ISO 9241 is a multi-part standard covering ergonomics of human-computer interaction. It aims to support usability as a broad quality objective to ensure the ability to use a product for its intended purpose. The standard originally focused on office work with visual display terminals and consisted of 17 parts addressing topics like display requirements, keyboard requirements, workstation layout, and guidance on user interfaces.

1. HCI- ISO STANDARD
“9241”
By: HASSAN AFTAB

2. ISO Standard 9241
•
•
•
ISO 9241 is a multi-part standard covering ergonomics of human-computer
interaction.
9241 is concerned with usability as a broad quality objective: the ability to use a
product for its intended purpose.
This Standard can be used to support the following activities:
•
•
specification of overall quality and usability requirements and evaluation against these
requirements
incorporation of usability into a quality system

3. Parts of 9241
•
ISO 9241 was originally titled Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual
display terminals (VDTs) and consisted of the following parts:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Part 1: General introduction
Part 2: Guidance on task requirements
Part 3: Visual display requirements
Part 4: Keyboard requirements
Part 5: Workstation layout and postural requirements
Part 6: Guidance on the work environment
Part 7: Display requirements with reflections
Part 8: Requirements for displayed colors

4. Continued…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Part 9: Requirements for non-keyboard input devices
Part 10: Dialogue principles
Part 11: Guidance on usability
Part 12: Presentation of information
Part 13: User guidance
Part 14: Menu dialogues
Part 15: Command dialogues
Part 16: Direct manipulation dialogues
Part 17: Form filling dialogues

5. ISO 9241-1: General introduction
•
This part introduces the multi-part standard ISO 9241 for the ergonomic
requirements for the use of visual display terminals for office tasks and
explains some of the basic underlying principles. It provides some guidance
on how to use the standard and describes how conformance to parts of ISO
9241 should be reported.

6. ISO 9241-2: Guidance on task requirements
• This part deals with the design of tasks and jobs involving work with visual
display terminals. It provides guidance on how task requirements may be
identified and specified within individual organisations and how task
requirements can be incorporated into the system design and
implementation process.

7. ISO 9241-3: Visual Display Requirements
• This part specifies the ergonomics requirements for display screens which
ensure that they can be read comfortably, safely and efficiently to perform
office tasks. Although it deals specifically with displays used in offices, it is
appropriate to specify it for most applications that require general purpose
displays to be used in an office-like environment.

8. ISO 9241-4: Keyboard Requirements
• This part specifies the ergonomics design characteristics of an alphanumeric
keyboard which may be used comfortably, safely and efficiently to perform
office tasks.

9. ISO 9241-5: Workstation layout and postural
requirements
• This part specifies the ergonomics requirements for a Visual Display
Terminal workplace which will allow the user to adopt a comfortable and
efficient posture.

10. ISO 9241-6: Guidance on the Work
Environment
• This part specifies the ergonomics requirements for the Visual Display
Terminal working environment which will provide the user with
comfortable, safe and productive working conditions.

11. ISO 9241-7: Display Requirements With
Reflections
•
This part specifies methods of measurement of glare and reflections from
the surface of display screens, including those with surface treatments.

12. ISO 9241-8: Requirements For Displayed
Colors
• This part specifies the requirements for multicolour displays which are
largely in addition to the monochrome requirements in Part 3.

13. ISO 9241-9: Requirements for Non-Keyboard
Input Devices
•
This part specifies the ergonomics requirements for non-keyboard input
devices which may be used in conjunction with a visual display terminal. It
also includes a suggestion for a user-based performance test as an
alternative way of showing conformance. The standard covers such devices
as the mouse, trackball and other pointing devices, but it does not address
voice input.

14. ISO 9241-10: Dialogue Principles
•
Gives ergonomic principles formulated in general terms; they are presented
without reference to situations of use, application, environment or
technology. These principles are intended to be used in
specifications, design and evaluation of dialogues for office work with visual
display terminals (VDTs)

15. ISO 9241-11: Guidance on Usability
•
•
This part deals with the extent to which a product is usable
Usability The extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve
specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context
of use
•
•
•
•
ISO 9241-11 explains how usability can be specified and evaluated in terms of user
performance and satisfaction.
Effectiveness : The accuracy and completeness with which users achieve specified goals.
Efficiency : The resources expended in relation to the accuracy and completeness with
which users achieve goals.
Satisfaction : The comfort and acceptability of use

16. ISO 9241-12: Presentation of Information
•
This part contains specific recommendations for presenting and
representing information on visual displays. It includes guidance on ways of
representing complex information using alphanumeric and
graphical/symbolic codes, screen layout, and design as well as the use of
windows.

17. ISO 9241-13: User Guidance
•
This part provides recommendations for the design and evaluation of user
guidance attributes of software user interfaces including
Prompts, Feedback, Status, On-line Help and Error Management.

18. ISO 9241-14: Menu Dialogues
•
This part provides recommendations for the ergonomic design of menus
used in user-computer dialogues. The recommendations cover menu
structure, navigation, option selection and execution, and menu
presentation (by various techniques including
windowing, panels, buttons, fields, etc.).

19. ISO 9241-15: Command Dialogues
•
This part provides recommendations for the ergonomic design of command
languages used in user-computer dialogues. The recommendations cover
command language structure and syntax, command representations, input
and output considerations, and feedback and help.

20. ISO 9241-16: Direct Manipulation Dialogues
•
This part provides recommendations for the ergonomic design of direct
manipulation dialogues, and includes the manipulation of objects, and the
design of metaphors, objects and attributes. It covers those aspects of
Graphical User Interfaces that are directly manipulated, and not covered by
other parts of ISO 9241.

21. ISO 9241-17: Form Filling Dialogues
•
This part provides recommendations for the ergonomic design of form
filling dialogues. The recommendations cover form structure and output
considerations, input considerations, and form navigation.