to add themselves to an existing game.
  4. Filtering: Both game filtering and buddy list filtering are fully implemented.

Shallow Prototype Features

  1. Data-Storage: For the purposes of the prototype, the data displayed in the UI is taken for a static json dictionary of game and user objects. There is no back-end database that is updated to maintain changes in the data. Once the webpage is refreshed, all changes to user data or game data are removed, and the prototype reset to its initial static dictionary. 
  2. Leaving a Game: Since leaving a game is not listed in our scenarios, this function was not yet implemented. The leave buttons exist and can be clicked, though, without a back-end implementation to actually remove the user.
  3. Login: We assume that the user is already logged in when they access the webpage. They are provided a static set of user data, with an existing buddy list, game history, and list of upcoming games.
  4. Logout: This option exists in the profile drop-down menu, but it's functionality is not implemented.
  5. Roles: Users have an option of joining a game as a "Player" or "Watcher". The layout is geared towards displaying information about the more important group, the Players. Information related to the latter is not provided.

PickFind's computer prototype can be found online here: PickFind

Or, if you wish to download the source code, the .zip file is found here: PickFind-src.zip

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1 Comment

  1. Anh Dang Viet Nguyen

    Comment 1: The interface is somehow surprisingly complex. I think it's because there are so much information / functionality in one page. Also, I'm having a hard time figuring out what "skill level" really means. Maybe just a few options like "beginner / intermediate / advanced".

    Comment 2:

    Pretty functional prototype. Better layout, size and spacing will help greatly.

    - Position of ? button should be next to skill level.
    - Popup should be close to where user clicks.
    - Good use of date pickers.
    - For time, the interface is a bit unorthodox. A slider (like level) will be better.Smaller space at Date and Time will be better. If games are sorted by time, we don't need end date and end time any more.
    - How to clear date, time?
    - For each game card, level is better with stars. It's better to display current number of players/desired number. Why don't display roster always? Spacing again is problem.
    - Join game, watch game can be two buttons instead of a popup.
    - Edit profile is unothordox. It's easier if you just display as editable textbox then has Save button.
    - Click on item on News Feed can bring to a game page.
    - From user perspective, it's hard to know what game to join. Sorting?