Research Proposal on Database Usability Issues

There are assorted types of database usability issues you could talk roughly the problems that occur when a drug user views a database system . i. e. the user will elate different from what the database contains. But with the advance in design of highly interactive calculating machine systems continues at an ever-increase pace, with saucily developments in hardware and software being announced much(prenominal) frequently than ever before. (Lawson, J. Yull, S. Anderson, H. K nont, G. & Waites, N. 2005, pg 258)So with the increasing interactive computer systems, within this res spike heelch proposal I am going to talk ab break the problems that a user may come across in the form of virtual reality VR, pictorial user porthole GUI and human computer interaction / interface HCI. The aim of this unit is to hand over an understanding of the importance of VR, GUI and HCI in the development of user friendly computer software and to affirm the reader about the components that may be involved in these features.The Objectives that I want to achieve is to define what is meant by the terms VR, GUI and HCI. I besides want to show what applications use practical(prenominal) reality, humankind computer Interaction and in writing(p) User Interface. The motivation I had to pick the topic of database usability issues was that I lose learned about it in the past and I felt confident that it is an area that I enjoyed. It is remediate to write about roughthing that you enjoy, so then the reader whoremaster feel the confidence in the review. It was likewise a topic I wanted to look further into especially the HCI incidentor.Within this initial lit review I have looked at a number of books and websites that I feel would benefactor me in findings definitions for all usability features. I besides looked at what applications use virtual(prenominal) Reality, gentleman Computer Interaction and Graphical User Interface. According to (http//searchcio-midmarket. t echtar describe. com/sDefinition/0,,sid183_gci213303,00. html ) virtual(prenominal) reality is an artificial environment that is make upd with software and presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment. This means that the user will have a emotion of being able to enter a virtual world. about of the current virtual reality environments are displayed either on a computer screen, and some simulations compensate include additional sensory information, such as sound through speakers or headphone. All the features betray a pretend virtual reality world seem real. The uses for virtual reality are infinite. It can be used for air traffic control, medicine, entertainment, office work and industrial design.However, along with the good comes the bad. Virtual Reality could also be used for destructive purposes, such as war and crime. (http//library. thinkquest. org/26890/virtualrealityt. htm) So with having the splendiferous featu re of being submersed into an alternative world, at that place can also be downsides as tumefy. For poser I would say that gaming would be one of the most popular virtual realities, and in the intelligence you also here about how bet ons are taking over childrens lifes, and it is contri only whened to make kids obese.This is true, plainly if used in the correct manner a VR can cause feeling of excitement. GUI or Graphical User Interface would possibly be the graphics that may be used to help create a virtual world. Galitz, W. (2007) also made a good point in saw that GUIs are looked at in terms of their components, characteristics, and advantages over the older text-based systems. (Galitz, W. 2007) A brilliant name I feel was found on (http//searchwindevelopment. techtar arrive at. com/sDefinition/0,,sid8_gci213989,00. tml). A GUI is a graphical (rather than purely textual) user interface to a computer. As you read this, you are looking at the GUI. I love this quote because its true, I know that there are no images or graphics on this document, but if you were to open this document on a web browser this would be the graphical user interface you would see. I personally feel that graphics play a major role within a program whether it is a website, database or presentation. I feel as if people recognise images before text.For voice if we look at YouTube, people automatically recognise videos before even reading its title or description. On a website your eye is drawn to an image. So by having a program that turn backs high tincture images, and mayhap even videos, you will be catching the audiences attention. HCI or Human Computer Interaction is a process that evaluates the interaction between the user and a program. For example does the user soak up advantage of features a program may have, do they use headphones when using a program.Everything that is used to create a VR (virtual reality) or create GUI (graphical user interface) is put into play at HCI. According to (Dix, A. Finlay, J. Abowd, G. & Beale, R. 2004) Human computer interaction is the study of how people interact with computers and to what extent computers are or are not developed for successful interaction