RSAT (Reticulation Sag And Tension) software is a tool available for use as part of the medium voltage Eskom Distribution standard. This software is scrutinised for its usability and for errors such that it can be revised to improve the usability of the tool. The type of software being studied is used to ensure optimum design performance and reduce the probability of a conductor failure on distribution lines. The algorithms for calculating tension, sag and clearance values take into account research into optimum design tensions. This ensures low bending forces due to conductor vibration. An algorithm for creep is designed based on common life expectancy of line conductors. The design methodology and algorithms were then put into software form as RSAT. Review and alterations include the changing of compiler, user interface, data storage mechanisms and the inclusion of options allowing the addition of new data.

Student Number : 0063608J - MSc(Eng) dissertation - School of Electrical and Information Engineering - Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment / “You can see the computer age everywhere except in the productivity statistics”. This offhand remark by Robert Solow, the Nobel prize-winning economist [1] has stimulated many other economists to conduct more rigorous analyses on the impact of information technology on productivity. The research presented in this dissertation has been conducted on a large telecommunications utility. An important business process of the utility, that of collecting information on its geographically dispersed network assets, was automated using mobile computing and wireless technologies. The research compared this newly developed automated process with the current, manual, process of sourcing the field network asset data using paper-based templates, and capturing the data manually from the templates. The results of the pilot for this automated business process were encouraging and demonstrated an improvement of over 50% in the productivity of the data collection process, and its integrity. An important aspect of the research outlined in this dissertation was to design and implement the mobile computer-based electronic data collection prototype to minimise user obstruction to the technology deployed. The prototype was tested for technology acceptance by the targeted field workers. This test also proved successful. The research demonstrated that an improvement in productivity of over 50% was achievable from a well-considered investment in information technology. The results from the research also pointed the way for the deployment of this data collection solution in other utilities, e.g. electricity distribution, water reticulation, and municipalities. Through user prototype tests and a cultural intervention process on the targeted users (field workers), the research also demonstrated how the automated business process can be geared for use by low-skilled field workers, so important to improve productivity in developing economies such as those in Africa.

O envolvimento do usuário no processo de desenvolvimento do produto (PDP) é uma abordagem que visa que os produtos desenvolvidos atendam às necessidades dos usuários e que proporcionem maior segurança para os usuários. Por meio de protótipos a equipe de desenvolvimento e os usuários conseguem se comunicar de forma mais eficiente, facilitando a interação entre essas partes. Formas e técnicas de desenvolvimento de protótipos são fortemente discutidos na literatura, no entanto falta uma discussão profunda para auxiliar as empresas a utilizarem protótipos como forma de envolver o usuário. Os desafios e barreiras inerentes ao envolvimento do usuário também limitam o potencial do uso de protótipos, principalmente no desenvolvimento de produtos da saúde. O desenvolvimento desses produtos é particular por possuírem um maior número de usuários que interagem de diferentes maneiras com os produtos, terem uma exigência regulatória atrelada às questões de usabilidade e serem produtos que impactam na segurança e integridade de seus usuários. Assim, surge a seguinte questão de pesquisa: Quais são os propósitos e benefícios da utilização da prototipagem como meio de envolver o usuário no PDP do setor da saúde? O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi desenvolver uma referência para a equipe de desenvolvimento refletir e se apoiar para extrair todo o potencial do uso de protótipos na interação com usuários. Por meio de um estudo de múltiplos casos baseado em evidências, foram analisados 46 casos de projetos que utilizam o protótipo para o envolvimento do usuário. Como principais resultados foram identificados os propósitos recorrentes do uso de protótipos, os benefícios atingidos durante o envolvimento e os tipos de protótipos utilizados. Foi elaborado um framework para envolvimento do usuário utilizando protótipos. O framework, validado por meio de técnicas de mineração de textos, deve ser utilizado pela equipe de desenvolvimento para o planejamento do processo de envolvimento dos usuários. A rica descrição dos propósitos do uso de protótipos tem por objetivo assegurar que tanto os desenvolvedores de produtos experientes bem como os novatos possam atingir melhores resultados com o uso de protótipos. / User involvement in the product development process (PDP) is an approach that aims to develop products that meet the needs of users and provide greater security for users. Through prototypes, the development team and users can communicate more efficiently, facilitating interaction between these parties. Forms and techniques of prototype development are strongly discussed in the literature, however a profound discussion is lacking to help companies to use prototypes as a way of involving the user. The challenges and barriers inherent in user involvement also limit the potential of using prototypes, particularly in the development of health products. The development of these products is particular because they have a greater number of users who interact in different ways with the products, have a regulatory requirement linked to usability issues and are products that impact on the safety and integrity of its users. Thus, the following research question arises: What are the purposes and benefits of using prototyping as a means of involving the user in the health sector PDP? The aim of this research was to develop a reference for the development team to reflect and to support to extract the full potential of the use of prototypes in the interaction with users. Through a multiple case study based on evidence, we analyzed 46 cases of projects that use the prototype for user involvement. As main results were identified the recurrent purposes of using prototypes, the benefits achieved during the involvement and the types of prototypes used. A framework for user engagement using prototypes was developed. The framework, validated through text mining techniques, should be used by the development team to plan the user engagement process. The rich description of the purposes of using prototypes is intended to ensure that both novice and experienced product developers can achieve better results with the use of prototypes.

