ifm
System Manual
ecomat
mobile
PDM360NG (CR1080, CR1081, CR9042) Target V01
2011-07-28
Visualisations in the device
Recommendations for user interfaces
107
7.1.3
Check suitability for use
7422
In many cases a test set-up with potential users can provide important results where and how the
product is/has to be improved to be successful in the market.
For this "usability test" the following steps must be carried out:
Determine the user group (target group):
- Who is to handle the product?
Prepare an interview guideline:
- What method do I use to interview what user (operator, fitter, maintenance personnel)?
- What do I want to achieve with the interviews? (Improvement potentials)
Conduct and evaluate interviews.
Create context scenarios:
- Create an evaluable test environment.
- Identify critical user scenarios.
Carry out usability test:
- How do the test persons cope with the product in the test set-up?
- Where is what corrective action needed for the product?
After the product has been optimised repeat the tests, if necessary.
7.1.4
Language as an obstacle
7454
In order to produce equipment which satisfies end users worldwide, language must be taken into
account. The operator is not able to effectively carry out his tasks if he cannot understand the
instructions on the screen. Manufacturers are still trying to solve this problem considering the many
different languages in the world. A few languages are listed below:
Chinese characters
A Chinese character, also known as a Han character, is a logogram, i.e. it can be represented as a
word. The number of characters in the Kangxi dictionary is over 47000 but in China knowledge of
three to four thousand characters is sufficient. In modern times the Chinese characters have been
greatly simplified and are used in mainland China while traditional Chinese characters are still used in
Honk Kong and Taiwan. The Chinese characters have been romanised. They are called Pinyin and
are also widely used in China.
Japanese characters
The modern Japanese writing system uses three main scripts:
Kanji are ideographs from Chinese characters
Hiragana is used for native Japanese words and
Katakana is used for loanwords
Romanised Japanese characters, called Romanji, are also used in Japanese texts.