The Concept of Software

Usability

The concept of usability

The concept of usability has been defined in multiple ways,
usually on one of the following bases:
Semantics:
in this case usability is equated to terms such as 'ease of
use' or 'user-friendliness', without formal definition of the
properties of the construct.
Features:
here, usability is equated to the presence or absence of
certain features in the user interface such as Windows,
Icons, Menus or Pointing devices.
Operations:
where the term is defined in terms of performance and
affective levels manifest by users for certain task and
environmental scenarios.
October 20, 2015

Models of Usability

Shackels Model of Usability

Effectiveness
Better than some required level of performance
Range of usage requirements
Learnability
Within some specified time from installation and start of
user training
Based on some specified amount of training and user
support
Flexibility
Allowing adaptation to some specified percentage
variation in task
Attitude
Within acceptable levels of human cost in terms of
tiredness, discomfort, frustration and personal effort

Subjective satisfaction

Easiness to learn

Usable
User
Interface

Efficiency/ running speed

Low Fatigability

Small number of errors when working

Usability Engineering by Jakob Nielsen

(1993)

Usability Attributes
Usefulness
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Learnability
Satisfaction
Accessibility

 Usefulness the degree to which a product

enables a user to achieve his or her goals,
Efficiency Quickness with which the
users goal can be accomplished
accurately and completely (usually it is a
measure of time)
Effectiveness refers to the extent to
which the product behaves in the way that
users expect it to and the ease with which
users can use it to do what they intend

October 20, 2015

 Learnability has to do with the users

ability to operate the system to some
defined level of competence after some
predetermined amount and period of
training
Satisfaction refers to the user perceptions,
feelings and opinions of the product
Accessibility what makes products (SW)
usable by people who have disabilities
(bright light, not enough light, injury, etc.)
October 20, 2015

More justification for usability studies

..

User interface components can help us understand

what they are intended for if they are well designed.
We need to identify limitations of the user interface
and come up with recommendations for improvement
An interface is useable if it is appropriate for the
users and for the task being performed
Useable systems do not emerge by accident. They
are the result of a careful process called usability
engineering
We can not ignore usability when building software
products.
There is substantial evidence that attention to usability
dramatically decreases costs and increases productivity

Use Case Modelling

One of the most widely used software engineering
techniques to specify user requirements
Helps to specify
detailed requirements
sequence of actions, including alternatives of the
sequence
the starting point for usability integration into the
software process

Usability is not directly considered but it is usecase driven

We can augment use cases for user interface
prototyping

Usability engineering
The term usability engineering refers to
concepts and techniques for planning, achieving
and verifying objectives for Software usability.
Is part of managing software development.
Is created with a view that software development is
more than writing a code
It is part of an activity of creating software
It is a process guided by systematic methods and
techniques
Relates to measurable usability goals that must be
defined early in software development
A discipline with roots in several other basic
disciplines, including cognitive psychology,
experimental psychology, ethnography and
software engineering.

 Purpose, goals and objectives of usability

testing
To understand whether users can use the software
equally well
To identify problems
To assess the overall effectiveness of the software
To initiate a repeatable usability study protocol
To resolve problems, to determine exact nature of
the problem
To assess user satisfaction
To improve user experience

 Research questions
Is the current software usable?
Is the software ready for release?
How easily and successfully do users find
the information they are looking for?
How easily can users return to the various
options?
Can users perform common tasks within
established bench marks?

 Some examples of Usability

Testing
Assessment Test of two prototypes
Which of the two interface styles are
effective?
What are the problems for the user?
For which tasks will users need help
further instructions, or supporting
documentation?

Examples . Contd
What type of written information
will be required
Prerequisite, theoretical,
procedural, examples, training

We can give design interfaces for

Left navigation interface (Design

1)

Top navigation interface (Design

2)

Usability problems
Examples:
The system works as intended by the
programmer, but the user:
P1. Cannot figure out how to start the
search.
Finally finds out to use F10.
P2. Believes he has completed the
task, but forgot to push Update.
P3. Sees the discount code field, but
cannot figure out which code to
use.
P4. Says it is crazy to use six screens
to fill in ten fields.
P5. Wants to print a list of discount
codes, but the system cannot do
it.

Severity classes:
1 Missing functionality
2 Task failure
3 Annoying
4 Medium problem
(succeeds after long
time)
5 Minor problem
(succeeds after short
time)
Critical problem =
Missing functionality,
task failure, or
annoying

Fig 1.4 Usability test - think aloud

Purpose:
Find usability problems
I try this
because ...

Facilitator

User doesnt
notice ...

Logkeeper

Listens
Asks as needed

Listens
Records problems

User
Performs tasks
Thinks aloud

Choosing the numbers

Users:

20 bank customers ...

