Transcript Web Based Productive Labor System

CSCI 588
Design of User Interface Software
Web Based Productive Labor System
Team No : 23
Members: Anurag Garg
Preeti Parthasarathy (3096)
Saurabh Gupta
Location: On Campus
Web Based Productive Labor System
Outline:
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Topic Description
System Requirements
Navigation Map
User Analysis
Visual Design
Main Page Design
Screen Prototypes
Lessons Learned
Conclusion
Web Based Productive Labor System
Topic Description:
Problem:
 Existing Productive Labor System is a time tracking and manual system.
 Daily batch entries of production information is inefficient and also user un
friendly.
 There is no way to automatically control access to the system.
 Separate UI for the Admin and Employee login is not available.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Topic Description:
Solution:
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Web application for employee time tracking.
User friendly interface provides efficient method for automated entry.
Access to the PLS is controlled using an employee smart card identification.
User privilege based administration control and employee login are provided which
enhance the overall security of the system.
Web Based Productive Labor System
System Requirements:
General Security Requirements:
 Login
– A login function is provided to authenticate users into PLS.
– Optional Smart-Card usage for authentication.
 User and Group Administration
– The system provides privilege levels for management of users and user groups.
– The system shall allow service Engineers and IT administrators to access data
of any market center.
– The system allows Payroll clerk, Productive labor data entry clerk, Market
Center Controller, Production Manager/Supervisors, GM/Asst. GM and Office
Managers to access data of the market center where they are employed only.
Web Based Productive Labor System
System Requirements:
Usability Requirements:
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Maintenance
– to search, view, add, modify and delete all market center parameters codes.
– to search, view, add, modify and delete employee details.
– to search, view, add, modify and delete leave applications.
– to view and update employee daily job activity data.
Employee data entry
– The system shall allow employees to enter the daily job activity details
– The system shall allow employees to apply for leave and view leave
applications.
– The system shall allow employees to control production.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Navigation Map:
Start
Login Page
Main Page
Lin
k
Web Based Productive Labor System
User & Group
Admin Page
Navigation Map:
Employee
Activity Entry
Page
Parameter
Maintenance
Page
Reporting
Page
Link
Employee
Leave
Application
Equipment
Automation
Productivity
Tools
Employee Smart
Card
Application
Web Based Productive Labor System
Navigation Map:
Administration Page
User & Group
Admin Page
User Group
Privilege
Administration
Page
User Privilege
Administration
Page
Functions:
Add User Group Privilege
Search User Group Privilege
Delete User Group Privilege
Update User Group Privilege
View User Group Privilege
Functions:
Add User Group Privilege
Search User Group Privilege
Delete User Group Privilege
Update User Group Privilege
View User Group Privilege
Web Based Productive Labor System
Navigation Map:
Job Activity Entry Page
Employee Job
Activity Page
Functions:
Add User Group Privilege
Search User Group Privilege
Delete User Group Privilege
Update User Group Privilege
View User Group Privilege
Web Based Productive Labor System
Navigation Map:
Leave Application
Employee Leave
Application
Functions:
Apply for Leave
Delete Application
View Application
Update Application
Search Application
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Analysis Discussion:
User Profile: Psychological Characteristics
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Cognitive Style: Cognitive style is definitely verbal for a majority of users as
most of users of our system are not highly educated.
Attitude: Negative or Neutral.
Motivation: Low.
The users are not very well paid; some of employees are not highly educated.
We think user attitude would be negative or neutral because it requires more
work on the behalf of the user to learn the new system. The users are not
experience in using computers hence their motivation to learn to use and use a
software system would be Low. Worst case values assumed.
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Analysis Discussion:
User Profile: Knowledge and Experience
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Reading level: The reading level falls in the category Fifth to twelfth grade.
Typing skills: The typing skill is usually low as most users have not used typewriters.
Education: Most of the users are have a high school college degree only.
System Experience: Low.
Task Experience: Novice: The users do not have much experience doing the task that
our application is performing.
Application experience (domain knowledge): The users probably have used no
similar system in their work.
Native Language: The native language is definitely English. People who can speak in
English are only employed by the company.
Use of other systems: Little or None. The users do not have to use any other system
other than the system that is being designed.
Computer Literacy: Computer Literacy is low as the users are industrial workers are
they may not be computer-literate.
The user of the system can be anyone from a manager to wage worker. Therefore, for
the system to be useful and easy for a largest group of people, worst case knowledge
and experience user characteristics were assumed.
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Analysis Discussion:
Job and Task Characteristics:
– Frequency of use: Our online reporting system and employee time tracking system
will be used frequently.
– Training: The users will undergo mandatory training sessions and will learn to use the
system.
– System use: The system use is mandatory.
– Job Categories: Managers, Engineers, Clerks and wage workers will use the system.
– Turnover (e.g. training new users): High. Many employees quit jobs frequently.
Worst case assumption has been made.
– Task Importance: High. Our online reporting system and employee time tracking
system is important for the proper functioning of the business as a whole.
