Below is the standard GOMS analysis of the current process for adding a message rule in Outlook Express. While this type of task-action quantification can be seen as very unrealistic or even faulty, it can be useful when comparing the same task done in different ways.
At this point in the analysis, the most obvious thing that is evidenced by the table below is that there do seem to be a lot of different screens. When actually performing the task it does feel like a never-ending series of opening and closing windows. As was described in the
Another area where there is room for simplification is when it comes to repetitious actions. As is evidenced by the multiple occurences of the action pattern, MPK, a good amount of time is spent thinking about what the next step is. About 30% of the time it takes (under optimal conditions and for an optimal user) to complete the task is spent thinking about what to do next.
|
action |
analysis & discussion |
|
Screen 0 - click to close message or on main mail window - system response |
Click
main window :: MH MP K =0
.4+1.35+1.1+0.2 = 4.4 System
response :: R |
|
Screen 1 - system response |
Click
menu :: MP K =
1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 System
response :: R Move
to next menu :: MP (K optional) = 1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 System
response :: R Click
menu :: MP K =
1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 System
response :: R |
|
Screen 2 |
Click
button :: MP K =
1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 System
response :: R |
|
Screen 3 |
Click
checkbox :: MP K =
1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 Click
checkbox :: MP K =
1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 Click
link :: MP K =
1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 System
response :: R |
|
Screen 4 - type (paste) words
or phrase (‘pharamacy’) |
Type
words or paste phrase :: (MH MKKKKKKKKK) or
(MH MKK) =
(1.35+0.4+1.35+(9*0.2)) or
(1.35+0.4+1.35+0.4+0.4)) =
4.9 or 3.9 Click
button :: MHP K =
1.35+0.4+1.1+0.2 = 3.05 System
response :: R Click
button :: MP K =
1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 System
response :: R |
|
Screen 5 |
Click
link :: MP K =
1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 System
response :: R |
|
Screen 6 |
Click
arrow and scroll :: MP KKK =
1.35+1.1+0.2+0.2+0.2 = 3.05 Click
folder :: MP K = 1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 Click
button :: MP K = 1.35+1.1+0.2 = 2.65 System
response :: R |
|
Screen 7 |
Highlight
text :: MP KP =
1.35+1.1+0.2+1.35+0.2 = 5.2 Enter
name :: MH MKKKKKKKKKKKKK = 1.35+0.4+1.35+(13*0.2) = 5.7 Click
button :: MHP K = 1.35+0.4+1.1+0.2 = 3.05 System
response :: R |
|
Total |
49.15 or 50.15 (depending on how phrase is entered) |
If the task is assumed to be done in an imperfect environment or by an imperfect person, then many more potential problems become evident. The following heuristic analysis detects many such problems qualitatively next>>