Measure: In 2 min?
Reqs:

Task 1: 18 succeed.
Task 2: 12 succeed.

Why 20?
Cost versus reliability.
During development:
One, later two, later ...
Why 2 mins?
Best practice,
ideal way ...
Why 18?
90% of customers
should succeed.
Task 2 harder.

Open target
Reqs: 18 out of 20 must
succeed within ____ min.
We expect around 2 min.

Specify how, what,

and expectations.
Wait and see what is
possible.

Measuring usability - task time (performance)

ATM
Users:
Task 1:
Measure:

20 bank customers, random selection.

Withdraw $100 from ATM. No instructions.
How many succeed in 2 min?

Task 2:
Measure:
Reqs:

Withdraw as much as possible ($174)

How many succeed in 5 min?
Task 1: 18 succeed.
Requirement - target
Task 2: 12 succeed.

Internal ordering system

Users:
Task 1:
Measure:
Reqs:

5 secretaries in the company.

Have tried the internal ordering system.
Have not used it for a month.
Order two boxes of letter paper + . . .
Average time per user.
Average time below 5 min.

How to measure
What to measure

Fig 1.6C Measuring usability - Problem counts

Users:
Task 1:
Task 2:

3 potential users. Think-aloud test.

Record usability problems.
Order two boxes of letter paper + . . .
...

Measure: Number of critical problems per user.

Number of medium problems on list.
Reqs:

Max one user encounters critical problems.

Max 5 medium problems on the list.

How to measure

What to measure
Requirement

Fig 1.6D Measuring usability - Keystroke counts

Task 1:
Task 2:

Withdraw a standard amount from ATM.

...

How to
measure

Measure: Number of keystrokes and mouse clicks.

Reqs:

Max keystrokes 6 - incl. PIN code.

Total system response time max 8 s.

What to measure
Requirement

Total task time

6 keystrokes @ 0.6 s
total system response time
Total task time

3.6 s
8.0 s
11.6 s

Plus other
user actions?

Fig 1.6E Measuring usability - Opinion poll

Ask 20 novice users to complete the questionnaire.

How to measure

Measure: Count number of entries per box.

Reqs:

80% find system easy to learn.

50% will recommend it to others.

What to measure
Requirement

Questionnaire

agree neutral disagree

The system was easy to learn
The system is easy to use
The system helps me . . .
It is fun to use
I will recommend it to others

Fig 1.6F Measuring usability - Score for

understanding
Ask 5 potential ATM users what these error
messages mean:
Amount too large
PIN code invalid . . .
Ask them also:
What would the system do if . . .

How to measure

Measure: Assess answers on scale A-D.

What to measure

Reqs:

Requirement

80% of answers marked A or B.

Pros: Easy way to test understandability.

Best way to cover error messages.
Useful both early and late in development.
Cons: Only measures understandability..

Fig 2.1 The development process

Analysis

Traditional systems
development

Design
Experts?
Guidelines?

Program

Usability test?
Scaring results !
Too late to correct

Study users
and tasks

Test
Operation

HCI classic:
iterative design

Analysis

Design prototype
Usability test

Program

Fig 2.3B Defect list for hotel system mockup

 See examples of bad screen from

HCIbook4 on the CD.
Paper Prototypes
Next two slides to be done in groups
for class discussion

Hotel Reservation system

Data model
Business goals:
- Small hotel market
- Much easier to use
Requirements:
R1: Store data according to data
model.
R2: Support tasks T1 to T5.
...
R7: Usable with 10 minutes of
instruction/ orientation.

D1. Guests
D2. Rooms
D3. Services

Task list
T1. Book room
T2. Check in
T3 Check out
T4 Change room
T5 Record services
and breakfast list

Video Rental System

Data model
Business goals:
-

Much easier to look for films

Much easier to register borrower
info and the film he/she has
borrowed

Requirements:
R1: Store data according to data
model.
R2: Support tasks T1 to T4.
...
R7: Usable with 10 minutes of
instruction/ orientation.

D1. Borrower
D2. Video
D3. Services

Task list
T1. Enter Borrower
info
T2. Enter Video info
T3. Check out video
T4 Check in video

Summary
Usability studies are carried out to
find out
What is working well or poorly
What parts of the system need attention?
How close are developers to meet overall
usability objectives?

Summary

contd

Strength of usability engineering

Establishing an agreed upon definition for
usability
Setting this difference in terms of metrics and
goals for usability
Putting usability on a par with other
engineering goals
Providing a context for discussion of usability
Providing a method for prioritizing usability
problems

Summary
contd
Usability engineering activities
Development of requirement scenarios
Development of basic level task
scenarios
Review with team members
Development of paper prototypes
Development of running prototypes