User Interface Assignment

This assignment is designed to give you some experience with a complicated web interface. It isn't a difficult to use interface, just one with lots of options. The assignment is also a chance for you to produce something - we don't edit video or make webpages in this class - so you can program your own radio station.

I want you to create a radio station on Launch.com. You can pick a variety of genres when you start. Then once its created and up and running, you will get a page that has options to edit the station. You can edit songs, favorite artists, and genres.

After you create your station, you need to share it with others - including me. Then you need to listen to 2 stations created by other students.

The last thing to do is write a short paper to answer the questions at the end of this page.

Details
If you don't have a Yahoo account you will need to create one, otherwise,use that userid and password to log in.

To add individual artists, type their name in the search box. When their page comes up, click on discography. From that page you can rate individual albums to add them to your station. I found some obscure celtic artists (ashley macisaac who does electric bagpipe stuff that I like) so hopefully you can find the things you are looking for.

I want you to share the station - there's a link to do that on the page where you edit your radio station. The link generates an email message that you can send to me (kgregson@ithaca.edu). In the text part of the message put your yahoo account name. I'll build an online list and you can check out other people's stations.

In the paper I want you to write about the following topics/answer the following questions:

1. Describe your experience with the launch.com interface - difficult, easy, confusing, etc. Give specific examples and explanation. Maybe some parts were easy and some parts just never did work.
2. What did you like/hate about the process of making the radio station? Was the music that you like available (why or why not in your opinion)?How satisfied were you with their music choices (genres & individual artists)? Why?
3. What did you like/hate about the Launch.com website?
4. If you were in charge of this product (launch.com) - what would you change on the website?
5. Why do you think people share their stations? Would you share your station with friends (why or why not)? What did you like on the other radio stations you listened to?

Length: 2-5 pages
Due: 11/21 Friday