Esta pesquisa aborda a questão da acessibilidade e da usabilidade em ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem que tem como foco o desenvolvimento da aprendizagem de estudantes surdos. O problema de investigação centra-se no seguinte questionamento: Que princípios um ambiente virtual de aprendizagem deve ter para que o estudante surdo possa desenvolver a aprendizagem? Temos como objetivo analisar o ambiente virtual de aprendizagem utilizado pela instituição lócus da pesquisa, bem como descrever e avaliar a efetividade do ambiente no desenvolvimento da aprendizagem do estudante surdo. Esta pesquisa possui uma abordagem qualitativa realizada por meio de revisão bibliográfica e de pesquisa empírica com base na análise de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com estudantes surdos, os intérpretes de libras, a coordenação do Núcleo de acessibilidade da universidade lócus da pesquisa, como também a análise do ambiente virtual de aprendizagem utilizado pela universidade. No intuito de pesquisarmos a questão da acessibilidade e da usabilidade de ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem no que diz respeito ao desenvolvimento da aprendizagem de estudantes surdos, elaboramos quatro capítulos. Os conteúdos presentes nos capítulos dizem respeito à trajetória da educação à distância no Brasil e no mundo, os conceitos de acessibilidade e de usabilidade, bem como o perfil de acesso de estudantes surdos à educação, aspectos relacionados à educação de surdos, a identidade surda, aspectos da aprendizagem e a cognição visual como possibilidade de aprendizagem. Além disso, discutimos os ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem e como a acessibilidade e a usabilidade se constituem concretamente nesses ambientes, principalmente em relação à aprendizagem de estudantes surdos, enfatizando a linguagem visual como possibilidade para o desenvolvimento da aprendizagem de estudantes surdos e o percurso metodológico delineando os sujeitos da pesquisa, caracterizando o lócus da pesquisa e analisando os dados coletados nas entrevistas. Como considerações finais, são propostos delineamentos relativos às ações de acessibilidade e de usabilidade dos ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem; a utilização destes ambientes por estudantes surdos bem como no processo, desenvolvimento e efetivação da aprendizagem de tais estudantes no âmbito da educação a distância; a compreensão do papel da cognição visual na construção do conhecimento do sujeito surdo e a ações relacionadas ao protagonismo do sujeito surdo nas instituições de ensino considerando as necessidades deste grupo, advindas do próprio sujeito. / This research addresses the issue of accessibility and usability in virtual learning environments that focuses on the development of learning for deaf students. The research problem focuses on the following question: What principles should a virtual learning environment have in order for the deaf student to develop learning? We aim to analyze the virtual learning environment used by the research institution, as well as to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of the environment in the development of deaf student learning, This research has a qualitative approach carried out by means of bibliographical review and empirical research based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with deaf students, the interpreters of pounds, the coordination of the Accessibility Center of the university locus of the research, as well as the analysis of the virtual learning environment used by the university. In order to investigate the accessibility and usability of virtual learning environments with regard to the development of learning of deaf students, we have elaborated four chapters. The contents present in the chapters relate to the trajectory of distance education in Brazil and in the world, the concepts of accessibility and usability, as well as the access profile of deaf students to education, aspects related to education of the deaf, deaf identity, aspects of learning and visual cognition as a learning possibility. In addition, we discuss the virtual learning environments and how accessibility and usability are concretely constituted in these environments, especially in relation to the learning of deaf students, emphasizing the visual language as a possibility for the development of the learning of deaf students and the methodological path delineating the research subjects, characterizing the research locus and analyzing the data collected in the interviews. As final considerations, proposals are outlined regarding the accessibility and usability actions of virtual learning environments; the use of these environments by deaf students as well as in the process, development and effectiveness of the learning of such students in the scope of distance education; the understanding of the role of visual cognition in the construction of knowledge of the deaf subject and actions related to the protagonism of the deaf subject in educational institutions considering the needs of this group, coming from the subject itself.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how prototyping of video game levels can be made more accessible by developing a user-friendly game level creation system, evaluating it and producing a number of design principles to be followed when designing such systems. The research question for this study is thus: How can video game level creation be made more accessible? There were several key areas at the center of this study such as Usability, GUI Design, Prototyping, and Game Development. This study utilized an adaption of the Design Science Research Methodology, and evaluation of the resulting artifact was done via user testing and surveys. Survey responses revealed that 95% of the participants successfully completed the main task of the trial, to create a completable video game level within 25 minutes. In addition, all participants answered a 3 (neutral) to 5 (best) on ranked survey questions relating to the usability of the artifact. This study resulted in design principles which were derived from the survey responses via a qualitative decoding process. The conclusion drawn is that computer game level creation can be made more accessible via the development of tools abiding by the design principles proposed by this study.

