For a class project, we had to redesign a Garmin eTrex Vista handheld GPS device. This is a rugged device used by travelers and hikers to find their location, track waypoints, and collect trip data. Our goal was to improve the handheld ergonomics (ensuring durability for an outdoor environment), simplify the design, and improve the usability for the top tasks.
All the participants said they enjoyed using the device, and were 100% successful in accomplishing the 3 goals in the usability test. Although the device was comfortable to hold, some participants said it was too big to carry around. In addition, some of the buttons were too far away for participants with small hands. Overall, it was an improvement over the Garmin eTrex Vista design, but still required further refinement.
These are a few pages from the redesign project report, which outlined the objectives, personas, scenarios, prototype design, methodology, usability test script and results, test materials, and data files.
A number of personas had been defined in a previous project. This study chose to focus on the traveler persona.
Prototypes of the device were created with clay to evaluate different form factors. The goal was to find an ergonomic fit that would allow for one-hand operation, and had all the controls within the arc of the thumb.
For each scenario, a user interface flow was sketched out. This allowed us to rapidly explore different ideas for interaction with the device.
This schematic shows the interaction model of the device. When the screen is closed, a compass appears with a simple arrow indicator showing the direction toward the user's goal. When the lid is opened, a display is revealed with a number of buttons, including one for speech recognition.
These wireframes show the flow for finding a location, setting it as a destination, and walking toward it. In this example, speech recognition is used to perform a search, saving time that would have been wasted typing in characters.
