can anyone answer 11.48
CHAPTER 11 DESIGNING INTERFACES AND DIALOGUES 415 PETRIE ELECTRONICS Chapter 11: Designing Interfaces and Dialogues human interfaces. We don't want the system to look generic to our loyal customers - we need to make it unique Jim Watanabe, project director for the "No Customer "And we have to integrate the XRA system with our own Escapes" customer loyalty system for Petrie Electronics, operations," added Sanjay. "For example, we have to intewalked into the conference room. Sally Fukuyama, from grate our existing marketing and product databases with marketing, and Sanjay Agarwal, from IT, were already the XRA CRM (see PE Figure 7-2). That's just one piece of there. Also at the meeting was Sam Waterston, one of Pet- all the technical work we have to do." rie's key interface designers. "Good morning," Jim said. "I'm glad everyone could be "We've already done some preliminary work on syshere today. I know you are all busy, but we need to make tem functionality and the conceptual database," Jim said. some real progress on the customer account area for 'No "I want to start working on interface issues now. That's Customer Escapes.' We have just awarded the develop- why Sam is here. What we want to do today is start work ment of the system to XRA, and once all the documents on how the customer account area should look and operare signed, they will be coming over to brief us on the im- Ate. Sally, the customer loyalty site is a great opporplementation process and our role in it." "I'm sorry," Sally said, "I don't understand. If we are promotions to our best customers on this site. Maybe we licensing their system, what's left for us to do? We are could use it to show offers that are only good for memjust install the system and we're done?" Sally bors of our loyalty program." gulp of coffee from her cup. "I wish it were that easy," Jim said. "While it is true that "I "I have ideas," said Sam. Using a drawing program on a we are licensing their system, there are many parts of it tablet PC, he started to draw different zones that would be that we need to customize for our own particular needs. part of the interface. "Here at the top we would have a simOne obvious area we need to customize is all of the ple banner that says 'Petrie's' and the name of the program." PE FIGURE 11-1 Preliminary design for the customer account areo (Source: Microsoft Corporation.) "It's not really going to be called 'No Customer Escapes,' like a very long time. He glanced over his e-mail and no. 416 PART IV DESIGN isit?"askedSally."No,thatsaninternalname,"repliedJim,"butIdontticedtherewasamessagefromSam.Attachedpreliminarydesignforthecustomeraccountarea.Jim know what the real name will be yet." opened it and looked it over (PE Figure 11-1). Hmmm, "OK, so the real name of the program will go in the not bad, he thought. This is a good place for us to start. banner, after 'Petrie's.' Then on the left side, we'll have a sidebar that has overview information about the customer Castions account, things like name and points balance," said Sam, 11.45 Using the guidelines from this chapter and other drawing in a sidebar on the left of the screen. "There will sources, evaluate the usability of the page design also be links to more detailed information about the ac- depicted in PE Figure 11-1. count, so the customer can see more details on past trans- 11.46 Chapter 11 encourages the design of a help sysactions and on his or her profile." tem early in the design of the human interface. "Sotherestofthescreenisopen.Thatwouldbeaper-fectplaceformarketinginformation,"suggestedSally.HowwouldyouincorporatehelpintotheinterfaceshowninPEFigure11-1? "Would we want just one big window for marketing? 11.47 Describe how cookie crumbs could be used in this Maybewecoulddivideitupintoadditionalwindows,sowecoulduseonetofocusongeneralpromotionsandonesystem.Arecookiecrumbsadesirablenavigationaidforthissystem?Whyorwhynot? to advertise 'member only' promotions?" 11.48 The page design depicted in PE Figure 11-1 links to "Yeah,wecandothat,"saidSam.JustthenJimsphonebeeped.Jimlookedatit.Uh-oh,itanOrderHistorypage.SketchasimilarlayoutfortheOrderHistorypage,followingguidelinesfrom was an urgent message from his boss, the director of IT. Chapter 11. "Sorry, Ineed to take care of this immediately," he told the 11.49 Describe how the use of template-based HTML group. "Can you guys work on this some more and then 11.49 might be leveraged in the design of the "No Cussend me some of the screen designs you come up with?" tomer Escapes" system. Later that afternoon, after the crisis was over, Jim sat back down at his desk for the first time in what seemed