Webben kan användas i många syften och kan skapa ett mervärde både i arbetslivet och det privata livet för människor. Idag förekommer användande av datorer, webben och IT generellt i ett flertal branscher. IT har också blivit en del av det svenska utbildningssystemet där det händer att skolan förser eleverna med en dator och tillhörande program att utföra studier med. De flesta av svenskarna får idag någon form av datorvana genom antingen jobb eller studier, något som vissa seniorer har gått miste om. Personer över 75 år är med marginal den åldersgrupp (räknat från tolv år och äldre) som i Sverige använder internet mest sällan. När frågan ställs om varför är svaret ”det är för krångligt” vanligt förekommande. Denna studie syftar att ta reda på hur användande av webben kan underlättas för seniorer (definierat till personer 75 år och äldre i denna studie). Till en början gick studien ut på att ta reda på vad seniorer kan få ut av att använda internet och webben. Det gjordes genom en litteratursökning och genom ett antal intervjuer. Det framkom att seniorer som faktiskt använder webben på ett eller annat sätt nyttjar exempelvis internetbank, mail och nyheter genom såväl dator som smartphone och surfplatta. Dessa tre områden (mail, internetbank och nyheter) användes i studien som centra för testen som skulle undersöka hur seniorers interaktion med webben kan underlättas. Ett webbläsartillägg utformades anpassat till ovan tre beskrivna områden. Kort beskrivet är ett webbläsartillägg ett lokalt program/tillägg som går att installera i sin webbläsare för att personligen ha tillgång till extern funktionalitet, exempelvis att blockera reklam. Webbläsartillägget som skapades i denna studie gav användarens webbläsare grafiska element som var tänkta att hjälpa användaren att lösa ett antal fördefinierade uppgifter. Tre olika koncept testades under studien. Med koncept syftas här hur den grafiska hjälpen utformas. Användartester utfördes med och utan webbläsartillägg som hjälp för att kunna se om det var någon skillnad på resultaten. När tester utfördes med webbläsartillägget roterades koncepten beskrivna ovan så att alla tre koncept testades under likvärdiga förutsättningar. Testpersonerna som utförde tester med webbläsartillägget fick även möjlighet att ge anonym respons på koncepten genom att fylla i enkäter. Enligt resultaten av denna studie lyckas seniorer bättre (större andel lyckade försök) och snabbare att utföra vardagliga uppgifter när det fanns tillgång till en lista med hur uppgiften ska utföras eller genom att viktiga rubriker och knappar för uppgiften är markerade. / The web can be used in multiple purposes and can create a value both at work and in the personal life of people. Today computers, internet and IT in general are commonly used in multiple professions. IT has also become a part of the Swedish educational system where it happens that the schools provides the students with a computer with including programs to conduct their studies. Most swedes today gets some kind of computer habit from either work or education, something that certain seniors have missed out on. People above the age of 75 is by margin the age-group (taking in to account twelve years and older) that most seldom uses internet in Sweden. When asked why a common answer is “it is too hard”. This study aims to find out in what ways the use of the web can be made easier for seniors (in this study defined as 75 years of age and older). For starters the study focused on finding out what seniors can get out of using internet and the web. That was done by literature searching and a number of interviews. It showed that seniors who actually uses the web one way or the other uses for example internet banking, mail and news by computer, smartphone and/or tablet. These three areas (internet banking, mail and news) was used as a Centre in the user tests who was conducted in order to find out how seniors can be assisted in their interaction with the web. A browser extension was formed suited to the three areas mentioned above. Browser extensions is a sort of a local program/extension to install in your browser to personally have access to external functionality, such as blocking advertisement. The browser extension formed in this study gave the users browser graphic elements with the purpose to help the user solve a number of predetermined tasks. Three concepts was tested in the study. In the context of this study a concept is the way that the graphic assist is formed. User tests was conducted with and without the browser extension as an assist in order to see if there was a difference in the results. When tests was conducted with the browser extension the concepts was rotated so that all three concepts was tested on equal basis. The test persons who conducted the tests with the browser extension also got the opportunity to give anonymous feedback on the concepts through an inquiry that was filled out after conducted test. The result of the user tests and the inquiry indicates that seniors would appreciate a step by step guide for tasks on the web. According to the results of this study seniors conducts everyday tasks both quicker and with more success when there is a step by step list or highlighted headlines and buttons describing said task.

