Fun project

1. Usability Lab Proposal
April 4, 2010
Matthew Pahls
Usability II
Mission Statement
We the Unity Group strive to deliver a product that will exceed your expectations, and we are well
prepared to accomplish the task of properly retrofitting your research group with a flexible
usability lab. The lab will give your team the proper facility to conduct and review many types of
usability exercises. We believe that modern system design and architecture demand that a user
centered design process be integrated into the overall business process that your company has. A
usability lab provides your team with a foundation on ascertaining user feedback in multiple
dimensions. Our team comes from a wide array of disciplines; we are able to not only plan the lab
to exceed all expectations, but implement every aspect of it. We have architects that will work
with your existing floor plan to deliver the most bang0-for-your-buck. We also have a team of
staging designers that will create an environment that makes your users feel completely
comfortable. We don't stop there; there are also a handful of carpenters that will construct all the
custom designs for any of your desk and storage needs. Our team of engineers will be able to
ensure all these elements are properly tied together and bring the functionality of the lab full
circle. Our team is truly excited on delivering a very successful implementation of your usability
lab
Hardware
Eye Tracking Station
Tobi T60 ($15,900.00 discount by turning in old 1750)
17 in TFT
Accuracy: .5 degrees
Drift: <0.3 degrees
Resolution : 1280 x 1024
Description: This unit allows the research team to capture the eye movement of the test
participant. This item is crucial when capturing the users’ reactions to a particular
tasking.
Desktop (Observer / Tester)
CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme ($969.99)
Location: Newegg.com
Processor: Intel Core i5 (2.66GHz)
Memory: 4GB DDR3 1333
Hard Drive: 1TB SATA-II 3.0b/s 7200 RPM
Optical Drive: 24X DVD±R/±RW Dual Layer Drive
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 1GB PCI Express Video Card
Description: Reduce the overall amount of differing hardware we recommend using the
same desktop for both the observer’s stations and the testing station. These machines are
aimed at gaming for their performance so they will be able to handle any of the minimum
software requirements.
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2. Usability Lab Proposal
April 4, 2010
Surge Protection (Desktop: Observer / Tester)
Surge arrest 11 (49.99 each)
Location: apc.com
Number of Outlets: 11
Normal Input Voltage: 120V
Input Frequency: 50/60 Hz
Cord Length: 2.44 Meters
Input Breaker Capacity: 15A
Laptop (Facilitator / Extra)
ASUS A52JR-X1 ($849.99 each)
Location: newegg.com
Size: 15.6 in
Processor: Intel Core i5 430M(2.26GHz)
Memory: 4GB DDR3
Hard Drive: 500GB
Optical Drive: DVD Super Multi
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470
Description: We want to minimize the impact of the facilitator in the testing room so we
will introduce a notebook. There will also be a second laptop purchased for the sole
purpose of remote usability testing / further research.
Plasma Monitor 50in (Observers Room)
Panasonic TH-50PH9UK ($1000.00)
Location: amazon.com
Processor: 16-bit processing to produce 3,072 steps of gradation
Contrast Level: 10,000:1
Service Life: 60,000-hour
Resolution: 1366 x 728
ENERGY STAR Qualified
Description: This device will be used to give the observer a better point of view on the
subjects being tested. This give brings the observer into the testing session instead of just
being behind the two way mirror.
Camera
VN-C11U ($1,025.00)
Location: jvc.com
Contrast: 1/3-in CCD sensor with 380,000 effective pixels
Compression: JPEG / MPEG4
Direct Ethernet Connection
Description: This unit will be utilized to give our observer an optimal viewing angle in the
observation room.
Video Multiplexer (Camera / Output from Tobi Eye Tracker)
NTI (769.99)
Location: antarespro.com
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3. Usability Lab Proposal
April 4, 2010
16 port VGA Switch
Resolution: 1900 X 1200
Power: 110 or 220 VAC
Warranty: 2 years
Description: This device will take the output from the camera / Tobi Eye Tracking
stations and deliver a signal to the 50 in plasma monitor in the observer’s room.
