Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI 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

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

Introduction

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

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Myth #1

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

4

Myth #1

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

5

Myth #1

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

Myth #2

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

7

Myth #2

Source: okcancel.com

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

Everyone cares about usability and

accessibility

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

8

Myth #3

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

9

Myth #3

Source: okcancel.com

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

Myth #4

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

11

Myth #4

Source: okcancel.com

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

Myth #5

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

13

Myth #5

Source: okcancle.com

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

Myth #6

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

Source: okcancel.com

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

15

Myth #6

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

Myth #7

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

17

Myth #7

Source: okcancel.com

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

OK, but what really is usability?

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

OK, but what really is usability?

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

OK, but what really is usability?

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

OK, but what really is usability?

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

OK, but what really is usability?

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

OK, but what really is usability?

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

OK, but what really is usability?

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

Usability as a functionality

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme

26

Usability as a functionality

Source: okcancel.com

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

ISO standards

Leonardo da Vinci Partnerships ProjectGUI USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY:

EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES

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

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ISO standards