Företag idag producerar stora mängder data. För att tolka data behövs ett verktyg som visualiserar den effektivt och direkt. Den digitala instrumentbrädan är ett sådant verktyg. Trots det höga värdet hos välutvecklade instrumentbrädor misslyckas de flesta instrumentbrädor genom att de inte kommunicerar tydligt. Istället läggs det bland annat resurser på visuella effekter, vilket snarare försvårar kommunikationen än förbättrar den. Studien har resulterat i ett webbaserat verktyg för att skapa en instrumentbräda. Webbsidan består av en meny, ett rutnät samt ett antal olika komponenter. Extra fokus har lagts på två av dessa, mätare och cirkeldiagram. Instrumentbrädan visualiserar data med hjälp av grafiska komponenter. Studien har tagit del av designmål för att undvika vanliga designmisstag i utvecklandet av det webbaserade verktyget. Designen har en generell lösning då slutanvändaren är odefinierad. Resultatet innehåller en utvärdering av hur väl designmålen har implementerats. Verktyget har en låg multidimensionalitet då två grafiska komponenter finns tillgängliga. Tillgängligheten är hög på grund av att verktyget är webbaserat. God lyhördhet uppnås med hjälp av tekniken Flexbox som gör det enklare att placera innehåll på webbsidan korrekt. SPA, som står för Single Page Application, skapar korta laddningstider för den. Det finns stora möjligheter med fortsättningsarbete för applikationen. Hur data presenteras och i vilket sammanhang den sätts i är avgörande för en välutvecklad instrumentbräda. Det är kritiskt att, där det är möjligt, involvera slutanvändarna i utvecklingsprocessen av ny programvara. Utan slutanvändarna är det svårt att utvärdera användarvänligheten i nyskapad mjukvara. / Companies today produce large amounts of data. To interpret data, a tool is needed which visualises it effectively and instantly. One such tool is the digital dashboard. Despite the high value of well-developed dashboards, most dashboards fail to communicate clearly. Instead, resources are spent on visual effects, which makes communication more difficult than improves it. The study has resulted in a web-based tool that creates a dashboard. The webpage consist of a menu, a grid and different components. This study has focused on two of those, gauge and pie chart. The dashboard visualizes data using graphical components. The study has taken note of design guidelines to avoid common design flaws in the development of the web-based tool. The design has a general solution since the end user is undefined. The result contains an evaluation of how well the design guidelines have been implemented. The tool has a low multidimensionality as only two graphic components are available. Accessibility is high because the tool is web-based. Good responsiveness is achieved using the Flexbox technology. SPA creates low loading times of the web page. There are great opportunities with continuing work for the application. Chapter 5 also goes through a complete user flow. How data is presented and in which context it is set is crucial for a well-developed dashboard. It is critical to involve end users in the development process of new software. Without endusers, it is difficult to evaluate the user-friendliness of newly created software.

In order to compile a comprehensive representation of the available guidelines regarding interface design for an elderly audience, the available literature was scoured. A prototype interface was then produced based on the guidelines produced from this in combination with previously established needs among elderly that are subject to home care. Six subjects participated in a series of usability test that were implemented to evaluate the design of the prototype, along with complementary interviews that served to investigate the subject’s attitudes towards such a product that the prototype represents in general. The chosen method for these usability tests proved problematic and appropriate measures had to be implemented in order for the tests to produce adequate data. The results of the attuned method showcased an expected animosity towards the type of technology used in the tests while at the same time demonstrating the perceived redundancy in the product due to already established systems in use by the subjects as well as the requirements for such a product to be viable. That is primarily the extended ability to contact and/or communicate with caregivers that such a product offers.

