MUSICBLOX

damn.exe

Flash Prototype Presentation

MUSICBLOX

TEAM MEMBERS Anika Talapatra Mayank Mehta Nicolas Gaumond Zeid Al-Hammami

MUSICBLOX

A music creation toy. Children ages 5 and up. Designed to allow children to be creative, without requiring any instrumental aptitude. MusicBlox is a direct mapping from composition

using notes, to composition using blocks. Explore the process of music composition,

learning the sounds in relation to one another and harmonies between notes.

MUSICBLOX USERS

Assumptions about users: Ability to distinguish between colors. Ability to memorize/associate notes to

colors. Basic motor and listening skills. Basic comprehension of picture labels. Creative capability and musical motivation!

PHYSICAL DESIGN

NOTEBLOXNOTEBLOX 8 colors, 8 notes Connect using

affordances on sides of the blocks

Note name, and staff position

PHYSICAL DESIGN

MAINBLOX Instrument selection

toggle button with default setting

Choose guitar, flute, or piano

Play/stop rocker button

USAGE SCENARIO

Link several noteBlox Link noteBlox chain to

the mainBlox Select instrument Press play/stop Remove mainBlox

and demo composition to parents

USAGE SCENARIO

NoteBlox lights up as they play!

Identify and replace ‘wrong’ notes.

EVOLUTION OF THE INTERFACE

Iterative design method Empirical results from Evaluation Plan at

each stage User-driven changes

OVERALL EVALUATION CRITERIA

  Intuitive connection of noteBlox. No more than four task-oriented instruction

diagrams.  Less than five seconds to add each noteBlox;

focus on goal, the musical piece.Easy identification/change of notes within a

string of noteBlox. Natural memorization of different tones using

different colors of the noteBlox.

EVOLUTION: STAGE 1PAPER PROTOTYPE

Basic concept formation Remove idea of chords

and multiple note lengths

Remove baseBlox Simplifies design for

feasibility

EVOLUTION: STAGE 2EVALUATION PLAN

I – QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT

- Intuitiveness of interface:

Time to assemble/play first song

- Learnability:

Time to assemble/play second song

- Number of mistakes to correct use

II – COGNITIVE WALKTHROUGH

- How does the interface support each step of usage?

- NoteBlox colors and side affordances

- Labels on mainBlox- Note lights as it plays

EVOLUTION: STAGE 2EVALUATION PLAN

III – HEURISTIC CRITERIA- Visibility of system status- User control and freedom- Error prevention- Aesthetic and minimalist design- Help users recognize, diagnose and

recover from errors

EVOLUTION: STAGE 2 SOFTWARE PROTOTYPE

CHANGES

1. Default instrument: Satisfies error prevention

2. Play/stop rocker: Satisfies visibility of system status

Overall criteria satisfied

damn.exe

EVOLUTION: STAGE 3ALPHA PROTOTYPE

CHANGES1. Drawings showing instruments for toggle

selection button: Satisfies Visibility of system status

2. More detailed user diagram: Satisfies Error prevention and recovery

3. Internalize LED’s: Satisfies Aesthetic and minimalist design, safer for children

EVOLUTION: STAGE 3ALPHA PROTOTYPE

POSITIVE USER RESPONSES

1. Physical affordances were clear

2. Staff markings provide good mapping

3. Familiar/“intuitive” language used

4. Buttons clear to use and indicate state

5. Visually appealing bright colors

EVOLUTION: STAGE 4BETA PROTOTYPE

MUSICBLOX

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