Authoring Tool Evaluation
October 8, 2002.
| Issues | Suggestion | Priority | Responsibilities |
| LOR Location prompt | It would be really nice if we could just hardcode this for the trial especially if the web-based one will not require a pointer to the repository. Or at least have the explorer point to the AT folder so that less navigating is required. | ||
| Meta Data of existing learning objects | In the trial version it will be best if all learning objects have relevant titles | ||
| Insert Caption from repository: Type and Language prompt | It surprised me that I was prompted about the type and language of a pre-made caption track. Is it meant to be informative or do you really think that it is appropriate to change the type at this point? Information about the track is already available at the selection point so having the other window pop up seems redundant and scary for Ms. Smith. | ||
| Insert caption/annotation from repository does not actually work (the rest of them are fine) | Probably this problem is unique to my set-up but IÕm telling you just in case (and I did do the ÒreplaceÓ thing although it was not obvious that it did anything) | ||
| Insert New needs an escape hatch on dialogue boxes | Include a cancel button on insert new dialogue boxes. Hitting x still results in a track being inserted | ||
| Right click menu | It would be a nice touch to have right click access to the edit menu on the track title bar. | ||
| Save presentation | Where the heck does it go? OK, I found this information in the meta data and have a gripe about that too. The save function should indicate where the save is happening and provide opportunity to cancel the operation and to change the folder location. Creation of a new folder at this point is standard and should be available as well. | ||
| Presentation Location | I used the location but added a non-existent file and a new file name then hit close and then clicked save all. No error messages, no warnings and the thing saved where it wanted to with the name it wanted in the first place. A browse and create new folder function here would be excellent or remove altogether and leave location information for the save function. I guess the whole thing might be complicated by the fact it will be web-based and I am treating it like it is not but even still I think following the typical save set-up for a local application will make the whole thing more intuitive. The most important thing, I think, is that the location information be added to the save function in the form of a dialogue even if it just shows the location from the meta-data without opportunity to change it there. There should always be a cancel though. | ||
| Edit meta-data when track not selected does not prompt for track selection | Add a Please select a track prompt | ||
| Time setting could be confusing | Consider adding a heading above the setting box that shows hh:mm:ss.0 or something like that | ||
| Dialogue boxes for insert from LOR do not show up on task bar and are not always on top of window yet they lock the AT if they are not completed | Have dialogue always on top or on task bar so that if it is accidentally buried under another application window there is a hint about what the problem is when the AT wonÕt work. | ||
| Some language is techie-talk | Ms. Smith would probably rather know the new style will be the same as the old style except where she makes changes. Parent and inherit are not used in this way by non-developers and may be confusing. | ||
All things told, I found using the AT OK. The dialogue boxes for meta-data seemed complicated and could have the opposite of their intended effect: users may feel overwhelmed and not enter any information rather than provide the detailed information needed to make a system like this work. I would like a less technical feeling dialogue in this area or option to have a guided walk through the meta-data inputs. Perhaps this is where training and documentation come in as a factor. I liked how easily I could manipulate blocks within the track and found that it was a simple task to add new tracks and tracks from the repository (this comment excludes the meta-data dialogues).