...
Device and Platform:
We used a web+SmartBoard implementation for our PosterBoard implementation instead of a creating a standalone web or mobile app because user studies indicated that users would not go out of their way to get information about events through these channels. (In fact, the events.mit.edu website which is a central repository for events, is hardly used by students.) However, if SmartBoards (or similar devices) were placed at the current locations of poster boards in Stata, they would not only make posters more interactive but they would also give posters much higher visibility than that afforded by a web/mobile app.
Instead of a prior design which supported adding of posters via the web but viewing and interacting with posters via the board, we chose to support all functionality through the SmartBoard for simplicity and uniformity of the interface. We also used chose to remove all need for typing by using an RFID reader for obtain user information and authentication.
...
User testing: Since each user test had new people, each iteration found new and important problems, but we received no feedback about whether the old problems had been fixed.
Front-end vs. Back-end: During our project, we focused pretty heavily on making the back-end work along with having a good front-end. As a result, we did not include front end features that we couldn't fully support at the back end.
It would be worthwhile to have a previous user re-evaluate the interface.
Safety: One thing we think is very important in a project like this Safety: One thing we think is very important in a project like this is safety. The user testing revealed that with a touch screen board hanging in a public place (as opposed to the safety and comfort of a room or office) was prone to accidental taps and brushes and the project has to be able to provide a user interface that takes care of that aspect to create a less frustrating experience. We could have investigated this aspect further.
Front-end vs. Back-end: During our project, we focused heavily on making the back-end support all the functionality afforded by the front-end. As a result, we chose to cut UI features that would only be implemented at the front end due to time or implementation constraints.
Overall, building PosterBoard was a great experience for us and provided opportunities to learn about interface design, integrating hardware and providing an end-to-end experience. We would be excited to use our code on a large interactive display!