Usability Engineering

By Fazal Wahab

Usability


Software usability is the degree to which the software is easy to use i.e. it should be understandable, learnable and operable. As per ISO definition, The usability of product is the degree to which specific users can achieve specific goals within a particular environment, effectively, efficiently, comfortably, and in an acceptable manner.

Usability


Usability is a measure of the extent to which a computer system facilitates the learning, helps learner remember lesson learned, reduces the likelihood of errors, enables users to be efficient and increases satisfaction with the system.

Usability Engineering


Usability engineering is a systematic approach to assess usability of software and ensure good usable products. Usability Engineering is a cost effective, user-centered process that ensures a high level of effectiveness, efficiency and safety in a complex interactive system.

Usability Engineering


Usability engineering life cycle (IEEE standards 100-1988) starts assisting when a software product is conceived and ends when the product is no longer available for use.

Area of Scope (Usability)

   

Usability Issues Usability Evaluation Usability Testing Usability Data Analysis

Usability Issues


Usablity issues are the concerns related to provide usability in any system. These issues can be ill defined or specific, broad or narrow, unfocused or focused. Some important questionto be asked for :

User interface, Easy to use Perform easy operations Feasible to perform difficult operations Timely error messages Well documented Self-explanatory user interface Self-documenting user interface Responsive user interface Quik or too slow user interface Adequate on-line help Meaningful error messages Effort required to learn Effort required to operate Effort required to prepare input

Usability Evaluation


The way to determine existence of usability within a system Several classifications of usability evaluation methods exists that work in diverse areas, performed for different objects and used in distinct applications. Such as formal methods, automatic methods, empirical methods and informal methods.

Usability Evaluation (Methods)

These Methods Include: Cognitive walkthrough, empirical evaluation, heuristic evaluation, expert review, review against standards, formal lab testing, inquiry methods, inspection methods and testing methods etc.

Usability Testing


Usability testing is a means for measuring extent to which user can use some human made objects such as web page, user interface, document, device, an application, communication or any real world problem for its intended purpose. Some testing methods are:
formal study, mobile testing, remote testing,hall way testing etc.

Paper prototypes, testing wizards, storyboards, scenarios and snapshots may also be used for testing usability in conceptual phase of a system development

Usability Data Analysis



Developer must take care while collecting user response and data. Since usability data is expensive to collect and analyze, it is important to collect the data needed to answer usability questions exactly. Think aloud protocol and eye tracking strategies are found to be useful.

Usability Data Analysis



Other related methods for collecting usability information are user testing, question asking protocol, co-discovery method, questionnaire, surveys, focus groups, telephonic interviews, observations and listening .