Obversive Wiki - View Source: UsabilityGoalSetting

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

!! Data Management

* 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 Viewing/Editing
* 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
* 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

!! Output Management
* 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.