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Fang ChenAutumn 20051

Lecture 3, usability methods

Usability MethodsUsability Methods

Magic roundaboutMagic roundabout

http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm

The new roundabout (see picture) was the work of theRoad Research Laboratory (RRL) and their solution wasbrilliantly simple. All they did was combine tworoundabouts in one -the first the conventional, clockwisevariety and the second, which revolved inside the first,sending traffic anti-clockwise.Though there have been 14 serious accidents and 80lesser ones recorded in 32 years, that rate is less thanone would expect for such a busy junction. Mostaccidents have involved cyclists and motorcyclists andnow a cycle lane running right round the outside of theroundabout, with pelican crossings, should ensure thatthe Magic Roundabout becomes as safe as it is efficient.

ISO usability standard 9241ISO usability standard 9241

Usability refers to the extent to which a productcan be used by specified users to achievespecifiedgoals with effectiveness, efficiency andsatisfactionin a specified context of user.

Effectiveness

measures the accuracy andcompleteness with which users achieve specified goals;

Efficiency

measures the resources expended inrelation to the accuracy and completeness with whichusers achieve goals;

Satisfaction

measures the freedom from discomfort,and positive attitudes towards the use of the product.

UsabilityUsability conceptUsability concept

ISO 9241:effectiveness (% of goal achieved)+ efficiency (time to complete a task,or the error rate,or the amount of effort)+ satisfaction (subjective rating scale)= Usability

Usability can only be meaningful within a specific contextUsability can only be meaningful within a specific context

Fang ChenAutumn 20052

Lecture 3, usability methods

Functionality

Fulfill the appropriate functionalityThe context and the environment in which it will be used

Usability

Efficiency, effectiveness, satisfaction

Pleasure

People’s emotionValue, hope, taste, fear, etc

Functionality

Fulfill the appropriate functionalityThe context and the environment in which it will be used

Usability

Efficiency, effectiveness, satisfaction

Pleasure

People’s emotionValue, hope, taste, fear, etc

Quality factorsQuality factors

•Correctness•Availability•Performance•Security•Ease of use•Maintainability

Usability factorsUsability factors

•Fit for use (functionality requirements)•Ease of learning•Task efficiency•Ease of remembering•Subjective satisfaction•Understandability

Ease of use

Designing aDesigning aUsableUsablesystemsystem

•Consistency•Compatibility•Considerationof userresources•Feedback•Errorprevention and recovery•Usercontrol•Visual clarity•Prioritisationof functionalityand information•Appropriatetransfer of technology•Expliciteness

Principles to support usabilityPrinciples to support usability

Learnability

the ease with which new users can begin effectiveinteraction and achieve maximal performance

Flexibility

the multiplicity of ways the user and system exchangeinformation

Robustness

the level of support provided the user in determiningsuccessful achievement and assessment of goal-directed behaviour

Principles of LearnabilityPrinciples of Learnability

Predictability

–determining effect of future actions based onpast interaction history –operation visibility

Synthesizability

–assessing the effect of past actions –immediate vs. eventual honesty

Fang ChenAutumn 20053

Lecture 3, usability methods

Principles of Learnability (Principles of Learnability (ctdctd))

Familiarity

–how prior knowledge applies to new system –guessability; affordance

Generalizability

–extending specific interaction knowledge to newsituations

Consistency

–likeness in input/output behaviour arising from similarsituations or task objectives

Principles of flexibilityPrinciples of flexibility

Dialogue initiative

–freedom from system imposed constraints on inputdialogue –system vs. user pre-emptiveness

Multithreading

–ability of system to support user interaction for morethan one task at a time –concurrent vs. interleaving; multimodality

Task migratability

–passing responsibility for task execution between userand system

Principles of flexibility (Principles of flexibility (ctdctd))

Substitutivity

–allowing equivalent values of input and outputto be substituted for each other –representation multiplicity; equal opportunity

Customizability

–modifiability of the user interface by user(adaptability) or system (adaptivity)

Principles of robustnessPrinciples of robustness

Observability

–ability of user to evaluate the internal state of thesystem from its perceivable representation –browsability; defaults; reachability; persistence;operation visibility

Recoverability

–ability of user to take corrective action once an errorhas been recognized –reachability; forward/backward recovery;commensurate effort

Principles of robustness (Principles of robustness (ctdctd))

Responsiveness

–how the user perceives the rate ofcommunication with the system –Stability

Task conformance

–degree to which system services support all ofthe user's tasks –task completeness; task adequacy

some metrics from ISO 9241some metrics from ISO 9241

Usability Effectiveness Efficiency Satisfactionfactorsmeasures measuresmeasuresSuitability Percentage ofTime toRating scalefor the task goals achievedcomplete a taskfor satisfaction Appropriate for Number of power Relative efficiency Rating scale fortrained usersfeatures usedcompared withsatisfaction withan expert user power featuresLearnabilityPercentage of Time to learn Rating scale forfunctions learnedcriterionease of learningError tolerancePercentage of Time spent on Rating scale forerrors corrected correcting errorserror handlingsuccessfully