Only the Anchor Bar is shown in the main screen. The user is prompted to select a button to find out more information.
After the user chooses an item, information on the item will be displayed and the user will be asked if the item should be entered into the shopping list.
With these goals in mind, we have tailored our interface to meet them. One of the main features, the Anchor Bar, is chosen to give the user a sense a continuity and to "anchor" them as they move to and from other functionalities. It also adds a sense of security since the user can always activate any button on the Anchor Bar, or go back to the button they activated before. It helps to decrease the "modality" of the interface by providing a bridge between any functions.
Two additional metaphors are used in this interface are the map and the shopping list, which are readily familiar to most shoppers. The interface is implemented to make the shopping list feature optional for novice users; the user can choose not to add the item to the list and work with only one item at a time.
The help function will be implemented to provide information in context. If the user presses the help button while they are looking at the shopping list, information on how to use the functions associated with the shopping list will be displayed. If the user requests employee help, a feedback on the estimated time of waiting will be provided so that the user may decide to explore the device while he or she waits.
"Why did you want me to come? I am not even in that class", Lou says to Dominic.
"Because you have been here before. Consider yourself in the right place at the right time", replies Dominic.
The door slides open as they approach the entrance. They are immediately in the midst of a bustle of activities.
"This place is much bigger than I had imagined!" exclaims Dominic.
"Yeah, I know. It looks like they have expanded since I was here last time", Lou replies as he looks down a valley of aisles, each piled to the ceiling with cans and boxes of goods.
"OK, lets get that extension cord for Professor Who's overhead projector before the seminar is over. We need to hurry."
"It should be in this aisle, at least last time I was here", Lou says as he looks down into an aisle with a banner labeled "Decorating Center".
"Let's ask someone."
Dominic and Lou walk toward the Information Counter but there is a line of people waiting for the only clerk behind the desk. Dominic notices a woman walking past them with a cart which has a small display attached to it. She touches the screen a few times and then walks down an aisle.
"That looks neat. Let's get a cart," Dominic says to Lou as they get a push cart near the entrance.
The small screen attached to the cart shows a logo of the store and a message "Touch the screen at any time".
Dominic touches the screen and it produces a pleasant tone as a blue bar with four buttons appears at the bottom of the display. A string of text scrolls across the display: "Touch any button for more information".
"That's new!" exclaims Lou, "It looks like my Gameboy. Does it have Mario's Last Stand?"
"Maybe this can tell us where we can find an extension cord."
Dominic looks at the four buttons and decides to touch the one labeled "Search Item".
A green bar appears above the blue bar on the bottom and a row of icons that look just like the store banners in the aisles are displayed. A message above the green bar of buttons prints "Press on a banner to choose an item category".
"An extension cord should be under Electrical", Lou says to Dominic.
"Your parents sure didn't waste their money on your education, Lou", Dominic replies in a flat voice.
Dominic presses the banner labeled "Electrical" and another screen of banners comes up showing categories under Electrical. Dominic sees a banner labeled "Wire" in the new screen and he presses on that icon. The device beeps again and a list of items are displayed.
"Here we go..", Dominic sees an entry labeled "Extension Cord" in the list. He presses on it and another list is displayed to the right of the first list. This list is labeled "Extension Cords" on the top and contains a number of extension cord sorted by their lengths.
"The class is going to be held outdoor, so I guess I better get a long one" Dominic presses on a box labeled "30 Feet" and the lists are cleared off the display and the brand name of the extension cord and its price are listed, as well as the fact that there are only 126 of them left in stock.
"Wow, there's an excellent affordance!" Lou says as he looks at the display.
"You mean it provides strong clues to the operation of the buttons?"
"No, I mean it's on sale, only $15.99!" says Lou.
Dominic shakes his head as he looks at the display and sees a message: "Press Add to add the item to your shopping list, or press Map to find out where the item is".
"Well, let's go find it", says Dominic. He presses the Map button on the blue bar at the bottom of the display and a map representation of the store is displayed. In the center of the screen is a red dot and the words "You are here". There is a thin red line drawn from the dot to one of the aisles on the map and terminates with a green dot. A small icon on the top right corner points to the left side of the cart and a message under the hand reads "Follow where the hand points you to find item".
"Let's go", Dominic turns left as Lou follows him down the main aisle.
"So who's the professor you're getting the extension cord for?" asks Lou.
"Yes, like I said before, Lou, Professor Who", answers Dominic as he turns right and walks down the aisle with a banner above labeled Electrical.
"You mean you are the TA and you don't even know the name of the teacher?"
"Who!" exclaims Dominic.
"The guy who's teaching the geology class you're TA'ing! The Rocks for Jocks Class!" Lou replies.
"No, that's the teacher's name", answers Dominic as he puts the extension cord into the cart.
"That's WHO's name?" Lou asks.
"Why are you asking me if you already know? Let's go", answers Dominic.