K&K - Chapter 15 Notes - Designing Effective Output

WBB - pp. 489, 618-621, 626-629, 634-638, 652-665

OUTPUT DESIGN OBJECTIVES

1. Design output to serve the intended purpose - essentially, this means that the systems objectives should be met but the objectives should be linked to the business tactics

2. Design output to fit the user - design for the person, not the position; remember human information processing differences; issue of detail versus summary

3. Delivering the appropriate quantity of output - don't create overload, create enough to perform business tactics and make anything else optional

4. Making sure the output is where it is needed - right person at the right place; consider discontinuing printed output and see if anyone asks for it

5. Providing the output on time (and for the right time period)

6. Choosing the right output method- consider all senses (sound, smell, touch?)

RELATING OUTPUT CONTENT TO OUTPUT METHOD

External output travels outside the system boundary to customers or vendors. One major form of external output is the turnaround document which can identify transactions.

Internal outputs can include detail, summary, exception reports. Should only negative exceptions be included? Why or why not?

Technology can include printers, specialty printers, screens, projectors, audio, microform, CD-ROM, electronic forms (including the WWW). E-mail, Faxback, or WWW can be used to reach customers both pre-sale and post-sale.

Don't ignore output to reprographic equipment such as high speed copiers.

Considerations when choosing a technology include who, how many users, where, speed, changeability, permanence, storage, cost, and needed environment.

REALIZING HOW OUPUT BIAS AFFECTS USERS

1. Bias when sorting information due to order affecting importance influencing recency effect.

2. Bias when limits are set, especially for exception reports.

3. Bias through graphics due to scales, size, color, or type of graphic. Viewing position also can introduce bias.

User/developer interaction and testing is the best way to avoid bias. Validity should be tested to assure that what you attempt to shown is what is perceived. Iteration is key since you won't get it right the first time.

DESIGNING PRINTED OUTPUT

Actual size layout forms are used to develop layouts and prototypes. Constant report information is indicated as it will appear. Variable information uses placeholders such as X for alphabetic and 9 for numeric data. Paper may include different widths, quality (stock vs. bond), and security (checks).

Use care with headings, titles, page numbers, dates, time periods, and control/summary breaks. Reports are read top to bottom and left to right in our culture. Space separates items. Test to see where the user looks and what he/she sees.

DESIGNING SCREEN OUTPUT

Screens are not permanent. Users should be informed how to get hard copy if needed, how to move from page to page, how to escape, and how to furnish any needed inputs. Screens should be simple, consistent, easy to navigate, and attractive. Try to eliminate redundant data if columns are presented.

With any output, the users may not see what you intend them to see. Thus, the users must be trained to use the output and relate the output to business tactics.

GUIDES

TESTING

You must be sure that the output communicates what you intend to communicate, that the message will support business tactics, and that the user knows what to do once a message is received.

Friendly Graphics include:

To see an actual case study regarding output design, see Consulting Opportunity 15.3.

For some test questions, see Output Design Test Questions.