Elaine Fath Blog #8

Prevent and Catch Errors with Poka-yoke Devices:

There's a really cool feature when creating forms where, if I am trying to insert a new element but am just clicking "new element," the buttons on the left will shake to "get my attention" and notify me that these are my options.


Ditch Anything Modal:
This application sort of gets away from this by showing a modal warning message when you try to navigate away from a page without saving. It could be argued, however, that if the choice is between losing all content and putting up with a modal element, possibly something modal is a better choice.

Write Error Messages That Help Instead of Hurt:

All of the error messages I encountered were very helpful--the signup form, in particular, not only stated helpful things like "Your subdomain can only consist of letters and numbers." (easy, quick, to the point!) But it also highlighted the "problem" area so I can easily go back through and correct.

Also, as I was clicking around before I had a form, all pages told me what steps I needed to take before having the ability to utilize the more advanced features ("You need a form before you can make a report!")

Create Forgiving Software:

Obviously, the nature of Wufoo is such that no one mistake will bring down the entirety of your work. Just because I flub one sign-up attempt doesn't prevent me from trying again. If I make a mistake on a form, I can always go back and redo just that single element instead of the whole form.

Blog 8 Austin Frink

After creating a form, I returned to the main page. I then wanted to edit my form. Neglecting to see the "edit" button underneath, I clicked on the name of the form. I was then presented with the finished form as if I were to fill it out. I entered random letters in for each field and submitted the form. After a confirmation message was displayed, I returned to the home page. I then pressed edit. I proceeded to delete the existing name fields. When I pressed delete, a nice little detection device revealed itself as the following message:

Are you sure you want to delete this field?

Deleting a field means that all data collected by the field will be deleted immediately. Because this action cannot be undone, you might want to consider exporting your data first. When you're ready to delete, let us know.

Yes, I am sure or Cancel.

Honestly at this point I was unaware that I had any data. But I know now.

The next error message that I came accross was a poka-yoke that totally turned error into opportunity.

Payment Integration is a Paid Feature

Wufoo's Payment Integration is only available to $29.95/month Bona Fide plans and higher, however, you're welcome to take this feature for a test drive for 5 transactions. Once your account is payment enabled, you'll be able to collect donations, registrations and simple orders through PayPal, Google Checkout and Authorize.net.

Test drive it or Learn More or Cancel

This was displayed after I clicked on Payment Integration on the payment settings.

All of the error messages that I saw after doing something wrong, or trying to do something I was not allowed to do with my trial version features, were Document-modal. They all prevented me from doing anything else within my current document. Looks like Wufoo needs to get some new designers in there to clean up their act by making their application Modeless, Robert Hoekman would say. How rude!

Tom Davidson Blog 8

Poka-yoke: Immediately upon registration, the first page the user is presented with displays a large, colored text-box that says "No fields, you should add a field." This could be construed as "error-proofing" because it basically forces the user to start filling out the form rather than having them try to figure it out on their own.

Ditch anything modal: As others mentioned, while in the middle of working, if the user attempts to navigate away from the page, the website displays a pop-up informing them that they will lose any unsaved work. It prompts them to close the pop-up and save or navigate away.

Write helpful error messages: The error message mentioned above is a very simple and very helpful message. It keeps the user from losing any changes and it's not cryptic or confusing.

Create forgiving software: Wufoo makes it easy to make and edit forms. It's click and drag interface makes it quick to figure out and easy to use.

Nick Swan (Blog 8)

When I first created my Wufoo account I thought it looked a little complicated but as I started to use it things became a lot easier. One of the first thing I noticed on the site was that If you try to navigate off the page or if you accidentally click one of the navigation links, a message is displayed saying the following:

"Are you sure you want to navigate away from this page?

YOU HAVEN'T SAVED YET AND
YOU'LL BE ABANDONING YOUR CHANGES.

