SWE 205 In-Class Exercise
Flow and Orchestration

This is an in-class group exercise.

Cooper list strategies for designing interactions that go with the user's flow:

• Follow user's mental models
• Less is more
• Let users direct rather than discuss
• Provide choices rather than questions
• Keep necessary tools close at hand
• Provide modeless feedback
• Design for the probable, but anticipate the possible
• Contextualize information
• Reflect object and application status
• Avoid unnecessary reporting
• Avoid blank slates
• Differentiate between command and configuration
• Hide ejector seat levers
• Optimize for responsiveness but accommodate latency

This is "short-form" practice for assignment 4. We're looking for witnesses and/or counterexamples. Choose a (software-related) interface. (You might want to use your example from the reading reflection.) You should limit attention to a specific task or use-case. The interface should be different than the one you are using for assignment 4. Explain how flow for that task is supported (or not) by Cooper's strategies.

Note: If you finish early, feel free to start on homework 4.

We'll discuss in the last 15 minutes of class. Be prepared to defend your determination of witnesses and counterexamples with justification from the Cooper's list.