Hey,
I’m Pedro Féo, a software engineering student from Brazil, I’ve been wanting to work with the p5.js web editor for GSOC. I wanted to work on the mobile/responsive design implementation. Alongside with that I would like to validate the design making a series of usability testing, mainly to see if the mobile version is as successful as the desktop one, bringing new ideas to how to implement it too.
I would like to know what do you think about this.
Thank you
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Hi @phe0 – glad to hear that you are interested in working on the web editor for mobile.
When you say “usability testing” what do you have in mind? Would this be general logging software, or creating logged tasks, or a protocol / design for a usability testing project…?
hello @jeremydouglass ,
Usability testing is a way to see how easy it is to use something by testing it with real users.
I was thinking of measuring how easy users and first time users think it is to use the desktop version of the web editor as a first step to collect what are it’s main features and what they think would be good to have on the mobile version. Second I would apply the proposed mobile version here and test it again with other people, that way I will be able to see if the mobile version is what the users expected in the first test. After that I would use the feedback from the test to design another version of the mobile version.
The idea is to go through this cycle as much as possible for the time of the project, making the mobile version as good as possible.
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Interesting – so you are proposing to conduct actual usability tests as part of the GSOC project? Have you designed and run such tests in the past? Who do you imagine as being the test subjects / participants?
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Yes, I have run usability tests before. I’ve had classes at the university about it and have run it before in some other projects. I was thinking about having freshman from the university, since most of them will be having their first contact with coding , and people who are already experienced with code too, so that we could have a good mix of skill levels to test with.
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Hi @phe0 – I have asked the GSOC mentor community and they suggest that a plan to conduct usability tests during the GSOC period should not be included in a proposal.
Some concerns are that:
- user testing may be difficult to fit within the short summer timeline
- user testing may not be part of their scope of work given the mentoring relationship and GSOC program goals – the focus is on code
…and (perhaps most importantly)… - tests with human subjects may involve Human Subjects regulation / IRB approval, which would be complex and time-consuming and might depend on the jurisdictions of the organization, the student, and/or the mentor.
That said, you could plan to pursue a usability project in your university AFTER GSOC is over using your work. Still, it is probably not a good idea to propose user tests as part of your proposal / work plan. Tests might raise red flags and lead to proposal rejection by the program even if the application was otherwise strong.
To be clear, this is not an official statement by Google, GSOC, or the Processing Foundation – I am just passing along advice from past program mentors.
cheers,
Jeremy
Thanks for the clarification @jeremydouglass,
I was thinking about coding the mobile/responsive version too. Do you think that proposing only implementing the mobile version that already exists would be a good project for the scope of GSOC?
I was thinking about proposing a new design for the mobile version that includes all the features from the desktop version. I would like to know your opinion on that if possible.
Keep in mind that I am not a p5.js core developer, and I don’t work on the website, so this is just my opinion – but I think proposing a new design (with new features, and /or incorporating feedback that you have received) is a great idea.
Also, to be clear, I’m not suggesting that you don’t ask people what they think about UI designs. Feedback is great! I’m just suggesting maybe don’t include a formal usability study in your GSOC plan – unless a Foundation mentor for p5.js contradicts me and to go for it, of course!
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Hey @jeremydouglass,
I’ve worked on a prototype of the mobile version of the p5.js web editor.
Can you take a look?
Prototype link: https://www.figma.com/proto/qQdTcNxMT2jcyDjnUR9jEt/p5.js?node-id=1%3A106&scaling=min-zoom
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Very nice!
Where will the “Play / Stop” buttons go?
How will the user toggle to the preview view?
Will there be a console?
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the prototype is interactive, if you click on the play button on the bottom right of the page you’ll go to the preview and console section
oh, I think I fixed, but it’s only a prototype anyway, the idea is that it stays fixed on the bottom right of the page
@jeremydouglass @saberkhan @lmccart @shaharyar , as I’m working on my proposal, I would like to ask for some feedback in my current proposal.
Your feedback would be really helpfull.
Thanks
@phe0 sure I will go through your proposal and help you to make it more better best of luck
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@phe0 just a small query you are using media query but media query work on the basis of device size so you have to write css for various device size range
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thanks, I’ve changed it