– Task Structure: High. The users have to login to access the systems. Certain functions
have to be performed before others.
Physical Characteristics:
– Color blindness: The users may be color blind or not.
– Handedness: The users can use their left or right hands.
– Gender: Any person male or female will use our system.
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Analysis Discussion:
Psychological Characteristics
Cognitive Style
verbal/analytic
spatial/intuitive
Attitude
Positive
Negative
Neutral
Motivation
High
Moderate
Low
Knowledge & Experience
Reading level
Less than fifth grade
Fifth to twelfth grade
Above twelfth grade
Typing skill
Low
Medium
High
Education
High School
Degree
College degree
System experience
Expert
Moderate
Novice
Task experience
Novice in field
Moderate
Expert in field
Application
experience
No similar systems
One similar system
Some similar
system
Native language
English
Other
Use of other systems
Little or None
Frequent
Computer literacy
High
Moderate
Low
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Analysis Discussion:
Job & Task Characteristics
Frequency of use
Low
Medium
High
Primary training
None
 a manual
 elective
mandatory
System use
mandatory
discretionary
Job categories
Executive
Manager
Engineer
Wage workers
Clerk
Any
Turnover rate
High
Moderate
Low
Other tools
telephone
calculator
 adding machine
None
Task importance
High
Moderate
Low
Task structure
High
Moderate
Low
Physical Characteristics
Color blind
Yes
No
Both
Handedness
Right
Left
Ambidextrous
Handicapped
Gender
Male
Female
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Profile
Menu
Fill-in
Forms
Questions
and
Answers
Attitude
Negative
Negative
Neutral
Negative
Motivation
Low
Low
Moderate
Low
Command
Language
Function
Key
Direct
Manipulation
Natural
Language
Negative
Negative
Negative
High
Low
Low
Low
Psychological
Characteristics
Knowledge and Experience Characteristics
Typing skill
Low
Moderate
High
Moderate
High
Moderate
High
Low
Low
High
System
experience
Low
Low
Moderate
Low
Moderate
High
Low
Low
Low
Task experience
Low
Moderate
High
Low
High
Moderate
High
Low
High
Application
experience
Low
Low
Moderate
Moderate
High
Moderate
Low
Low
Use of other
systems
Frequent
Moderat
e
Frequen
t
Moderat
e
Frequent
Infrequen
t
Infrequent
Frequent
Frequent
Computer
literacy
Low
Moderate
High
Low
High
Moderate
High
Low
Low
Education
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Profile
Job and task
Characteristics
Menu
Fill-in
Forms
Questions
and
Answers
Command
Language
Function
Key
Direct
Manipulation
Natural
Language
Frequency of use
Low
Moderate
High
Low
High
Low
Low
Low
Primary training
Little or none
Some
Little or
none
Formal
Little or none
Little or none
Little or none
System use
Discretionary
Discretion
ary
Discretio
nary
Mandatory
Discretionary
Discretionary
Discretionary
Turnover rate
High
Low
Moderate
High
Low
Moderate
High
High
Other System
Paper
Forms
Task importance
Low
Moderate
Low
High
Moderate
Low
Low
Task structure
High
High
High
Low
Low
Moderate
Moderate
Low
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Analysis Discussion:
Conclusion : Dialogue/Interaction Style Selected
• Users of our system will undergo mandatory training and hence they can be
knowledgeable even when they use Menus, Fill-in forms, Question and Answers,
direct Manipulation and Natural Language styles.
• The users will be trained by a mandatory training program, having Menus, Fill-in
forms, Question and Answers, direct Manipulation and Natural Language styles is
advantageous.
• Turnover rate is high and organizations prefer a self-learning interface to
mandatory training therefore Fill-in forms, command language and function keys
styles are disadvantageous.
• Hence, it is clear after analyzing that dialog style for this system shall be a
combination of Menus and Direct manipulation methods.
•A few Fill-in forms and Question and answers forms can be added without
being too cluttered.
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Analysis Discussion:
Task Analysis :
Web Based Productive Labor System
User Analysis Discussion:
Primary task: User’s tasks involve filling job activity reports, filling leave
applications, creating reports, operating equipment etc.
Workload: User activity reporting should be an easy task.
Environment: Industrial areas, lot of noise due to other machinery and no airconditioning.
I/O Devices selected: Smart card reader. On swiping the smart card onto the reader
user is automatically logged into the system.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Visual Design:
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Follow structure in every web page.
– Lists help focus the user's attention on a series of items and make
digesting many bits of information easier.
– Headings are preferable to lists, at the upper levels, because the larger,
bolder font attracts the eye.
Consistent style in all pages. A uniform page layout will help your users
navigate, and give identity to the site. Example page layout is as follows.
Header – Logo, banner, page name Body Footer Pages
– Reference: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9611.html
– Titles: Do not use different page titles for every page. The page should be
titled with the name of the web application.
– Add contact info on the pages.
Text presentation:
– Use back color text. Use 12 size font for easy readability
– Blink should not be used.
