Chapter 4 - Develop Task Flows and Scenarios

Abstract

Two proven techniques for understanding the context of a prototype are creating a task flow and writing related scenarios. A task flow depicts the steps that users perform to complete a task or a series of tasks. A task flow also shows the dependencies and order of steps in a process, such as a business process or work flow. A scenario is a narration of that task flow in a specific context, such as a critical incident or a day-in-the-life story using the product. These two techniques provide a more vivid understanding of the software's purpose and how users would interact with it. For example, they provide an understanding of what happens when a user clicks on a button or why the user would want to do that. For effective prototyping, a task flow charts the user's actions and thought processes to complete a task. Task flow mapping makes it possible to design and allocate tasks in a sequence of screens. It also identifies new functions appropriate for inclusion in the user interface, which can then be accurately defined and specified in the context of use. This chapter discusses getting the components for a prototype by creating task flows and scenarios.