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User Feedback on ixiQuarks
The development of the ixiQuarks are part of a research that involves
human-machine interaction, philosophy of technology and the culture
of software use in music. In return for free software we would like
to ask you a few questions regarding your experience with the ixiQuarks.
This survey can be answered no matter how often or how much you use
the ixiQuarks.
The survey is divided into 6 short sections: (and should not take more
than 10-15 minutes to fill out)
- Personal Details
- Musical Knowledge
- General Questions on ixiQuarks
- Experience Using ixiQuarks
- Usability/interaction questions
- Other Environments
You don't need to answer all the sections. However,
we would like to have as much details as possible.
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Personal details
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Musical knowledge
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General Questions on the ixiQuarks
Here we ask about your rating of the ixiQuarks as a system. Rate it from
1 (bad) to 7 (good) or click the NA (no answer) radio box.
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Experience when using the ixiQuarks
We are interested in the experential (emotional) reaction when using ixiQuarks.
Rate it from 1 (on the left) to 7 (right) or click the NA (no answer)
radio box.
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Questions regarding the specific instruments and tools
Here we ask about your rating of the ixiQuarks instruments, utilities
and effects/filters. These categories reflect the way they are categorised
on the ixiQuarks tool-browser window. Rate them from 1 (bad) to 7 (good)
or click the NA (no answer) radio box if you haven't tried it.
Of the instruments (in the instruments category), how
would you rate each one of them in terms of usability, originality of
design and fun to use?
| Do you have any specific comments on
the utilities, instruments, effects or filters? Something you thought
about when you were rating them here above? |
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Questions regarding the general usability/interaction
design of ixiQuarks
The software provides enough feedback when used.
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The words, concepts and visual metaphors in the instruments are familiar.
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The use of non-musical metaphors in the interface is understandable.
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The look and feel of the interfaces are consistent within the whole system.
(interface design)
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The experience of using the software is consistent throughout. (interaction
design)
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The software is useable in studio use.
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The software useable in live performances.
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The relationship between the controls and their actions is obvious.
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The ixiQuarks allow for a range of user experiences.
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The software guides the user sufficiently about its potential.
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Repeated use of the software results in the feeling of getting better
at the software.
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The design is simple, intuitive, easy to learn and pleasing.
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The tool is free from irrelevant, unnecessary and distracting information.
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It is easy to remember how to use the tools.
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The ixiQuarks inspire creativity.
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The software is sufficiently documented (with for example help files).
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It is easy to navigate the tool and start up new instruments and effects.
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The environment fun to use.
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Discursive Questions
| Roughly how often have you used ixiQuarks?
Do you use it regularly? Where does it fit in your workflow? In
what context? (live, studio) Do you use it with other software?
If so, how? |
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| The hardware setup. What physical interfaces do you use to control
the ixiQuarks? (Soundcard, Mouse, Keyboard, Wacom tablet, MIDI, etc) |
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| Describe your overall reaction/experience
when first encountering the software. |
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| Do you feel the ixiQuarks environment
is different from the commercial products? If so how? Can you think
of any software (commercial or not) that focuses on the same areas
of interactivity? |
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| Would you say that the software is general
or specific? Discuss. |
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| Does the ixiQuarks environment
affect your compositional or performative patterns? Do you think differently
about your music? Does the environment encourage new directions
in your music? If so, how? |
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| Regarding embodiment and bodily control
over music: to what extent do you think you use your body to control
ixiQuarks? How is it different from acoustic instruments? Or other
software? |
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| When using the ixiQuarks, do you often
find that the software does not allow you to perform certain basic
musical things? What is lacking? If not, are these limitations perhaps
inspiring? |
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| Do you find ixiQuarks easy or difficult
to understand? To what degree do you feel that your way of thinking
matches that of the designers of ixiQuarks? |
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| Are there characteristics in the ixiQuarks interface design that define elements in your music? If
so, do you find this limiting or creatively engaging? |
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| Can you describe in few words the most
negative and positive aspects of the ixiQuarks environment? |
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Other environments
| What other music software do you use
and why? |
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Have you tried or do you use any of the following audio programming environments?
If so, how often do you use them?
| What are the positive and negative aspects
of the environments you have tried? If one of them is your main
tool, why have you chosen it? |
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| Do you have a programming experience?
If so, what languages have you used and what is your language of
choice? Which properties of programming languages do you value?
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Other...
| Is there something lacking in the ixiQuarks? What instrument would you like to see
as part of the environment? Or some protocols or hardware support? |
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| Did we forget to ask a question? Have you got any other
comments on the subjects we've been asking about? |
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