------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ II. Task Analysis ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Areas of concern of task analysis: 3D-interactive, combines semantic/visual, scalable, open-source(collaborative), machine-parsable, specialized for different user types The task of many users will be to explore the brain atlas to discover 'new' information about the brain's anatomy. Users will want to manipulate this space and explore it - design should include considerations of navigation for users to know the 'context', that is to say that they will want to know where they are int he big scheme. Many terms will be unfamiliar so there must be a conveiniant way to resolve uncertainties. Most users are not expected to have been exposed to such a program before so there is potentially a large learning curve in navigation, selection and manipulation. The task for many users will be to find information from a database either spatially (exploring) or semanticly (search query). Other users will be expected to contribute to this database by entering information sptially or semanticly using the user interface to aide the process in a standardized way. ------------------------------------------------------------ Method 1 - Brainstorming Possible Scenarios ------------------------------------------------------------ **User 1 Task) Undergrad student studying for a test -Young -College Student, 'Starving' -Physical: international student, non-native english speaker -Expected to overcome learning curves -Skills: Can Read/Write, Proficient with computer -Domain Experience: Little to none. Is not familiar with basic terms like 'cortex' -Appication Experience: Not expected to have used such a program before; except maybe Google Earth -Environment: Used at home, library or in class -Patterns: They typically get this information from books, study guides, wikipedia -Uses: Primarily uses the 3D interactive program to navigate and explore fundamental anatomy. Searches, Uses the application at a low-detailed level of semantic information to avoid confusion. **User 2 Task) Graduate student runs simulation of what happens when X channel closed -Young to mid-age -College Student, 'Starving' -Physical: short on time -Expected to overcome learning curves -Skills: Can Read/Write, Proficient with computer -Domain Experience: Expert in domain but not specialized -Appication Experience: Not expected to have used such a program before; except maybe Google Earth -Environment: Used at home, library, office or in class -Patterns: They typically get this information from advisors, books, study guides -Uses: Relies on machine-parsable feature and is interested in various levels of detail (system, cell, functional) **User 3 Task) Scientist wants to find certain information about Hippocampus -Older -Poor eyesight -Short on time and patience for software -Skills: proficient with computer -Domain experience: high domain experience, user is expected to contribute new information to system -Application experience: user has probably used many systems and disliked them all, sees application as difficult -Environment: office, lab, home use -Patterns: Differs info gathering to students, reads articles, talks to peers -Usage: emphasis on collaboration, wants latest ontology, needs to be related to own work, wants information quickly, modifies search many times **User 4 Task) Professor wants to add new knowledge to existing ontoloty, for students to learn -Older -Poor eyesight -Short on time and patience for software -Skills: proficient with computer -Domain experience: none, powerpoint? -Application experience: has used animations for demonstration -Environment: office, lab, home use -Patterns: Differs info gathering to students, reads articles, talks to peers -Usage: classroom demonstrations, wants to demonstrate an action potential (which is not yet a part) visualization of process, low-level detail, simulation tool over time, no video editing knowledge has students input parts of article ------------------------------------------------------------ Method 2 - User Interviews ------------------------------------------------------------ User Type: Graduate Student, Cognitive Science User Name: LT Gender: Male Age: 25-35 Computer Use: Advanced Interest: spatial cognition and learning. Feedback: -Wants the program to mimic a physical space as closely as possible, big emphasis on ROOMS. Brain like a house metaphor -Problem is that in navigating you will be lost, suggests 'overview' small window -Wants to be able to open up the brain and show relationships without losing the outer context -"Convince the user it's a foreign land" Task: -Wants to explore the brain and 'remember' the information explored. -LT uses wikipedia because it's a concensus, it's in a standard format (displaying/overview/history) Results: Wants an open-source and collaborative standard presentation of data in a 'house' way ----------------------------------------------------- User Type: Professor, Cognitive Science User Name: DG Gender: Male Age: Computer Use: Advanced / Mac Interest: EEG data and localizing that information Feedback: -Desires filters on accuracy of information -Feels there is too much information to get in a first pass -Would like to see a way to search by paradigms "Useful just to be able to do it" -Desires a standardized way to exchange information "Most labs don't use that format" -Fearful of being scooped by sharing information -Wants to be able to include and exclude things from view -Emphasis on information lookup by synthesis and filters of experts Task: -Looking up information about the brain activation localization: first turns to Kendell's book; because it's garunteed accuracy. Second, turns to peers for information based on respect and synthesis of information (too much to know himself) Third, search for review articles Results: Desires standardized way to exchange info that is protected and synthesized into groupings ----------------------------------------------------------------- Interview scheduled - not yet conducted User Type: Researcher, Neuroscience User Name: MB Gender: Female Age: Computer Use: ?? Interest: 3D strcutre annotation Feedback: Task: - Annotate a section of the brain from microscope slides Results: