using the new usability guidelines book department of energy interlab 2006 october 25, 2006
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Using the New Usability Guidelines Book Department of Energy interLab 2006 October 25, 2006 ------------------------------------------------ Nicole Burton General Services Administration. Introduction. My background How I became a usability specialist. Our Objective. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Using the New Usability Guidelines Book
Department of EnergyinterLab 2006
October 25, 2006
------------------------------------------------
Nicole BurtonGeneral Services Administration
Introduction
My background How I became a usability specialist
Our Objective
To build practical design skills To enhance our community of practice Guidelines book should not be
shelf-ware!
Introduction to User-Centered Design and Guidelines book
Selected guidelines Best Practices and Usability Resources The 4 “E’s” (plus the 5th “E”) Discussion Raffle two Guidelines books
What We’ll Cover
What Is Usability?
Usability: “Fitness to Purpose”The quality of a user's experience when interacting
with a product or system — a website, a software application, mobile technology, or any user-operated product.
User-Centered DesignUCD is a flexible yet structured development
methodology driven by specified, task-oriented business goals, and the recognition of user needs, limitations, and preferences
What does Usability Measure?
Usefulness Degree to which users can successfully achieve
goals/complete tasks Ease of Use
Ability of users to accomplish goals with speed & ease Ease of Learning
Ability to operate the system to some defined level of competence after some predetermined amount of training
Satisfaction Attitude of users, including perceptions, feelings and
opinions of the product
User-Centered Design Model
DefineDesign
The Traditional Development Process
Why Is Usability Important to Government?
Federal Government: largest single producer, collector, consumer, and disseminator of information in the world
Government provides critical information…benefits, health info, safety alerts, commerce, education…
97 million adult Americans, or 77% of Internet users, took advantage of e-gov in 2003, whether that meant going to government websites or emailing government officials. This represented a growth of 50% from 2002. (Pew Internet in American Life, 2003)
Why Is Usability Important?
FedBizOps.gov
Usability.gov
Research-Based Guidelines
Guideline Categories
Design Process and Evaluation
Optimizing the User Experience
Accessibility Hardware and SoftwareThe Homepage Page LayoutNavigationScrolling and Paging Headings, Titles, & Labels
LinksText Appearance Lists Screen-Based Controls (Widgets) Graphics, Images, & Multimedia Writing Web Content Content Organization Search Usability Testing
Chapter 1: Design Process and Evaluation
1:1 Provide Useful Content
Guideline: Provide content that is engaging, relevant, and appropriate to the audience.
Importance
Evidence
1:3 Understand and Meet User’s Expectations
Guideline: Ensure the Web site format meets user expectations, especially related to navigation, content, and organization.
Importance
Evidence
1:4 Involve Users in Establishing User Requirements Sources: 7
Importance
Evidence
• Field studies/Contextual interviews (watching users doing real work onsite) www.sitepoint.com/article/contextual-enquiry-primer
• User interviews/user gatherings
• Surveys & focus groups
• Help desk logs & webmaster E-mail
• Search logs and Web analytics
1:5 Set and State Goals Sources: 3
Guideline: Identify and clearly articulate the primary goals of the website before beginning the design process.
Before starting design work, identify primary goals of the website (educate, inform, entertain, sell, etc.). Goals determine the audience, content, function, and the site’s unique look and feel. Communicate the goals to, and develop consensus for the site goals from, management and those working on the website.
Importance
Evidence
1:5 Set and State Goals Sources: 3
A technique for expressing this on your site: goal statement or tagline
• Clearly explain what you do
• Describe your primary audience
• Describe what makes you unique amongst your competitors
Importance
Evidence
1:5 Set and State Goals Sources: 3
Importance
Evidence
1:5 Set and State Goals Sources: 3
Importance
Evidence
Sources: 3
Importance
Evidence
Usability Through User-Centered Design
Example of Persona – Novice CRMiguel
Type: Title XVI Novice, bilingual, outstanding scholarPersonal Characteristics: 23 year old male, bilingual in Spanish, BA in business. Very computer literate in Windows-based applications and the Internet, but had never
encountered mainframe applications until coming to work at SSA. Thinks the CICS applications are overly complex and difficult to learn with their cryptic screens and codes.
Ambitious. Eager to do good job, because he wants to get into regional or central office management,. If he doesn’t think his career is progressing quickly enough, he would have no qualms leaving the Agency.
Experience: Just finished IVT training six months ago.He is finding it difficult to translate SSA jargon
and concepts into Spanish. As a new CR often encounters things in a claim interview that he does not know how to
handle. He may not know what words to use to research the issue. There are some times when he makes mistakes because he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know.
Finds it hard to relate questions and issues to correct SSA terminology. This frustrates his attempts to find policies and procedures in PolicyNet.
Finds MSSICS extremely complex and frustrating. Usually needs help to resolve the many edits he receives.
Has problems explaining program rules to applicants and is not confident when claimants challenge what he says.
Overwhelmed by the volume of work and how much there is to learn. His mentor answers questions as asked, but sometimes Miguel doesn’t know he needs to ask.
Gets transmittal training bi-weekly for SSI CRs in addition to IVT broadcasts that come out.
