(Floe) UI Options interview + contextual inquiry, Barcelona, Participant 1

Owned by Tona Monjo
Last updated: May 18, 2012Version comment
2 min read

Demographics, context, icebreakers

  • Female, age 65+. Retired.
  • Doesn't feel totally comfortable using computers. 
  • She doesn't use any other device, apart from the computer.
  • Doesn't have any disability. Uses glasses. 

Main interview

Using the computer at home

  • Uses the computer at home daily, from some minutes to an hour.
  • Uses the computer to check the email, Twitter, and online banking. Also watches some TV programs on the internet, or buys at the supermarket. Uses Excel to manage home accounting.
  • Mainly uses Chrome, Excel and Word. 
  • She feels comfortable with all the software she uses. 
  • Doesn't read e-books. She prefers reading on paper, because the computer tires her eyes. When must read a long text, she prints it. 
  • Websites: she visits Twitter, the local TV website. Also online newspapers.  

Using the computer for learning

  • Recently did some short courses on English language, and Writing techniques (face-to-face in all cases). 
  • Uses the Word to prepare the activities, the email to get in contact with classmates or the teacher. Also browses the internet to search information about the subject.  

Transition to observation mode

Wikipedia observation

  • At a first glance, she thinks that the page is very clear, because can see all the subjects that contain: "If I hadn't this index (the Contents table), I should search all over the page, but this makes it very clear" 
  • She would make some customization depending on the day: "Today I can read it well, but I have eyestrain and there are some days that I need a bigger text size." 
  • When asked to find information about the Netherlands' currency, she clicks on Economy in the Contents Table, but doesn't find the information. Then notes the right column and quickly finds the information there. 
  • Says that she can find easily the information because the page has a logical structure, the contents are ordered. 
  • If she had to read the whole article, she'd read it on screen. 
  • Doesn't find anything disturbing. 

Online newspaper

She selects Ara (www.ara.cat), a catalan newspaper.

  • First she says to prefer the printed version, because there are some days that her eyes are tired, but then doubts and says that also likes the online version, because she can jump more easily to the news that interest her. 
  • Thinks that the home is easy to read. She wouldn't change anything. The text size is ok. 
  • Also can read the article page well. No problems for reading. 

Favorite website

She selects Twitter as the favorite site.

  • Has no problem to read the text on Twitter. Feels a bit frustrated when tries to find more information about somebody (feels confused, doesn't understand clearly the website structure).