PICTIVE

PICTIVE is a participatory design method for the creation of software interfaces to interactive systems. It stands for "Plastic Interface for Collaborative Technology Initiatives through Video Exploration". It is used to design what an interface will look like and how it will behave.

PICTIVE was begun in reaction to conventional software prototyping environments, where the opinions of the real users of the end product are often not fully taken into account. The intent was to provide a non-software-based "rapid prototyping" environment incorporating low-tech materials for manipulation on an equal-opportunity basis.

The basic method involves a number of sessions which consist of about 6 stakeholders of the system discussing ideas around a table. Simple office materials are used to design the system interface and the session is recorded using a video camera.

PICTIVE presentation.

The Method

• Inputs
  
  
  • Participants - The design team involved in a PICTIVE session incorporates 6 people in supporting roles such as:
    
    
    • The actual users of the end system.
    • The developers of the system.
    • Human factors specialist.
    • Market specialist.
    • Tester.
    • Technical writer.
      
      Members of the design team serve as peers co-designers and bring their various issues and expertise to this common design environment.
    
    
    
  • Environment
    
    In a PICTIVE session, a video camera & recorder is used to record the design surface - an area on the table where the activities which the design team engages.
    
    The method operates more effectively in a common environment i.e. each session runs in the same room and around the same table.
    
    
    
  • Materials Used - The materials required in a session can be categorised into 2 groups:
    
    Generic: objects that are used in most exercises e.g. coloured pens, coloured (sticky) papers & scissors.
    
    Specialised: components and icons that are constructed in advance to meet the needs/constraints of the user's jobs or tasks e.g. pop-up icons that are domain specific, specific pop-up menus and dialogues etc. Specific objects can be changed over time as the session progresses.
  
  
  
• Procedure
  
  
  • Pre-session Homework Assignments - The participants in the design session are required to complete homework assignments before the session:
    
    
    • Users: The tasks they want the system to do and the steps required to do them.
      
      
    • Developers: The components required to provide the system functionality, which the users will manipulate.
      
      
    • Other participants: Prepare materials/concepts that are appropriate to their domain of expertise.
      
      
    
    
  • Interactive Design Session
    
    The session normally begins with the participants reviewing and introducing their homework assignments. This familiarises participants with other's viewpoints which assists in them meeting each other's needs.
    
    The participants collaborate to design the system, using the materials on the design surface and their individual expertise. The whole session is recorded on the video equipment. Through the use of low-tech materials, an informal atmosphere is created which encourages imagination and experimentation - a midway between work and play. Participants work out their own ideas directly - thus to help equalise contribution between the participants, and the concrete visualisation that PICTIVE employs.
    
    
  • Usability Test
    
    When the design is complete, the session ends with a usability test. The participants go through various tasks that the user might want to perform with the system. Buttons and objects on the paper interface are pressed by the users, with the developers manipulating other components and windows to explain the resulting actions.
    
    Through applying the procedure, many missing links and incomplete functionality may become apparent, which results in the iterative re-design of the interface and further usability tests.
    
    
  • Characteristics of the Method
    
    
    • Reciprocal Education: each participant's perspectives, personal stakes & competence are explained to other participants
      
      
    • Reciprocal Preparation: above explanations are made easier if the participants do their homework assignments
      
      
    • Reciprocal Validation: allows participants to collaborate across disciplinary & organisational boundaries through mutual understanding while remaining faithful to their own views/experiences
      
      
    • Visual Communication Made Concrete: participants are engaged to make their views and needs clear by using concrete examples depicted visually
      
      
    • Emergent Designs: design accommodates all the participants needs and views due to the collaboration
      
      
    • Consensus Decision-Making: due to multiple contributions, decisions tends to be made by consensus, rather than voting which disenfranchises the minority
      
      
• Outputs
  
  
  • Video Recording
    
    
    • Users: The tasks they want the system to do and the steps required to do them.
      
      
  • Paper Prototype
    
    
    • Users: The tasks they want the system to do and the steps required to do them.

• Video Records
  
  The main problem with PICTIVE is the fact that the video record lacks structure. A typical session generates a two hour uninterrupted video tape, and there may be many of these sessions in a typical design process. These recordings are very difficult to index and are even more difficult to scan for relevant information. There is talk of using more advanced computer video recording and compression techniques so the recordings are easier to manipulate.

• The Task
  
  The system interface which was to be designed using PICTIVE was an MP3 player. The class was split into groups of 6, and each was given a camera and a set of office materials. The approach taken by most groups was to split the members into individual roles as users and developers.
  
  Some time was spent setting up the video equipment. Various tests were carried out to configure the camera and ensure the recording was clear when played back (both the sound quality and the clarity of the interface icons).

• Evaluation of the design session
  
  Using an MP3 player as an example system to be designed in the sessions led to a few problems. The first is that because MP3 players are freely available and used by many people, everyone in the group had experience in using them. Although this was useful from the point of view everyone knew the system to be designed, it led to a lack of creativity and new ideas from the participants. Also, is caused some role confusion since all members of the group knew how to design the interface as well as what functions it was to perform. This wasn't helped by the fact that all participants were developers anyway, since they all came from a Computer Science background.
  
  The design sessions suffered slightly from the lack of proper materials - the only stickies available were coloured yellow so they didn't show up very well on the white design surface. Also the selection of felt pens and markers were quite limited.
  
  When viewing the resulting videos, the television used had only a small screen so it was difficult to see the icons and components of the interface.

• Method Evaluation
  
  As far as our experience with the actual method goes, we found it difficult to run the session in accordance with the time given, since the method does not clearly define individual sub-tasks which can be allocated time and followed.