Tool-Supported User-Centred Prototyping of Mobile Applications

Abstract

There is evidence that user-centred development increases the user-friendliness of resulting products and thus the distinguishing features compared to products of competitors. However, the user-centred development requires comprehensive software and usability engineering skills to keep the process both cost-effective and time-effective. This paper covers that problem and provides insights in so-called user-centred prototyping UCP tools which support the production of prototypes as well as their evaluation with end-users. In particular, UCP tool called MoPeDT Pervasive Interface Development Toolkit for Mobile Phones is introduced. It provides assistance to interface developers of applications where mobile phones are used as interaction devices to a user's everyday pervasive environment. Based on found tool features for UCP tools, a feature study is described between related tools and MoPeDT as well as a comparative user study between this tool and a traditional approach. A further focus of the paper is the tool-supported execution of empiric evaluations.