Future Scientific Calculator Assignment

Graphical User Interface

Wina Yanti & Zikroh Nafiah

Creative Digital Design

Background

A scientific calculator is a type of calculator that is designed to calculate problems in science, engineering, and mathematics. It has the ability to calculate complex mathematic functions and it is widely used for higher educations and professionals. Nowadays, scientific calculators have become more complex and advanced. In terms of forms, it comes in various platforms including physical, mobile-based, web-based, and computer programs. In terms of functions and features, it comes with the ability to create graph, read digital hand-writing, and even scan photographs. Scientific calculator has really transformed the way its users perform complex calculations.

With all advancement and its outstanding abilities, however, scientific calculator still lacks one critical quality: the ability to understand users. Many people find it complicated in using scientific calculators for solving complex mathematics functions. It is because solving complex calculations requires the users to understand the “language” of the scientific calculator. The user can only learn the language through the manuals, and it is not something pleasing to read.

Based on the problem above, we are here to propose a conceptual design of future scientific calculator. With the development of User Interface, as well as Graphical User Interface, we think that this is the time for scientific calculator to provide better user interface, and create a more comfortable experience for its users. We would like to create a scientific calculator that has better understanding of what the users want and need. In this report, we will explain our steps and findings in creating this scientific calculator, as well as the design, in the form of low fidelity prototype.

User Experiences and Requirements

The first thing that we did in creating our future scientific calculator is observing user experiences and identifying user requirements. In order to find out those information, we conducted a small survey using online questionnaire. We asked 10 selected potential users a series of questions about their experiences in using scientific calculators, as well as what they actually want from scientific calculator. These potential users are including high school students, university students from science faculty, and university students from business faculty.

Here are the questions of User Experience survey, as well as the summary of its answers.

Are you using Scientific Calculator?

Yes No

How long have you been using Scientific Calculator? 4,5 4 3,5 3 2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 1 Year More Than 3 More Than 4 5 Years 6 Years 7 Years 15 Tahun Years Years

Number of people How often do you use Scientific Calculator? 3,5 3 2,5 2 1,5 1 0,5 0 When there is exam or Everyday Around 4-5 Days A Around 2-3 Days A Around Once A Week assignment Week Week

Number of people

What form of Scientific Calculator have you been using?

Online Web

Computer Software

Mobile Application

Physical

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Number of people

When you are choosing Scientific Calculator, what are the things that come to your consideration?

Price Functions and Calculation Complexity Ability to Draw Graph Attractive Appearance Accessible Everywhere Strong Case After asking the participants about their experiences in using Scientific Calculator, next, we were asking questions related to the things that our participants want from their Scientific Calculator. In this part of the survey, we are using open-ended questions, therefore the participants are free to write what they have in mind.

Here are the questions of User Requirements survey, as well as the summary of its answers.

Question: In terms of features and functions, what are the things that need to be fixed/improved from your current Scientific Calculator?

Summary of Answers:

• Lack of complex calculations • No graphs • Durability • Battery durability • Adding tutorials for usage • Complicated to change calculation mode • Text on the buttons are easy to fade • Some functions of the calculator are hard to access

Question: In terms of appearance and convenience, what are the things that need to be fixed/improved from your current Scientific Calculator?

Summary of Answers:

• Casing design and strength • More color choices • Make it smaller and thinner • Bigger screen • Some of the buttons are fragile and the texts are easy to fade • Make the shape to be more comfortable and futuristic • Make it more attractive, detail, and eye-catching Question: Have you ever seen/find a Scientific Calculator that is better than the one you are using now? What makes that Scientific Calculator better?

Summary of Answers:

Six out of ten participants answer Yes. The reasons are:

• Having ability to form graph from equations • Having bigger screen • Having more complex functions and calculations • Having a display that is easier to read • Having ability to save data

Question: If you are given a chance to create a Scientific Calculator for yourself, even if it seems impossible, what kind of features and functions that you want to put in your calculator?

Summary of Answers:

• Colored screen on physical calculator • Graph calculator with low price • Touchscreen calculator (not a mobile application) which doesn’t use any button • Calculator which can display calculation result like a projector and can connect to Wi-Fi • Games • Clearer log function • Accounting functions, apart from the scientific calculations • Photomath • Water resistant

Question: How is the appearance of your Scientific Calculator going to be?

