Practicing Task Analysis and User Object Modeling in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)#

Exercise 1: Task Analysis#

Objective:
This activity aims to perform a basic task analysis for a specific task (e.g., booking a flight on an airline website) and create an HTA List and HTA Diagram.
Steps to Complete the Exercise:

Form small groups of 3-4 students to work together.
Guiding Questions for Task Analysis To help structure the analysis, groups should discuss and answer the following questions:
What are the goals of the user?
- Identify the user’s primary goal (e.g., booking a flight successfully).
- Consider any secondary goals (e.g., choosing the best flight option, saving time).
What are the steps involved in completing the task?
- Break down the process into smaller actions. Think of the logical flow from start to finish.
- Start by opening the website and following the steps to confirm the booking.
Are there any possible errors or confusion users might face?
- Identify potential points where the user could make mistakes (e.g., entering invalid dates, not finding a flight, or missing required information).
- Think about ways the system could help users avoid these issues (e.g., clear error messages and step-by-step guidance).
Create the HTA List
- Based on the discussion, list all the tasks and subtasks involved in booking a flight.
Design the HTA Diagram
- Use the HTA List to create a Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) Diagram that visually represents the steps and subtasks.
  - Draw a diagram where the main tasks are broken down into smaller subtasks.
  - Show the logical flow of actions required to complete the task.

Exercise 2: User Object Modeling#

Objective:
In this exercise, students will develop a User Object Model based on the task analysis they performed for booking a flight on an airline website. This will help them map user interactions with the interface objects and visualize how these objects change state during the process.
Steps to Complete the Exercise:

Review Your Task Analysis (HTA List and Diagram) Before starting the User Object Modeling, students should:
- Refer to the Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) List and HTA Diagram they created to book a flight.
- Identify the key user actions and decision points from the HTA.
Identify Key User Interface Objects From the task analysis, identify the main objects the user interacts with on the airline website.
Define Object States and Interactions Identify each key object’s possible states and how it interacts with the user.
Create the User Object Model Diagram Using the identified objects and states, students should create a diagram that illustrates how these objects interact during the flight booking process.