answer the Case Questions

PETRIE CASE: PETRIE'S ELECTRONICS ELECTRONICS Designing the Human Interface *And we have to integrate the XRA system with our Jim Watanabe, project director for the "No Customer own operations," added Sanjay. "For example, we have Escapes" customer loyalty system for Petrie's Elec- to integrate our existing marketing and product data- tronics, walked into the conference room. Sally bases with the XRA CRM (see PE Figure 6-2). That's Fukuyama, from marketing, and Sanjay Agarwal, from just one piece of all the technical work we have to do." IT, were already there. Also at the meeting was Sam "We've already done some preliminary work on Waterston, one of Petrie's key interface designers. system functionality and the conceptual database, "Good morning," Jim said. "I'm glad everyone could Jim said. "I want to start working on interface issues be here today. I know you are all busy, but we need to now. That's why Sam is here. What we want to do to- make some real progress on the customer account day is start work on how the customer account area area for 'No Customer Escapes.' We have just awarded should look and operate. And Sally, the customer the development of the system to XRA, and once all the loyalty site is a great opportunity for marketing. We documents are signed, they will be coming over to brief can advertise specials and other promotions to our us on the implementation process and our role in it." best customers on this site. Maybe we could use it to "I'm sorry," Sally said, "I don't understand. If we are show offers that are only good for members of our licensing their system, what's left for us to do? Don't loyalty program." we just install the system and we're done?" Sally took "Oh yeah," Sally replied, "that's a great idea. How a big gulp of coffee from her cup. would that look?" "I wish it was that easy," Jim said. "While it is true "I have ideas," said Sam. Using a drawing program that we are licensing their system, there are many on a tablet PC, he started to draw different zones that parts of it that we need to customize for our own would be part of the interface. "Here at the top we particular needs. One obvious area where we need would have a simple banner that says 'Petrie's' and to customize is all of the human interfaces. We the name of the program." don't want the system to look generic to our loyal "It's not really going to be called 'No Customer customers-we need to make it unique to Petrie's." Escapes,' is it?" asked Sally. Chapter 8 Designing the Human Interface 271 PE FIGURE 8-1 Preliminary design for the customer account area Account Summary My Pante 82 Members Only Deal Page 75% Newsletter LA seemed like a very long time. He glanced over his e-mail and noticed there was a message from Sam. Attached was a preliminary design for the customer account area. Jim opened it and looked it over (PE Figure 8-1). Hmmm, not bad, he thought. This is a good place for us to start. 01 a No, that's an internal name," replied Jim, "but I don't know what the real name will be yet." "OK, so the real name of the program will go in the banner, after 'Petrie's.' Then on the left side, we'll have a sidebar that has overview information about the cus tomer account, things like name and points balance," said Sam, drawing in a sidebar on e left of the screen. "There will also be links to more detailed information about the account, so the customer can see more de tails on past transactions and on his or her profile." is open. That would be perfect place for marketing information, sug- gested Sally, "Would we want just one big window for marketing? Maybe we could divide it up into ad- ditional windows, so we could use one to focus on al promotions and one to advertise 'member only' promotions?". Yeah, we can do that," said Sam. Just then Jim's phone beeped. Jim looked at it. Uh- oh, it was an urgent message from his boss, the di- rector of IT "Sorry, I need to take care of this immediately," he told the group. "Can you guys work on this some more and then send me some of the screen designs you come up with?" Later that afternoon, after the crisis was over, Jim sat back down at his desk for the first time in what general Case Questions 1. Using the guidelines from this chapter and other sources, evaluate the usability of the page design depicted in PE Figure 8-1. 2. Chapter 8 encourages the design of a help system early in the design of the human interface. How would you incorporate help into the interface as shown in PE Figure 8-1? 3. Describe how cookie crumbs could be used in this system. Are cookie crumbs a desirable navi- gation aid for this system? Why or why not? 4. The page design depicted in PE Figure 8-1 links to an Order History page. Sketch a similar layout for the Order History page, following guidelines from Chapter 8. 5. Describe how the use of template-based HTML might be leveraged in the design of the "No Cus- tomer Escapes" system