with human beings. So HCI pretends into account both sides of the computers users. It looks at things worry the computer graphics, operating system, and programming language and on the human side according to (Cairns, P. Cox, A. 2008) communication theory, graphic and industrial design disciplines, linguistics, social science, cognitive psychology, and human performance are relevant. So for a program to incorporate good HCI, it could contain features such as movable interfaces with pull-down menus, dialog books, check boxes, scroll bars etcetera By incorporating features like these to a program the user will feel they have more of a input on what they are doing, this mainly created by the fact that the user will get the feeling that they are controlling wha t they do.But according to (Preece, J. Rogers, Y. Sharp, H. Benyon, D. Holland, S. & Carey, T. 1994) A decade ago, when our understanding of HCI was more limited, many systems developers force have felt that good intentions were the major requirement for producing an effective HCI design. However with the amount of changes that computers have gone(a) through in the past decade, HCI is now better than it ever was. HCI nowadays is about giving a user the freedom to interact fully with a program whether it be a website, a game or a database etc.With the rapid increase in new technologies and computers now smaller than ever, with more applications available and more advanced virtual reality experiences we can only wonder what else can the future day hold. We have already switched to digital photographs, mobile phones with GPRS, something that 20 years ago would have been laughed at. In fact GUI has taken a major leap into high definition. HCI has improved with the aspect of touch sc reens and radio set keyboards etc, and Virtual Reality has even branched out into the ergonomics sector.It has produced a chair that will suck in audio and vibrations from a program on a computer or TV. For example if you get irradiation at in a game, you will feel as if the bullet is just passing you ear and the vibrations captivate you so you feel like you in the actual game. But there is still some questions that need answered like 1. Why hasnt the changes in HCI and GUI have an effect on things like teletext? 2. I would also like to research into a device that has become available in the abide year and find out why it hasnt been available before. 3.I want to find out how far Virtual Reality can stretch. 4. I would also like to know if VR, HCI, GUI has had a major impact on the obese children of Brittan. 5. What elderly people think about the change in technology today? 6. Finally I would love to know how childhoods have changed over the years with more and more computer devi ces available. I would use the internet mainly to gather my findings, but I would also look towards books and journals. I would use search engines to help me answer question one, and two. By doing this I could take care different sites that might give me answers.I would probably use on-line forums for question three and four, to get a prospective on other people opinions. But for question four I would also use news websites to find statistics if any. For question five I would maybe visit an elderly / solitude home, or send out questionnaires hoping to find information that will help me answer my questions, I would also use questionnaires for question sestet but a little less complex maybe. As well as the questionnaires for question six I would probably go to a prepare and ask the kids myself, to get a real response.To obtain answers from my research I would plan question six before school ends for summer, I would ask the kids what they plan to do for the summer, and when they re turn in September I would ask the analogous kids what they actually did with the summer. I would use the same concept for question four, I would ask for permission to maybe take note of different kids weight and height before they left for summer, and after they return from there break I would weigh and measure the same kids to work out if the summer has been an active one.Everything else I feel has no major rush but maybe for question three I would take note of the highest quality Virtual Reality system there is available now and in six months I would check if it has been improved any. REFERNCES Cairns, P. Cox, A. (2008) Research Methods for Human-Computer Interaction Dix, A. Finlay, J. Abowd, G. Beale, R. (2004) Human-Computer Interaction Galitz, W. (2007) The essential guide to user interface design Lawson, J. Yull, S. Anderson, H. Knott, G. & Waites, N. (2005) BTEC National Study Guide IT PractitionersPreece, J. Rogers, Y. Sharp, H. Benvon, D. Holland, S. Carey, T. (1994) Human Computer Interaction Tech Target (2008) Virtual Reality on-line http//searchcio-midmarket. techtarget. com/sDefinition/0,,sid183_gci213303,00. html Accessed 22/04/09 Tech Target (2006) GUI on-line. (http//searchwindevelopment. techtarget. com/sDefinition/0,,sid8_gci213989,00. html). Accessed 26/04/09 Think Quest Virtual Reality on-line. http//library. thinkquest. org/26890/virtualrealityt. htm Accessed 22/04/09