Ultimate – A prototype search engine

Lately, I have been experimenting again with Axure on a prototype search engine called Ultimate. The engine is based on actual user requirements collected through a focus group study. I decided to prototype Ultimate, in order to perfect my skills in Axure. The tool enabled me to construct a high-fidelity and fully functional prototype within a few hours. Some of the features of the engine are:

• It relies on full natural language processing to understand the user’s input.
• The search algorithm is based on a complex network of software agents – automated software robots programmed to complete tasks (e.g., monitor the prices of 200 airlines, get ratings from tripadvisor.co.uk, etc)  - to deliver accurate and user-tailored results.
• Some of the engine functionalities are discussed in the user journey shown below. The full functionalities are well documented, but for obvious reasons I can not discuss them in this post.

Screenshots:

 

User Journey:

 

 

 Research:

Run a usability testing of the above design against a more “conventional” search engine (e.g., Skyscanner ), and I am certain that the results will show the clear superiority of Ultimate. Of course, there is the need for a careful usability study in order to compare the designs but I am certain that Ultimate is superior in all usability metrics.

 

  

Rapid Prototyping, Which tool?

Below is an experiment to simulate one of the MGUIDE prototypes using Axure RP Pro. I wanted to see if Axure can be used in such applications, and how fast I could implement a working prototype.The dialogue window is clickable, as well as the buttons. All standard GUI (Graphical User Interface) elements of the MGUIDE interface can be quickly and easily implemented using this tool. The environment is drag drop, supporting adding interactions using visual elements (e.g., If then else statements with a few clicks). However, the absence of an internal scripting language means that I am limited by the number of interactional elements the program has already build in. I can’t build my own interactions, like for example the dialogue branching I easily implemented using VB.NET. Neither can I import my 3D avatar, for lets say a formal evaluation. In conclusion, Axure appears to be a tool to be used very early in the product cycle and mostly for low-fidelity prototypes. Later on, you you will need to build something complex in order to communicate your ideas more effectively. This is where I come in!  I can built highly complex prototypes, in the same amount of time using VB.NET/Adobe Director with just a few lines of code. However, if a a stakeholder is happy with this tool, I can be happy as well. The tool can be used virtually by anybody, let alone myself. 

System Preferences Wireframe

Main Screen Wireframe