Plenary How To’s

Purpose and functions

In order to start researching the current user experience of RaceClocker it is important to know what actually the purpose of RaceClocker is and what specific functions it offers to its users.

As mentioned in previous chapters, RaceClocker is a manual timing tool which can be used for several types of sports races. RaceClocker is offered in the form of a website and can be used on several devices, such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. The main purpose of RaceClocker is to allow small scale race events for fast and easy manual timing. Within the use of RaceClocker we acknowledge two main phases, Figure 10 shows the functions RaceClocker offers within these two phases. the first phase includes the race preparation, in which a race manager enters all of the race details relevant within the race by creating the race on a laptop. Such as, the location, date and time, sport type, but also a participant list and details. After that, links to the timers will be shared with time keepers, to enable them to keep track of time during the race. The second phase is the actual race, here we know direct users and indirect users. The race manager is, in most cases, present at the start of the race. Using a laptop, the race manager is able to keep an overview of the race. The timer dashboard gives the race manager the ability to see to which participants a time has been assigned. Timekeepers are the ones in the field, who assign times to the racers possible in different timing settings. Finally the race manager is able to share an overview of live results, if needed on a large screen, in order to make sure that racers and audience can view results live and directly during and after the race.

Figure 10 Functions RaceClocker