This presentation focuses on explaining what usability really is. Several myths concerning usability (and partially accessibility) are discussed and debunked.
Author: Maciej Laskowski (Lublin University of Technology, http://www.pollub.pl)
The presentation is published under the license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND. More information about license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/legalcode.
The presentation was created under Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project 2012-1-PL1-LEO04-28181 GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY: EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES (http://usability-accessibility.org/). This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme.
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What usability is?
1. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
What is usability?
Maciej Laskowski
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
2. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Introduction
There are several different approaches to defining usability.
Moreover, there are also several myths about what usability
really is, and what it does.
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
2
3. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #1
Usability is difficult and it’s meant to make an application
usable by dumb (aka everyday) users
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
3
4. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #1
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
4
5. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #1
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
5
6. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #2
Usability has to be done at any cost!
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
6
7. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #2
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
Source: okcancel.com
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8. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #3
Everyone cares about usability and accessibility
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
8
9. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #3
Source: okcancel.com
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
9
10. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #4
Usability tests are foolproof – if something is labeled
”usable”, than it is.
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
10
11. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #4
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
Source: okcancel.com
11
12. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #5
You have to follow all the rules. Period.
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
12
13. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #5
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
Source: okcancle.com
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14. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #6
Usability has to be gained at any cost.
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
14
15. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #6
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
Source: okcancel.com
15
16. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #7
User-center design leads to engagement.
Engagement
to fun.
Fun leads to …
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
16
17. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Myth #7
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
Source: okcancel.com
17
18. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
OK, but what really is usability?
In a most simple definition:
Usability is the ease of use and learnability of a human-made object.
ISO defines usability as:
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
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
18
19. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
OK, but what really is usability?
Jakob Nielsen and Ben Shneiderman have written (separately) about a
framework of system acceptability, where usability is a part of the
broader notion "usefulness" and is composed of:
Learnability
Efficiency
Memorability
Errors
Satisfaction
Source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
19
20. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
OK, but what really is usability?
Jakob Nielsen and Ben Shneiderman have written (separately) about a
framework of system acceptability, where usability is a part of the
broader notion "usefulness" and is composed of:
Learnability:
How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter
the design?
Efficiency
Memorability
Errors
Satisfaction
Source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
20
21. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
OK, but what really is usability?
Jakob Nielsen and Ben Shneiderman have written (separately) about a
framework of system acceptability, where usability is a part of the
broader notion "usefulness" and is composed of:
Learnability
Efficiency:
Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
Memorability
Errors
Satisfaction
Source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
21
22. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
OK, but what really is usability?
Jakob Nielsen and Ben Shneiderman have written (separately) about a
framework of system acceptability, where usability is a part of the
broader notion "usefulness" and is composed of:
Learnability
Efficiency
Memorability:
When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can
they re establish proficiency?
Errors
Satisfaction
Source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
22
23. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
OK, but what really is usability?
Jakob Nielsen and Ben Shneiderman have written (separately) about a
framework of system acceptability, where usability is a part of the
broader notion "usefulness" and is composed of:
Learnability
Efficiency
Memorability
Errors:
How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily
can they recover from the errors?
Satisfaction
Source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
23
24. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
OK, but what really is usability?
Jakob Nielsen and Ben Shneiderman have written (separately) about a
framework of system acceptability, where usability is a part of the
broader notion "usefulness" and is composed of:
Learnability
Efficiency
Memorability
Errors
Satisfaction:
How pleasant is it to use the design?
Source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
24
25. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Usability as a functionality
Usability is a non-functional requirement.
As with other non-functional requirements, usability cannot be
directly measured (not necessarily true) but must be quantified by
means of indirect measures or attributes such as, the number of
reported problems with ease-of-use of a system.
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
25
26. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
Usability as a functionality
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
Source: okcancel.com
26
27. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
ISO standards
ISO/TR 16982:2002 (Ergonomics of human-system interaction—Usability
methods supporting human-centered design)
is a standard that provides information on human-centered usability
methods that can be used for design and evaluation.
It details the advantages, disadvantages, and other factors relevant to
using each usability method.
It explains the implications of the stage of the life cycle and the
individual project characteristics for the selection of usability
methods and provides examples of usability methods in context.
Mainly for: project managers!
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
27
28. Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships Project
GUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:
EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES
ISO standards
ISO 9241 is a multi-part standard that covers a number of aspects of
people working with computers.
Although originally titled Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual
display terminals (VDTs), it has been retitled to the more generic
Ergonomics of Human System Interaction.
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme
28
Notas do Editor
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
Experimental design is a very time consuming process.
The more you take time to make a very precise and complete experimental design, the more you test will be robust and pertinent.
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
In the first step, you’ll have to define independent and dependent variables.
Participant’s profiles, experimental conditions and the number of participants will insue from this step.
In the second step, you’ll define the scenarios and the tasks to be performed by the participants, in order to make sense with the objectives of the test
In the last step, define precisely all the quantitative and qualitative data according to the previous steps