[pt] O objetivo deste estudo era analisar, sob o enfoque de um profissional de Educação, aspectos de ergonomia e usabilidade que viessem contribuir para a construção de cursos a distância customizados - veiculados via internet - com maior usabilidade. Partiu-se de uma pesquisa preliminar cujos resultados apontaram que, geralmente, o papel do planejamento de um curso a distância é exercido por profissionais das áreas de Educação e Letras. Mesmo considerando que o desenvolvimento do mesmo se dê com a participação de profissionais da área de Design e Tecnologia, muitos dos aspectos que constituirão as telas do curso são previamente definidos durante a fase de planejamento e storyboard. O principal objetivo da pesquisa era responder à questão: quais critérios devem nortear a elaboração de um storyboard que dará origem ao design das telas de um curso a distância veiculado pela internet? O desenvolvimento da pesquisa se deu a partir de um estudo de caso realizado em uma das empresas que veicula cursos customizados desenvolvidos pelo FGV Online e, com base na aplicação de um questionário - QUIS (Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction) desenvolvido pela Universidade de Maryland especificamente para pesquisas que têm o objetivo de levantar aspectos subjetivos de satisfação dos usuários com relação à interface homem-computador - respondido por 207 usuários, em conjunto com outros dados levantados na revisão bibliográfica, foram explicitados aspectos positivos e negativos referentes à ergonomia e usabilidade do projeto em questão. A análise dos resultados realizada à luz da revisão de literatura propiciou a organização dos capítulos de conclusão que propõem uma discussão de pressupostos que visam nortear o trabalho do profissional de Educação na construção de um curso on- line. / [en] The objective of this study is to analyze under the focus of an Education Professional, the ergonomics and usability aspects that can contribute for the development of customized distance courses - delivered through the Internet - with a greater usability. Therefore, it has begun from a preliminary research, the results of which pointed out that, generally, the role of a distance course planning is exercised by Professionals of Education and Liberal Arts areas. Even if one considers that its development is accomplished through the participation of the Design and Technology areas, many of the aspects that shall comprise the course grids are previously defined during the planning and storyboard stages. The development of the research occurred through a case study made at one of the companies that deliver customized courses developed by FGV Online. For the data collection, it was used a questionnaire - QUIS (Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction), developed by the University of Maryland specifically for researches whose objectives are to raise subjective aspects of users´ satisfaction related to Human-Computer Interaction - computer interface. Being answered by 207 users, the QUIS evidenced the positive and negative aspects referring to the ergonomics and to the usability of the courses analyzed. In the conclusion of this study, it is proposed the discussion of assumptions to direct an Education Professional´s work in the construction of a distance course delivered by Internet.

[pt] Os mecanismos de busca vêm se tornando os principais intermediários entre os usuários e toda a informação que está disponível na Internet. O bom posicionamento de um sítio nos resultados apresentados aos usuários dos mecanismos de busca é um diferencial de mercado, pois permite aumentar significantemente o tráfego do sítio, além de se trabalhar com a marca da empresa. Esta pesquisa foi realizada com usuários e desenvolvedores, focados em Internet, com o objetivo de apontar recomendações para o projeto de otimização de sítios para mecanismos de busca na Internet. Os métodos utilizados foram: questionário, análise de relatórios do Google Analytics e a realização de um projeto de otimização em um estudo de caso; escala de avaliação de Likert por desenvolvedores e análise da tarefa com os usuários. Com os resultados obtidos é possível afirmar que os desenvolvedores ainda não estão trabalhando adequadamente a otimização e os usuários, cada vez mais, acessam mecanismos de busca na Internet. / [en] Search engines are becoming the main tool between users and all the information available at Internet. The good positioning of a website in a search engine results is a differential of the market, for it allows significant increase on the traffic of the website as well as enforcement in the brand. This research involved users and developers, with focus on the Internet, with the purpose of pointing guidelines for the design of search engine optimization related to search mechanisms on the Internet. The methods were: questionnaire; analysis of Google Analytics reports, development of an optimization project in a case study; evaluation scale of Likert, and task analysis with users. From the obtained data it is possible to affirm that the developers aren't working adequately within the search engine optimization and the users are accessing more and more search engine websites.