Task Force PDA : Diploma Project, Mahindra British Telecom, Pune, 6 months

Project Brief: To re-design the User Interface of an existing Laptop application for a different platform i.e. a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) in order to enhance mobility of the Field Service Operations of BT (British Telecom) technicians.

It required to focus on the work processes of the user and find out areas of opportunity to enhance the mobility through PDA technology and finally achieve the business objective keeping the user in mind.

Process:

Initial Research:

Field Force Automation

Understood what is field force, its functional areas, advantages of mobile and wireless technologies for field force, how workflow management, business intelligence logistics and inventory tools automate and streamline field force management, how it all works from customer call to closing work order.

Business Requirement

- Obtained functionality and technical documents proposed by the clientkeeping in mind the business benefits.

- The client wanted a platform shift from the laptop to PDA for the want ofa more convenient and cheaper solution.

- We were to also contribute to the selection of a suitable device.

About users:

- Gathered domain knowledge from telecom employees
- Developers working on similar projects
- Former users in management
- Management who takes decisions
- Prepared questionnaire for users

•  An expert review was conducted of the application which revealed why user's didn't use it regularly.

Task Flows and Scenarios:

Built domain and application specific task flows for 3 scenarios. They demonstrated the user needs and the laptop intervention to fulfill the needs. It covered 80% of the application.

We also set the usability goal: EASE OF USE.

Task Analysis:

So we brainstormed on ways that would make the application really easy to use taking full advantage of the new PDA platform to ensure regular usage of the application We then built the new PDA specific task flows.

Information Architecture:

It was changed extensively bringing frequently used functions on top, made the information representation context-oriented, made one click operations very accessible and easy, automated some functions into reminders, changed navigation considerably.

Device Selection:

We studied the tasks in a typical session, the type and amount of information output and input by the system and the best form of interaction for each. Also, any extended functionality and future considerations required. Studies the various interaction modes available in handheld devices and their advantages. Also did technological survey where understanding wi-fi, GPRS, GPS, CDMA, etc. and then selecting a device with satisfactory features for our needs.
Finally came down to 3 usability criteria for selecting a device. Surveyed the devices in market and finally suggested two.

Prototyping:

By looking at other PDA apps and Windows Mobile guidelines built paper prototypes and finally 3 hi fi prototypes out of which 1 was selected for porting.

Interaction with developers:

Understood the need to be technically sound as the developers can take one for a ride to reduce the amount of work on their part. Although I am from a technical background I was not updated with .NET where the developers claimed they couldn't add icons through .NET. So couldn't do it myself. However it was ported on the PDA with at least the navigation right.

The final presentation of the prototype in UK went well and we bagged the project out of many contenders.