Comments on: Canola development update, or : we are not dead =)

By: j2me software

j2me software — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:15:26 +0000

I like iphone keyboard demo.

By: MoRpHeUz’s Blog » Blog Archive » Canola’s Media Player

MoRpHeUz’s Blog » Blog Archive » Canola’s Media Player — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:49:35 +0000

[...] About Nov 21 Canola’s Media Player By morpheuzAdd commentsMaemo, Mobile, General Canola’s team have been busy during the last months trying to make real Marcelo’s dreams and thoughts. [...]

By: Handful of Nothing » Blog Archive » Canola with Carman?

Handful of Nothing » Blog Archive » Canola with Carman? — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:13:35 +0000

[...] the first 2.0 video, here you can notice that we really killed the scrolling. To keep main icon hidden is a incredible [...]

By: Wanting

Wanting — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:19:18 +0000

The iphone keyboard demo is cool.

But this would be waay cooler!

http://video.google.com/url?docid=1879279396155616104

By: handful

handful — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 01:26:14 +0000

@cesman : yes. Actually not only the remote but also the integration with more hardware to provide that (some wifi 2 irda things etc) but we are very open to suggestion from end users =)

So thanks for your example =)

By: cesman

cesman — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 19:21:22 +0000

While it is on my mind… Since MythTV can be controlled via telnet. Has the development team thought about a remote in the TV section of the new Canola? I somethings use a web remote to control MythTV this way! http://www.mythtv.co.nz/mythtv/?p=30

Regards,

Cecil

By: handful

handful — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 11:39:18 +0000

@shawn : actually they act like paper prototypes, but they don’t go into real testing. We use to solve macro problems. I can say they go into testing like the multi tasker, the back to home interaction… the basic, but for me some of the most important.
So our method has been something like this :

1. we define a first set of guidelines (canola is all based on : let’s use the borders / corners for the most important interactions (some fitt’s law) )
2. we draw (like you saw) almost all the possibilities we gather on the brainstorms (at this point we do ask some users, but not real testing, it’s more internal) and we also measure with the competitors on the market (is people used to click and hold ? We don’t think so, so nothing crucial can be there – eg: the Nokia S60 multitask is a click and hold action. A lot of users don’t know about it, what causes a lot of memory issues etc etc..)
3. we create the basic features tasks flow (the storyboard) on the paper also, and on some kind of visio (in our case omnigraffle)
4. with those is created the flash mockup where we have a second chance to analyse the interactions, play a little with transitions, and of course test on the device a little bit (even being pretty slow) so again internal testing is always happening
5. define a set of experiments for the most complicated part to be done already in code (script). Before EVAs this was quite hard but now to experiment a new ui item is quite fast, so we can test for example real keyboard, scrolling methods in the device faster than having to wait for a developer’s time to do it.
6. from step 3 ahead, there’s already someone creating a more “attractive” mockup’s on photoshop that are used by the development team to develop/test the screens.
7. once we have the beta, we have a group of beta testers that use it, report issues (then we rank it), and sometimes (the best thing: send us video of them using) this is the best usability test for me. Real users, real needs, real environments , no user task list, no pressure and no need to worry if the subject of testing is them or the actual product.

This is more less what I would call our process, but for sure is pretty flexible depending on the product’s profile. What I really like about our freedom is the ability to change more than if we were on a more “solid” process like rup or other software process used by big companies. So if we find some mistake we don’t need to wait for a next iteration to fix / improve it.

Marcelo

By: Don

Don — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 11:07:36 +0000

I’m really impressed with Canola – along with the Mozilla developments in the browser, Skype, the ability to use 8MByte SDHC cards & a few other local applications such as Quiver for photo browsing it’s adding up to a tremendous platform. Ultimately, though, it’s gotta work slick & bug free to encourage uptake of the device outside the current community of, predominantly, tech heads otherwise Nokia may just pull the plug on it and we’ll be left with a brick!

Thanks for continuing to develop Canola (and all the others)

Don

By: Shawn Medero

Shawn Medero — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 03:53:56 +0000

Were the drawings in your posted image used as prototypes (tested with people) or just as sketches? If they were used in actual testing, could you describe your methods? (People we’re given goals… or just given the interfaces and asked to interact with it in some way… etc)

By: cesman

cesman — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 15:03:25 +0000

Thanks for the update! Seeing the Canola videos was the driving force behind getting an 800. I’ll ensure KnoppMyth is gmyth ready this weekend.

Regards,

Cecil