User Experience Evaluation Tools

Feature Tree

• Feature Tree is a tool to evaluate the complexity of the user experience.
• Feature Tree has a set limitation for complexity.
• Feature Tree can be used on products or services.
• Feature tree has 3 levels of detail: Branch, Twig, Leaf.
• Branch - Primary level, represents a new feature.
• Twig - Secondary level, represents options within a feature.
• Leaf - Tertiary level, represents choices within the option within the feature.

Context Diagram

• Context diagram represents interactions of a system with external entities.
• Central focus is the system.
• Shows only direct interactions.
• Objects used in the diagram:
  • Rectangle: Represents external entities such as a person, system, database, role, place or thing, external to the system.
  • Circle: represents system with direct interface.
• Steps to Build a context diagram:
  • Step 1: Select a system.
  • Step 2: Identify other actors and systems in the system's process.
  • Step 3: Select the actors where the 'client' has DIRECT interaction with the system.
  • Step 4: Describe the interactions of the actors or systems with the focal system.
  • Step 5: Represent each actor with an individual oval shape.
  • Step 6: Arrange the actors around the central system, in a clockwise or counterclockwise orientation.
  • Step 7: Draw connecting lines between the actors and the central system.
    • Populate the connections with explanations of the interactions.

Ecosystem Map

• Ecosystem Map provides a high-level view of a single system.
• It informs us about the systems affected by changes in the primary system.
• It allows us to understand data sources and storage.
• Ecosystem Map focuses on Enterprise Systems, Major Databases, Major Software packages, and Actors.
• It is often used to create a list of events.
• It provides an overall view of the entire IT Infrastructure (system).
• Ecosystem Map displays third-party links up to two steps away from the central system.
• It allows for showing indirect exchanges.
• It includes written comments denoting primary data exchange/interaction.
• It does not include descriptions for fully automated dependencies.
• It does not receive direction for completely automated dependencies.
• Steps to build an Ecosystem Map:
  • Step 1: Identify the organization/scenario needs and the systems that exist within the organization.
  • Step 2: Create a list of the systems involved and identify the communication exchanges between them.
  • Step 3: Divide the systems identified into 3 categories (direct communication, indirect communication, and no communication). Discard the category ‘no communication’ from the list of systems.
    • Place the primary system at the center, secondary systems around it and tertiary systems (those with indirect communication) around the secondary systems.
  • Step 4: Draw arrows representing the direction of interaction between the systems.
  • Ensure the primary system is correctly identified, all the secondary systems are listed, and all connections to the secondary systems are identified.

Actor Diagram

• Actor Diagram divides actors into Internal and External Actors.
• Systems are represented by ellipses.
• Actors must be outside the ellipses.
• Each actor must have a system connection.
• Actors cannot be replicated.
• Steps to build an Actor Diagram:
  • Step 1: Identify the target scenario and all systems within the scenario.
  • Step 2: Identify the actors within the chosen scenario.

This quiz covers the concepts of Feature Tree and Context Diagram, essential tools for evaluating user experience and understanding system interactions. Learn about different levels of detail in Feature Tree and how to build a context diagram effectively. Test your knowledge on these important user experience design elements.