Press OK to continue, or Cancel to stay on the current page"

When this message is up the only options that are available on the page are to click OK or Cancel. In my opinion, I this is a good example of poka-yoke because it prevents errors from ever occurring and notifies the user of the mistake they made so they don't lose all of their data.
This is also an example of wriing helpful error messages since it clearly states what the error is that was made and how the user can easily resolve it.

- Nick Swan

Daniel Lee Blog 8

First error handing techniques I saw on wufoo site is the detection device. During the sign-up page, I purposely made mistakes in all of the fields. I put invalid email address, password that is not at least 6 characters long. When I tried to create account, all fields except the URL field was highlighted in red and there was an error message below each field explaining the reason for errors. This is an example of a detection device because it shows error to the user immediately so the user can fix it and move on.

After setting up my account, I started to make my first forum using wufoo. I just added some fields and logout and went to my own wufoo page to do my own forum. Once I logged back in and tried to delete some of the fields whole screen turned black and new message came on top of the page saying “Are you sure you want to delete this field”. It explained that “Deleting a field means that all data collected by the field will be deleted immediately. Because this action cannot be undone, you might want to consider exporting your data first. When you’re ready to delete, let us know.” This can be an example of Quality error pages described in the book. I thought this was very well done to make sure the user understand what is going on and help the user to make decisions.

Tarana Patel (Blog 8)

It took me lots of times to get familiar with Wufoo. When users create an account it has very clear step to step instruction. I forget to verify password and there is an error message came up that said that “password do not match” this is a use of a poka-yoke prevention device. I notice that there is clear short expiation if there is any error it’s easy to understand this is example of the Poka-yoka detection device. It’s very easy for users because they don’t have to waste their time think what I have to do when error message came up because it’s gives users a short and clear solutions so, users don’t have to worry about how to solve error. After browsing more with different features on the site, I think this is very well organized keep in mind what user want, and did very good at handling errors massage, but one thing I didn’t like is that there are too many features and information. New users need more times to get use to with Wufoo. But other than that I think Wufoo has most of the requirements of poka-yoke that discuss in chapter 6, organized, easy, understand, and most user friendly.
--- Tarana Patel

Chambers - Blog 8

Right off the bat, I was presented with this:




This is a document-modal style of handling the lack of javascript being allowed to run on my browser. It's a helpful error and lets me know exactly what the issue is (as well as alerting me of the issue, as some sites completely ignore the fact that they need javascript to work and I have to figure it out myself.)

The whole form creation process is very poka-yoke with buttons for each thing you might want to do as well as prompts to help the user to know what belongs where. It also has some fields where only letters or numbers can be entered. (though it was a little confusing as to what was happening.)

The software is fairly forgiving since it warns you when you do anything dangerous and offers additional options like exporting data before deleting a form.

L. Smith - Blog 8

Poka Yoke – this didn’t stand out big to me on this site, but I guess you could say that when choosing the options for a checkbox or radio buttons, the default values are set so that they are not left blank (ex. First Choice, Second Choice, etc..)

Ditch anything modal – an application modal is displayed when trying to navigate to other links while in the middle of making a form. The user can switch to other applications but are presented with an error message which prevents them from going elsewhere within that application until they select OK or Cancel.

Write error messages that help instead of hurt – the error messages (such as the one in the ditch anything modal) were easy to understand and comprehend without making the user feel like an idiot.

Create forgiving software – also couldn’t think of much here besides allowing the user to rearrange and edit their form to see what it looks like with the rest of the components of the form.

Kevin Noone Blog 8

Poka-yoke - Inline validation exists on Wufoo through their use of the settings option and the display of what the form will look like itself. As soon as you make a change in the settings, that change is shown in the form draft on the right. This allows the user to see things that they might not like on their form, before finalizing it, therefor reducing the number of times that a user messes something major up.

