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Summary– Tasks
Task # 1: Delete a task
The users found this task of deleting “conduct the pilot study” fairly easy as indicated by their average rating for run 1 (3. ...
Run 1
Commonly followed path: Select task “Writing abstract” Select the Resource Wizard Select “Specify people and equipment on your project” Click on “Back” on the software interface Select “Assigning people and equipment to tasks” Select task “Writing abstract” again Select “Assign Resources” (Assign Resource dialogue box appears) Select “ Parthiv” Click “Assign” and then “Close”. ... )) (mouse over) Read the prompts given in the drop down Select “Choose different options to schedule this task” (Deadlines and Constraints wizard appears on the left) Under “Constraint a Task”, select the constraint “Finish No Later Than” Set the constraint date as 05/07/2004 Done
Run 2
Example followed path: Select task “Submitting the interim report” From the Task Wizard, select “Set deadlines and constraint tasks” (Opens deadlines and constraint wizard) Under “Constraint a Task”, select the constraint “Finish No Later Than” Set the constraint date as 05/07/2004 Done
Errors:
• Most of the users had the notion of setting a constraint to a task to be same as setting a deadline. ...
Run 1
Commonly followed path: Select task “Writing conclusions and discussions” Select “Task Wizard” Select “Schedule Tasks” (Schedule Tasks Wizard opens up) Select “Create a Start to Start link” Error message (required to select the two or more tasks to be linked by holding the Ctrl key Select both “Writing results” and “Writing conclusions and discussions” using the Ctrl key Select “Create a Start to Start link”
Run 2
Commonly followed path 1: Select task “Writing conclusions and discussions” Set the start date as 6/1/2004(same start date as “writing results) Planning Wizard Select ‘Remove the link and move “Writing conclusions and discussions” to start on Tue, 1, ’04 Ok
Commonly followed path followed 2: Select task “Writing results” Right click on the task name field Select “Task Information” “Predecessors” Under “Type” choose “Start to Start” from the drop down menu” Select task “Writing conclusions and discussions” Right click on the task name field Select “Task Information” “Predecessors” Under “Type” choose “Start to Start” from the drop down menu”
Errors:
• Two users (33% of the users) went about doing task twice even though they had completed the task successfully the first itself. ... 10
• One user tried to set dependency between the tasks using the link icon on the menu bar. This link icon bar provides a shortcut to linking the tasks but does not change the dependency between the two tasks.
• One user tried to the set the dependency between the tasks by manipulating the start dates of the tasks so that the two tasks start on the same date. However, by doing he happened to remove the link between the two tasks. ...
Task # 6: Adding a Milestone task
The task of setting a milestone as concluded from the pilot study turned out to the more difficult of the tasks. ... 12
Optimal path: Select task “Celebrate” “Insert” New Task Type “Project Completed” in the task name field Set the duration to ‘0’ days
Run 1
Commonly followed path: Help Typed in “Create a milestone” Select task “Submit the final report” “Insert” New Task Undo Select task “Celebrate” “Insert” New Task Typed in “Project Completed” in the task name field Set the duration to ‘0’ days
Run 2
Commonly followed path: Select task “Celebrate” Insert” New Task Type “Project Completed” in the task name field Set the duration to ‘0’ days
Errors:
• This task of creating a milestone had two sub tasks; insert the task and then set the task as a milestone by changing its duration to ‘0’ days. ...
• One user wrongly assumed the bolded summary tasks as milestone tasks and hence tried to bold the task “Project completed”. ...
Task # 7: Prepare a new schedule
This task is made up of several sub tasks like
• Entering two tasks
• Assigning two resources to both the tasks
• Setting a project start date. ... Only one person did not learn how to assign resources to the tasks. ... 13
• The software application calculates the duration of the tasks considering Saturdays and Sundays as non-working days. This created confusion among the users as they tried to compare the start and finish dates of the tasks provided by the software application with those they calculated manually.
Approximate Word count = 3604
Approximate Pages = 14.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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