Job Role:
1:11 Use Personas
Sources: 3
Importance
Evidence
1:11 Use Personas
Persona Information Categories:
• Personal Characteristics (Name, Age, Sex, Marital Status, Vehicle, Photograph)
• Experience and Education
• Goals and Motivations
• Job Role
• User Needs & Design Implications
Sources: 3
Importance
Evidence
• Personas focus attention on specific users
• Personas reduce self-referential decisions
• Personas are a good team-building exercise
• Three to five personas is optimal
• Designate a primary persona
• Visibly display personas as posters
1:11 Use Personas
Chapter 2: Optimizing the User Experience
2:2 Increase Web Site Credibility
Sources: 4
Importance
Evidence
• A physical address is provided on the homepage and all major points of entry
• Frequently asked questions are provided AND are useful
2:2 Increase Web Site Credibility
Sources: 4
Importance
Evidence
www.firstgov.gov/webcontent/getting_started/naming/sponsorship.shtml
2:2 Increase Web Site Credibility
Sources: 4
Importance
Evidence
• Organization providing the information is highly visible
• Site is arranged in a logical way
• Provides phone numbers
• Dates are provided up-front and are kept current
Chapter 3: Accessibility
Government Best Practices
www.firstgov.gov/webcontent/reqs_bestpractices.shtml
3:3 Do Not Use Color Alone to Convey Information
Sources: 14
Importance
Evidence
Sources: 14
As seen by non-colorblind users.
Importance
Evidence3:3 Do Not Use Color Alone to Convey Information
Sources: 14
As seen by 5% of the population.
Importance
Evidence3:3 Do Not Use Color Alone to Convey Information
3.3 Do Not Use Color AloneSources: 14
Imporance
Evidence
X This information is required.
Chapter 4: Hardware and Software
4:1 Design for Common Browsers
Sources: 4
thecounter.com, August 2006
Importance
Evidence
4:1 Design for Common Browsers Sources: 4
webusability.com
Importance
Evidence
4:1 Design for Common Browsers Sources: 4
Importance
Evidence
Chapter 5: The Homepage
Sources: 4
All major topic areas and categories are presented at the homepage level.
Importance
Evidence5:2 Show All Major Options on the Homepage
Sources: 4
Importance
Evidence5:2 Show All Major Options on the Homepage
Sources: 4
Importance
Evidence5:3 Create a Positive First Impression
Updated as of 5/30/05
Sources: 4
Importance
Evidence5:3 Create A Positive First Impression
DOE Office of Health, Safety & Security
Chapter 6: Page Layout
6:3 Place Important Items at Top Center
Sources: 10
Importance
Evidence
1
23
4
6:3 Place Important Items at Top Center
Sources: 10
Importance
Evidence
Chapter 9: Headings, Titles, and Labels
Sources: 7
Link labels are clear and distinct, allowing users to distinguish paths quickly.
Importance
Evidence
9:1 Use Clear Category Labels
Sources: 7
Importance
Evidence9:1 Use Clear Category Labels
Matching Labels
Chapter 10: Links
Sources: 7
Importance
Evidence
10:1 Use Meaningful Link Labels
Chapter 15: Writing Web Content
15:3 Use Familiar Words Sources: 1
Importance
Evidence
Chapter 16: Content Organization
Sources: 18
Illustrates the ten steps
Importance
Evidence16:1 Organize Information Clearly
Sources: 18
Importance
Evidence16:1 Organize Information Clearly
Sources: 18
Importance
Evidence16:1 Organize Information Clearly
Sources: 16
Importance
Evidence16:2 Facilitate Scanning
Chapter 17: Search
Sources: 16
Importance
Evidence
1:8 Be Easily Found in the Top 10
17:2 Ensure Usable Search Results
Sources: 7
Importance
Evidence
17:4 Provide a Search Option on Each Page
Sources: 7
Importance
Evidence
17:4 Provide a Search Option on Each Page
Sources: 7
Importance
Evidence
Provide at least 36 characters in Search Box
18:1 Use an Iterative Design Approach Sources: 9
Guideline: Develop and test prototypes through an iterative design approach to create the most useful and usable website.
Iterative design consists of creating paper and software prototypes, testing the prototypes, and then making changes based on the test results. The “test and make changes” process is repeated until the website meets performance benchmarks (“usability goals”). When these goals are met, the iterative process ends. Software tools are available to assist and facilitate the development of prototypes. Establish an ongoing evaluation strategy (customer satisfaction, usability testing, etc.).
Importance
Evidence
Usability Objectives
Ease of Use Examples At least 95% of typical users will complete a
specific task (“find a clinical trial”) in less than three minutes
At least 90% of users will find information on a specific topic (“risks related to taking aspirin”) within 30 seconds
The average time to complete a particular task (“make an airline reservation”) will be 10% faster when using the revised website than when using the current website
World Usability Day – Chicago-11/14/2006
www.worldusabilityday.org/event/show/63
5 E’s of Implementation
Education Enforcement Exemption Enhancement Empowerment
1st E: Education
Use the guidelines to make design decisions
Share and discuss the info with your colleagues Available at
www.usability.gov/pdfs/guidelines.html Use research to support your viewpoint Educate us: Send feedback on how you’re
using it or additional research
Webcontent.gov, Web Manager University, Usability.gov, Guidelines Book
2nd E: Enforcement
Incorporate the guidelines in your design process
Create a culture that emphasizes the value of research (over opinion)
Ensure research is being used Don’t forget to verify their use Balanced with…
3rd E: Exemption
Balanced with Enforcement Do not let guidelines stifle creativity Encourage innovation not anticipated
by existing research Allow for exceptions Don’t ignore what you know about
your users
4th E: Enhancement
A living document in a fast-changing field
Biennial updates Customize: Add ‘local’ standards,
guidelines, best practices
5th E: Empowerment IT Spending: 50% of Federal budget Do your tax dollars support usable design? We are the stakeholders! Government can lead the way (i.e. Internet) “Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
Contact Information
[email protected] General Services Administration
(GSA), FirstGov Division,Web Best Practices Group
(202) 219-0820