Network Access Storage
LG N2R1DD2 ($379.99)
Location: newegg.com
Capacity: 1TB 7,200 RPM
Form Factor: 2Bay
Operating System: Windows, Mac OS 10, Linux
LCD: Display shows information / alerts
Warranty: 1 Year Limited Parts / Labor
ENERGY STAR 3.0 Compliant
Description: Having multiple points of storage is paramount in ensuring that your data is
always protected and these network solutions are truly simple and have the ability to
present your data to all your machines.
Mic System
PYLE PDWM4400 4 Mic ($112.17)
Location: amazon.com
VHF wireless system
RF indicator and AF level meters
Individual volume controls
Description: The mics will be used in various configurations that will allow the research
team to accomplish all their audio needs.
Speakers
JBL Control 24C ($198.00)
Location: amazon.com
Size: 4in
2-Way Vented ceiling Mounted pair
Rack Enclosure
XRackPro2 ($799.99)
Location: xrackpro.com
6U Cabinet
Noise Reduction Enclosure
Description: This enclosure will be used to house the video multiplexer and the wireless
mic receiver.
Surge Protection (Audio / Video)
Surge Assist ($99.99)
Location: apc.com
Number of Outlets: 9
Normal Input Voltage: 120V
Input Frequency: 50 / 60 Hz
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4. Usability Lab Proposal
April 4, 2010
Input Breaker Capacity: 15A
Description: This surge protection will be located in the observation room and will
protect all the valuable equipment. The surge protection unit will be located in the rack
cabinet and only take up one unit spot.
Smart Board (Observers / Testing Room)
Panasonic UB-T780 Interactive Whiteboard ($1,425 each)
Electronic Pen ($131.00)
Diagonal Dimensions: 77in
Interface: USB 2.0
Warranty: 120 Days
Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Macintosh 10.4.10 / 10.5
Description: Smart boards are a great way to record input and to be able to store it in its
original format.
Software
Eye Tracker
Tobii Studio Professional ($4140)
Tobii SDK ($3900)
Location: Tobii.com
Description: These tools are essential for the lab and the eye tracking station. The SDK
will give your research team the ability to customize the software to suit your specific
goals.
Usability Testing
Morae ($ 1200 two computer license)
Location: techsmith.com
Description: This software will capture every aspect of your testing session. The software
is also a great tool when reviewing and marking up your test sessions. Morae will be
placed on both the testing station and one of the laptops.
Backup (Online)
Carbonite Pro ($100 monthly)
Location: carbonitepro.com
Description: Combined with the network storage solution this software will ensure your
data will be available in the event of a disaster.
Camcorder
View Commander NVR Pro ($425)
Location: ivimg.com
Description: This software will capture all traffic produced from the observation camera.
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5. Usability Lab Proposal
April 4, 2010
Lab Layout
Testing Room
The testing room is large enough to accommodate multitudes of testing arrangements. The
custom desk that will be constructed allows the facilitator to oversee either a single user session
or conduct a group discussion. The shape cleverly puts the facilitator around the action, but
minimizes their overall presence in it. I would also like to note that there is a window that allows
natural light to enter the facility, and bring the outside in. This will promote relaxation and
elevate the sense of being trapped in a lab. This demonstration is only an outline of what the
room will functionally be presented as. Once the basic construction has been completed our
design team will work on creating a space that is truly inviting.
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6. Usability Lab Proposal
April 4, 2010
Observation Room
The observation room will function as the command center for all your testing applications. The
room is airy and not cramped. You team will have plenty of desk space to observe, record, and
conduct further research. Some of the features that are present in the testing room are present in
the observation room. Utilizing a smart board in this room allows the team to take notes and
have them automatically tracked alongside the research. The 50 inch plasma monitor brings the
observation team into the action without actually being in the room. The area is also sound proof
so your internal discussion will not affect any testing that is going on, and the mic system will
allow the observation team to communicate if necessary.
The Unity group would like to thank you for your time and consideration. The elements
presented above will no doubtfully give you a leading edge facility that can accommodate all your
usability needs. If you have any questions concerns or comments please feel free to contact us
anytime.
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