– Do not use too many font styles.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Visual Design:
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Menus
– Reference: http://www.merges.net/theory/20010226.html
– Keep feedback simple: don't try to supplement menu choices with lengthy
descriptions
– We used motion cues over the menu icons for more feedback to user about
what exactly the icon functionality is.
– Keep menu items related.
Navigational tools
– Referenced http://www.asktog.com/columns/007silodesign.html
– Must control the environment. Turn off the browser's controls.
– Only allow exiting when it is safe or prudent.
– Back up your application with good data integrity.
– Avoid phrases like Return to...
Buttons
– Reference: http://www.merges.net/theory/20010226.html
– Use pliant buttons, if buttons are used. Implement a subtle visual cue for
mouse rollovers
– Buttons should be self explanatory.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Visual Design:
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Accessibility
– Remember to include descriptions with each image.
– For FORMS remember to include labels for form fields.
Testing
– Test the pages with several browsers - including (at least) one text only,
e.g. Lynx.
– Check the links.
Images
– Don't use too many images, will slow down the page.
Color
– Use a browser safe palette for the colors.
– Be selective use only a few colors.
Accurate information
– Reference: Course notes: 6-112
– Online help and other document should reflect actual function.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Visual Design:
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Icons
– Reference: Course notes: 6-112
– Icons should be memorable.
Information presentation (Course notes 6-112)
– There should a balance between information breadth and depth.
– Intuitive graphical interfaces effect performance.
Decide on a background color or image for all the pages.
Usually a white background (or one that's light) works better that a black
background. It's much easier to read black text on a white background than it
is to read white text on a black background.
Make each individual page (text and graphics) less than 50k
Web Based Productive Labor System
Icons Used:
Iconography :
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Start Page:
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Start Page:
The first page is the most important page from a presentation point of view. It
is designed like a permanent screen saver. Since the PLS can be accessed
from many kiosks and computers inside the company premises, this page with
a big logo of the company in the centre provides a very good brand presence.
The background is chosen to be off white so that it is not obtrusive to the eyes
and appears soothing. It does not crave for attention but at the same time is
noticeable.
There are only 2 links on the page and these are in the standard blue color.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Login Page:
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Login Page:
The log in page is the second screen in the PLS interface.
It also has the same background color as the start screen. This is done to
provide an uniformity in the whole user interface. This page is very simple
and has only the necessary information present on it.
It is not cluttered with any animation or icons keeping the environment in
mind.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Main Page:
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Main Page:
The main page is the third screen in the PLS interface.
It is the most important page and provides many important links to
Administration, Table Maintenance, Report Generation, Leave Application,
Equipment Maintenance, Smart Card Application and Activity Track.
Each link has been provided with a respective and self explanatory icon. The
Link names as well as the icons are work as hyper links to the respective
pages.
A toolbar has been provided at the top of the page which has common office
applications like Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook, Support and
Settings. These tools are also represented using icons keeping the user profile
in mind.
The toolbar is clearly visible as a separate entity. A search field is also
provided in it which lets the user search stuff through the company website.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Productivity Report Generation Page:
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Productivity Report Generation Page:
The Report Generation is one of the most important duties. The Administrator
assigns the privilege to some employees (supervisors) to be able to access this
page.
This page provides many features which can are very handy during the
generation of a typical report. These are Save, Assign, Run, Filter, Sort,
Export, Properties, Charts.
Besides the above mentioned options the supervisor can also choose from
• Choose Report Type
• Choose Report Options (Daily/Weekly/Quarterly)
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Table Maintenance Page:
Web Based Productive Labor System
Screen Prototypes:
Table Maintenance Page:
The Table maintenance page is used to maintain the parameters required for
the day to day operations of the organization.
The different parameters are Market Centre Details, Employee Details,
Position Codes, Washer Codes, Standard Codes, Indirect Labor Details,
Department Details, Region codes, Item Job Codes, Rate Codes, Overtime
Codes, Daily Job Activity, Leave Applications.
Again this page is also accessible only by a select group of supervisors. These
supervisors are given the privileges by the administrator.
Till now only a few pages have been implemented. The remaining pages will
soon be implemented using the same templates.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Lessons Learned:
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Team Co-ordination above everything else.
Importance of the Planning and Designing phase for any project
implementation.
Role of the User Interface in our day to day life.
Plans For The Future:
– To design the remaining pages in accordance with the template.
– Perform Debug and thorough testing before handing it over to the client
(Aramark).
– Perform Maintenance for the UI on a regular basis and provide support as
and when required.
Web Based Productive Labor System
Conclusion:
Comments & Tools Used
 The PLS will hopefully increase the efficiency of the employees by providing
a much easier to use and simpler to understand User Interface.
 This will in effect increase the overall productivity in the company.
 The PLS will provide a secure environment with different privilege levels to
optimize the functionality offered to its different groups of users.
 We used the following tools
– HTML, VB .Net
– Adobe Go Live
Web Based Productive Labor System
Special Thanks
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Prof. Steve Jacobs
Monvorath Phongpaibul
Ramakrishna Soma
Mike Nicosia