Obversive Wiki - Usability Goal Setting

Based on the ContextualTaskAnalysis, we have determined that ObveRsive should meet the following goals, categorized by task:

The user should be able to manage data without relying on R function notation, and using familiar "Select File" interfaces common to modern GUIs.
The user should be able to convert between data formats using the same interfaces as saving and loading, with a slight modification for translation type.
The user should be able to save "quickly" without using an interface.
Working with data should be as similar to using a spreadsheet program as possible.
For advanced transformations, it might be possible to allow a user to enter a small piece of code, or tell them to use the console.

Data should be viewed and edited in the same spreadsheet interface.
Quick descriptive statistics useful for getting a "feel" for the data should be readily available without going through the complicated "action running" process.
Sorting should be a "non-permanent" action.
Overall, a user should be able to view and edit data much faster and more intuitively than with the traditional R "edit()" command.

Analysis should be based on running Actions or Action Sequences
Actions are created by Action Developers in order to provide a usable interface to more complex operations
A basic wizard interface and other interfaces should be provided to Action Developers so they can gather information from users necessary to run actions
Very common transformations should not require running entire actions

Outputs from actions should be browseable using an interface similar to a web browser.
The outputs that actions generate should be standardized so they are easily included in reports.
The user should be able to see all available outputs, and the results of different runs should be separated and easily identified
It might be good to include a basic "chart making" package that would help create reports. There are several available for free that can be included.