Document-modal message - Just like the example given in the book of redesigning rude behavior, on Wufoo if you were to attempt to navigate away from a page you have been working on before saving, it stops you and confirms that you want to leave without saving. That message box is built inside the browser, it can be moved around, but you can not proceed with what you were doing until you make a decision.

write helpful error messages - Wufoo offers very clear, well written explanations for each seperate setting in the settings tab. If the user is unsure of what that specific setting will change, they can click on the question mark. The result of clicking on the question mark is actually an example of modeless. While reading the very helpful and well written description of what that setting does, you can also change which field you are working on.

Create forgiving software - Wufoo allows the user to very easily experiment with their forms. They are able to add a field and then very easily deleting it without taking any other steps backwards in their progress. This gives the user confidence to explore the application and everything that it has to offer.

Chad Jordan Blog 8

Prevent and Catch Errors with Poka-yoke Devices: I could not find any examples poka-yoke devices within the web application.

Ditch Anything Modal: The application actually goes the other way and has several application-modal errors. If the user attempts to navigate away from the form without saving, it pops up a message saying, "

Confirm

Are you sure you want to navigate away from this page?

YOU HAVEN'T SAVED YET AND WILL BE ABANDONING YOUR CHANGES.

Press OK to continue, or CANCEL to stay on the current page."

The application also pops up an application-modal error if you try to save when there is a page break with no information on it.

Write Error Messages That Help Instead of Hurt: The error messages that do come up are written very clearly, and instruct the user how to solve the issue creating the error message. So, they are helpful error messages.

Create Forgiving Software: Unfortunately, this software is not very forgiving. If you do navigate away from the page without saving, your work is deleted and you would have to start from scratch.

Cory Worland: Blog 8

Poka-yoke:
The first thing I noticed when I clicked on the multiple choice form, was the subtitle “This is my form. Please fill it out. It's awesome!”. I feel like this is a good form of error prevention because it gives you a little hint on what you can write for the subtitle and shows that you should have some instructions on filling out the form.

Ditch anything modal:
I noticed the same thing as Cait, if you try to do anything whether it be deleting fields or clicking on a link that would change the page, a warning message pops up saying that you haven’t saved your work and any unsaved data will be lost if you continue. They make it a type of application-modal and you can’t do anything unless you click ok or cancel which is a good thing because you wouldn’t want to lose all of the work that you did if you haven’t saved it.

Write helpful error messages:
The above mentioned error message is a very helpful error message.

Create forgiving software:
I suppose this software is forgiving by allowing the user to move the different pieces of the form around without overlapping or covering something up.

Horstman Blog 8

Example of Poka-yoke Prevention:

WUFOO will create every multiple choice field with default values that will work even though they do not have a meaning or purpose (such as "Select a Choice" or "First Choice"). This allows the user to have a functional multiple choice field and be able to edit later once everything is placed in order.

Example of Ditch Anything Modal:

When deleting a field after saving the form once, you receive a pop-up window that acts like a document-modal to where you can't do anything until that pop-up is dealt with unless you close the browser all together.

Week 08 Blog Assignment

Chapter 6 is about error handling, and Hoekman (we learn in this chapter how to pronounce his name — “hook-man”) describes four strategies: use Poka-yoke devices; ditch anything modal; write helpful error messages; and create forgiving software.

WUFOO is a site that allows "making forms easy + fast + fun." Take a look at the wufoo site (you’ll need to create a login; then look at the multiple choice form) and determine if any of the Chapter 6 error handling techniques are used. If so, please describe. To find errors, make lots of mistakes and see how they’re handled.

Cory Worland

(I am not an I300 loser.)Actually I might be an I300 loser. I thought I already completed this but just realized I had not. Please forgive me.

Austin Frink Blog 7

I am without a doubt not an I300 loser. However, I have been somewhat disorganized this week due to my heavy work load.

Chad Jordan Blog #7

I'm only kind of an I300 loser.

Tom Davidson Blog#7

I am not an I300 loser.

Tarana Patel (Blog 7)

I am not an I300 loser.
-- Tarana Patel

Andy Mccolgin Blog #7

I am not an I300 loser. Me-ow

Daniel Lee Blog#7

I am not an I300 loser.