← Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions

Evaluating an interface design

To check a design against criteria, like easy to read, easy to use and meets the requirements, using a checklist, user feedback and evidence to show if each one is met.

Part of: 5-6 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Creating Digital Solutions — Module 42, 7-8 Digital Technologies: Designing user interfaces and experiences — Module 20, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Designing user interfaces and experiences — Module 23, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 1 — User Experiences and Interfaces — Module 67, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Interactions Between Users, Data and Digital Systems — Module 153

Understanding Evaluating an interface design in Years 5–6 Creating Digital Solutions

What it does: A checklist lists each criterion with a tick box, so you can tick the ones the design meets and see which are still missing. User feedback is what real people tell you after trying the design. This comment shows the design may not be easy to use. Evaluating means checking a design against criteria, not just giving an opinion. A criterion is something you can check. 'Easy to read' can be tested, but a personal like cannot. Evidence is something you saw, counted or were told. A guess is not evidence. You check the design against the requirement. The score is shown, so the criterion is met.

Common mistakes: The checks are about the size of the text, so the criterion is about reading, not hearing. It should be 'Criterion: easy to read'. User feedback is only useful if you record it. The line should be 'Record what each user says'.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 41–50) and word search (Modules 41–74).

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Learning
Duo
Which is a good way to evaluate an interface design?
Say it looks nice because you made itCheck it against a list of criteria, like easy to read and easy to use
Matches
Evaluation: "I like it, so it is a good design."
↓
The judgement is only an opinion. It does not check any criteria or give evidence, so it should say which criteria are met.
Applying
Meanings
Term
evaluate a design
Meaning
To check a design against criteria, like easy to read, easy to use and meets the requirements, using a checklist, user feedback and evidence to show if each one is met.
Practice
EVALUATE Quiz App home screen
Testing
Gaps
easytoread = "yes" THEN
Check Answer
Spots
1Criterion: easy to hear
2Check: is the text big enough?

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Quick Questions

1. Which is a good way to evaluate an interface design?
A. Say it looks nice because you made it
B. Check it against a list of criteria, like easy to read and easy to use ✓
Evaluating means checking a design against criteria, not just giving an opinion.
2. Which one is a criterion you could put on an evaluation checklist?
A. The text is easy to read ✓
B. I like pink
A criterion is something you can check. 'Easy to read' can be tested, but a personal like cannot.
3. A user says, 'I could not find the Start button.' What does this feedback tell you?
A. The design is perfect
B. The design may not be easy to use ✓
User feedback is a clue about whether a criterion like 'easy to use' is met.
4. Which statement points to evidence?
A. Three out of four users found the Play button in under 5 seconds ✓
B. I think most people will find the button
Evidence is something you saw, counted or were told. A guess is not evidence.
5. The requirements say the screen must show the score. The score is on the screen. What do you tick on your checklist?
A. Meets the requirements: yes ✓
B. Meets the requirements: no
You check the design against the requirement. The score is shown, so the criterion is met.

Match the Pairs

Criteria: easy to read → A check that asks if the text and colours are clear enough for the user to read without trouble
Criteria: meets the requirements → A check that asks if the design does everything the user or teacher asked for in the plan
Use a checklist to see if each criterion is met → [x] Easy to read [ ] Easy to use [x] Meets the requirements
Use feedback from users to judge the design → User said: "I could not find the Start button."
Evaluation: "I like it, so it is a good design." → The judgement is only an opinion. It does not check any criteria or give evidence, so it should say which criteria are met.
Easy to read: Yes (no evidence given) → The tick has no evidence. It should point to proof, such as 'the text is large and dark on a light background'.

Key Term

evaluate a design
To check a design against criteria, like easy to read, easy to use and meets the requirements, using a checklist, user feedback and evidence to show if each one is met.

Fill in the Blanks

1. IF easy_to_read = "yes" THEN ADD 1 TO score END IF
Hint: Type the keyword that starts a check on one criterion.
2. SET criteria TO ["readable", "easy to use"] FOR EACH criterion IN criteria CHECK criterion
Hint: Type the variable name that holds one criterion from the checklist at a time.
3. INPUT feedback FROM user IF feedback = "no" THEN SHOW "Change the design"
Hint: Type the variable name that stores what the user says about the design.
4. IF size >= 16 THEN SET result TO "met" ELSE SET result TO "not met"
Hint: Type the keyword for what happens when the evidence shows the criterion is not met.
5. SET total TO 3 SET met TO 3 IF met = total THEN SHOW "Design passes"
Hint: Type the comparison operator that checks if the number of criteria met matches the total.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A Criterion: easy to hear
B Check: is the text big enough?
C Evidence: font size is 18
D Result: criterion met
Line A — The checks are about the size of the text, so the criterion is about reading, not hearing. It should be 'Criterion: easy to read'.
Question 2
A Ask 3 users to try the app
B Ignore what each user says
C Count how many found it easy
D Result: 2 of 3 said easy
Line B — User feedback is only useful if you record it. The line should be 'Record what each user says'.
Question 3
A Criterion: easy to use
B Evidence: I think it is fine
C Result: criterion met
Line B — An opinion is not evidence. Evidence points to something real, like how many users found the Start button. It should be 'Evidence: 3 of 3 found Start'.
Question 4
A Criterion: easy to read
B Evidence: pale yellow on white
C Result: met
Line C — Pale yellow text on a white background is hard to read, so the criterion is not met. The line should be 'Result: not met'.
Question 5
A Checklist: 5 criteria
B [x] Easy to read
C [x] Easy to use
D [ ] Meets requirements
Line A — The checklist lists only three criteria, so the first line should say 3, not 5.

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