Summary of Answers:

• Small, thin, and light • Can be put in shirt’s pocket • Better text font flat button • Flexible • Comfortable to be held, easy to use, • Having simple input display but can execute complex calculation • Futuristic look • Durable • Having dark green color

Conclusion on User Experiences and Requirements

After reviewing the result on User Experiences and Requirements survey, we conclude some important requirements that we are going to put into our future scientific calculator. In terms of functions and features, our calculator should have the ability to display graph from equations, calculate complex functions, take pictures then translate the image into digital texts, and support the users with more accessible functions as well as tutorials. Meanwhile, in terms of appearance and convenience, our calculator should have bigger screen, colored display, touchscreen feature, more durable battery, flexible interface, as well as being light, small, and thin.

Based on those requirements, we finally decided to create a mobile application of Scientific Calculator. It is a scientific calculator application that can be installed in smartphone. It has attractive design and better user interface. We call our scientific calculator as Cal-E.

Sources of Inspiration

In creating the conceptual design of the scientific calculator, we were also trying to find some comparison from existing scientific calculator. Scientific calculators that became our sources of inspiration are Photomath and Microsoft Mathematics. Photomath is a mobile application that can scan handwritten math problems using camera, and translate the images into digital form, then immediately solve it. The application also provides the steps of solving the problems which are very useful for users. Microsoft Mathematics, on the other hand, is a computer software that can translate equation into graphic form. It also supports digital hand-writing, in which the software can read hand-written math problem that are written using pen tablet.

Photomath

Microsoft Mathematics

Conceptual Design

Here is the conceptual design of our future scientific calculator, Cal-E. It has minimalist and futuristic design. It supports simple and complex calculations, graph drawing, as well as scanning photos into digital math problems.

My Cal-E (Choose and change your calculator mode, by simple tap on the icon.)

A circle-widget which provide user calculator mode they need. Although it uses icon, but the user does not have to remember since it accompanied by name to let them know what kind of calculator is. Also, to choose and change what calculator they need, simply tap the icon.

Editable Expression (Make mistake, edit it right away)

Also, if you have a mistake as you input the number just highlighted and input the new number because it is editable.

Cancel/Correct Button (Done your first calculation, tap and do the new one)

Instead having two buttons for cancel and correct the expression by doing different act, one button provides two functions. Press once to delete expression one by one and press longer to clear whole expression.

Cal-E Mode (Customize your calculator mode, what mode available on the my cal-e.)

The user can customize and re-arrange what kind of calculator that they want by simply tap two times in the middle, so it maximize the experience as the one who appear in my cal-e is the most used mode. Also, as we tap the calculator name, there will be explanation about what calculator is it.

Photo Cal (Solve your mathematical problem expressions magically by using the camera of your mobile device in real time)

This feature applies writing or hand writing recognition, which allow user to solve their mathematical problem, simply by point your camera. Then it will scan the problem and it will give an answer and step-by step process. Since it is real time there will be no photograph stored, but if user want to have their previous calculation, it will be stored in the history.

Tutorial (First-time user? Find what you need to know here)

For the first-time user or when you forgot how to use feature available, the tutorial will able to help you know; command to do, feature available, how and then through a simple but comprehension explanation.

Setting (Choose and set your preference language and brightness of your Cal-E)

Setting will allow the user to choose their language used in the application, now it only has two languages (English and Bahasa Indonesia). Then brightness makes the user able to adjust the brightness level of the display system.

Key (change calculator mode, continue your calculation)

If the user in the middle of calculation process, but they need different calculator mode, the key button will help to solve this. Because the key button allow user to change their calculator mode without come back to the main page, while the calculation will remain unchanged only the calculator keyboard will change.

Gr - Graph Button (Wonder what kind of graph from this equation, let me help you)

As the user use equation calculator mode, and wonder what kind of graph from this equation, the user just has to click this button and it will direct them into a pop-up page of the graph

St – Step Button (Wonder how it works, find the process step by step)

Together with graph button on the right upper corner, by tapping this button it will show step by step process of calculation being input.

Three Buttons (simple shortcut for your need)

In any page if the user swipe to right the three buttons (setting, history, and home), by tap them you will be directly directed to that page. For example, if user tap home button, from any state they are in the calculator, it will directly go to home (main page).

History (Find your previous calculation and use it for what you need)

Together with home and setting, as the user swipe to the right, history will appear. It is a feature that will help user track their calculations process. Moreover, if they want to edit or do same calculation, simply just go to the history choose your previous calculation and edit it or by press it longer user will able to copy the calculations.