A Study on User's Thinking and Behavior in Operation Sequence-Using a Foldable Bicycle as an Example

• Main Authors: HSIAO CHUN FANG, 蕭淳方
• Other Authors: LIAO HSUEH-SHU
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/38323979724612093208

碩士 === 華梵大學 === 工業設計系碩士班 === 93 === Abstract In this study, the author focused upon the thinking model users adopt in their operational sequences in using a foldable bicycle. The purpose is to transform the users’ operations into coding data so as to observe the mental activity users adopt in their thinking behaviors. Through the procedure of observation and recording, the relationships between product usage and user’s operational behaviors and ways of thinking are explored by protocol analysis. In this study, the subject consists of six design juniors who do not have the experience of using foldable bicycles. To contrast the differences of user’s thinking model, tasks were divided into two groups: one with manual reading and the other without manual reading. The selection of tasks primarily depended upon the product popularity and the experimental objectivity. In the experiment, the user’s behaviors were completely taken down from a close-up camera and a distant one. From the analysis, it has been found that users will conduct Observation, Decision Making, Evaluation, and Operation behaviors. From the analysis of tables and diagrams, there exist certain relationships between the frequency, number, and sequential order of such mental activities. Through the analysis of the user’s thinking model in operating products, the author came to the following conclusions: (1) The learning experience users obtain during the operation procedure will affect the efficiency of product operation. If the case that users do not have the manual at hand, they tend to make decisions according to their previous experience and try the product, causing the efficiency to be very low. (2) In operating a product, users will adopt observation and thinking behaviors. From the result of the experiment, it is clear that when the frequency of observing manual is higher, more evaluation and decision making happen, meanwhile reducing the frequency of operation. (3) When the frequency of operating a certain unit is too high and there exist jumping steps in using a product, it often means that the user has difficulty in operating the product. Therefore, time-consuming and complicated tasks will exert an impact upon user’s value perception and evaluation toward the product. (4) It is easy to induce mistakes in operation where the recognition of the operation unit is low in semantics, graphic icons or product structure is low. Sometimes, users will do the task incompletely or totally give up. (5) A manual improperly designed will not help users with their operation. Moreover,it will cause a lot of trouble in reading and decision making. Therefore, the operation manual should be carefully design, including the language, description of the content, text font and size, operational sequence planning, visibility of the illustration, explanation of the terminology, and so on. During a user’s operation, there are principles regarding the user’s thinking and behaviors to follow. With the time passing by, change will always happen in user’s operation and thinking model. Furthermore, because of different previous experience, different users’ operation and thinking models vary. The operational sequence analysis does not only cover operational behaviors. It should be presented in combination with the user’s mental judgment and physical responses through operational stages.