drive
The Bridge
Moving from Task Analysis
to Design
Bridge
Overview
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Assemble stakeholders
Generate task flows
Identify task objects
Translate into screen objects
Pros
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Cross-functional team
User-centered
Direct bridge to screen design
Rapid results
Task Flows -> Task Objects -> Screen Design
Bridge – Materials
People
 Users
 Stakeholders
 Facilitator
Location
 Conference Room
Stuff
 Round table
 Index cards
 Flip chart paper
Task Analysis Feeds Requirements
› Workflow analysis uncovers problems - Users tell us:
 How they currently work and what their problems are
 How they would like to see these problems solved
 Understands the context in which the problems occur and can write
richer requirements that better describe the user’s needs
› Help define the project scope
 Set a strategy of where to grow your product
 Prioritize the tasks to determine which release to include them
Bridge – Process models
Big Picture - 50,000 foot view
 Ranked by frequency and importance
Current Workflow
 Issues and Bottlenecks
Blue Sky
 Ranked by importance (user) and difficulty (development)
Realistic Workflow
BRIDGE
 Object Identification
 Protoyping
How Our Process Works
› Collaborative
 Includes users, GUI developers, managed systems developers, tech
writers, QA, Product Management
› Low Tech
 Uses index cards and sticky notes
 Everyone can participate on an equal level
› Quick
 Other methodologies can take weeks or months to finish
 A defined area can be completed in a day
Outcomes from the Bridge Method
 Structured workflows
 Understanding of the work from the user’s perspective
 The breadth of a user’s work
 How a user thinks about tasks he/she performs in his/her day to day job
 The areas that cause a user the greatest headaches
 Ways that they would like to perform the work if they had their way
 Objects the user needs to manipulate in the interface
 A rough sketch of the foundation of the interface
Big Picture Example
Current Workflow Example
Blue Sky Example
Task Object Example
•Object Name
•Definition
•Properties
Application
A GUI contrived type of Storage Asset Group
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Description
Storage Assets
Budget
Allocated Storage
User selected attributes
Quote file system(s)
Utilization history
Configuration History
Policies
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Create
Trend/Graph
Modify
Delete
View
Add/Delete Policy
View history
Model
Backup
Move
Migrate/RecallEstablish/Split/Reestablish/Delete Mirror
Apply predefined filters
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PSMS
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Backup
Hosts
Files
Partitions(raw)
Name
Owner
Service Level Agreement
Mirror(s)
Quota Size
Quote Used Amount
Event History
Backups
•Actions
•I’m In
•In Me
Add/Edit/Delete user selected list
Paper Prototype Example