Using Content Analysis as an Interface Design Tool

Abstract

As a precursor to functional analysis, a content analysis was done to guide improvements for the interface design of a printed circuit board design system. Content analysis, as a design tool, requires users to judge the usefulness of task information and then prioritize it based on one or more specified attributes. For this application, content analysis was completed using 11 judges experienced in printed circuit board layout. All judges were asked to work within the context of a particular printed circuit board example. Two attributes, task relevance and order, were considered by judges as they sorted tasks. An inter-rater reliability check was performed and one judge was eliminated from further analysis. From the remaining pool of 10 judges, 32 tasks central to the activity of board layout were discovered. A model was built using cluster analysis and MDS algorithms which was based on relevant tasks, task order and task concurrence. The model was then compared to the current menu structure of a mature design layout interface and recommendations for interface modifications were made. Notes on using content analysis to do interface design and evaluation as well as recommendations for further use are discussed.