User Aspects of Software Systems

Gebruikersaspecten van
software systemen

User Aspects of Software

Systems

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 1

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Books:
[1] User-Centered Website Development.
A Human-Computer Interaction Approach,
D.D. McCracken, R.J. Wolfe, Pearson
Prentice Hall, 2004.
[2] Model-Based Design and Evaluation of
Interactive Applications, F. Patern,
Springer, 2000.
[3] Graphical User Interface Design and
Evaluation,
Redmon-Pyle and Moore, Prentice-Hall,
1995
Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 2
 User Aspects of Software Systems

What is this course about?

How to make a good (= usable) user interface for an
interactive application
Why are usable user interfaces important?
Nearly all applications have a user interface
Bad interfaces are frustrating for the user and
will influence the productivity
Competitors may have better systems
Good user interface are hardly noticed, bad ones are!
It is easier to make a bad interface than a good one.

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 3

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Content (1)
1. Introduction
Usability: Illustrating example
HCI overview
User-Centered Development Methodology
2. Capabilities of the Human Being

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 4

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Content (2)
3. The User Interface Design Process
3.1 The Users and their Usability Requirements
3.2 Task Analysis & Task Modeling
3.3 User Object Modeling
3.4 The Style Guide
3.5 Design
Task-Driven Design
Visual Organization
Use of Color
Typography
Multimedia
3.6 Prototyping
3.7 Evaluation

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 5

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Content (3)
4. Accessibility
5. Localization
6. Model-Based Approaches for UI design
GOMS
Normans cycle
Task analysis methods
UAN
Petri Nets
UML
More details on the website
Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 6
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Format of the Course

Chapter 6
Self-study
Rest (Methodology)
During the lessons
Project in groups

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 7

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Good Design is as easy as 1-2-3

1. Learn the principles
They are simpler than you might think
2. Recognize when you are not using them
Put into words - name the problems
3. Apply the principles you will be amazed

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 8

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Chapter 1
Introduction

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 9

 User Aspects of Software Systems

1. Introduction
Content
Usability: Illustrating example
The history and goals of Human-
Computer Interaction
The methodology of User-Centered
Development

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 10

 User Aspects of Software Systems

1.1 Illustrating Example

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 11

 User Aspects of Software Systems

It doesnt have to be that way

You can design user interfaces that
Are pleasant and convenient for your users
Let them accomplish their goals
The key: think about your users
Learn about them
Watch them work, in their workplace
Interview them, also in their workplace

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 12

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Benefits of Usable User

Interfaces
Gaining a competitive edge
Reducing development and maintenance
costs
Improving productivity
Lowering support costs

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 13

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Reducing development and

maintenance costs
Learn about users first, and you will avoid
Implementing features users dont want
Creating features that are annoying or
inefficient
High cost of making changes late in the
development cycle

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 14

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Improving productivity
Productivity means employees become
more efficient because the system supports
their tasks in an easy way.

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 User Aspects of Software Systems

Lower support costs

Calls to customer support are very
expensive for the vendor: estimates range
from 12 to 250 per call

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 16

 User Aspects of Software Systems

1.2 What is HCI?

Human Computer Interaction is a discipline
concerned with the design, evaluation and
implementation of interactive computing
systems for human use and with the study of
the major phenomena surrounding them.

As defined by the Special Interest Group on

Human-Computer Interaction (SIGCHI) of the
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 17

 User Aspects of Software Systems

A major shift
50 years ago the cost of a computer would
pay the salaries of 200 programmers for a
year
Today the salary of one programmer for a
year will buy 200 computerseach vastly
more powerful than the early machines
Late 70s: smaller and cheaper computers
(PCs) used by non-computer experts
Now the goal is to make computers easy to use,
to save people time
Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 18
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Examples of interactive
computing systems
Single PC - capable of displaying web
pages
Embedded devices, for example in cars and
in cell phones
Handheld Global Positioning Systems for
outdoor activities

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 19

 User Aspects of Software Systems

1.3 Goals of HCI

To develop or improve the
Safety
Utility
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Usability
Appeal
. . . of systems that include computers
Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 20
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Safety
Safety of Usersthink of
Air traffic control
Hospital intensive care
Safety of Datathink of
Protection of files from tampering
Privacy and security

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 User Aspects of Software Systems

Utility and effectiveness

Utility: what services a system provides
e.g. Ability to print documents

Effectiveness: users ability to achieve

goals, e.g.
How to enter the desired information
How to print a report

Utility and effectiveness are distinct

A system might provide all necessary services,
but if users cant find the services items, the
system
Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 lacks effectiveness 22
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Efficiency
A measure of how quickly users can
accomplish their goals or finish their work
using the system

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 23

 User Aspects of Software Systems

Usability
Definitions
a measure of the ease with which a system can
be learned and used, its safety, effectiveness
and efficiency, and attitude of its users towards
it (Preece et al., 1994)
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)
Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 24
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Usability (2)
Ease of learning !
Ease of use !
Appeal/ attitude !
How well users like the system
First impressions
Long-term satisfaction

Prof. Dr. O. De Troyer, 2004 25

 User Aspects of Software Systems

How can we measure usability?

How can we develop a system to ensure
usability?

Paradigms
Usually based on new technology
E.g. WIMP interface
Principles
Independent of technology

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 2626
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Principles to support usability

Learnability
The ease with which new users can use the system
effectively
Flexibility
The multiplicity of ways the user and the system
exchange information
Effectiveness
the level of support provided to the user to achieve
successfully its goals

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 2727
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Learnability
Principles affecting learnability:
Predictability: to be able to predict the result of an interaction
Feedback: the system provides feedback about the effect of the
interaction
Familiarity: correlation between the users existing knowledge
and the knowledge required to use the interaction
Generalization: e.g. drawing rectangle will be the same as
drawing square; close/open window will be the same as in other
MS word application
Consistency: in naming, color use, command invocation,

Advantages
reduces training time and costs
enable more flexible staffing practices (staff become effective
more quickly)

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 2828
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Flexibility (1)
Examples:
Input/output in different forms
Inches/cm, fixed point/decimal, % or fixed part,
Input may be output and vice versa:
Draw line, out: coordinates
Give coordinates, out: draw line
Order of tasks is not fixed
System driven interaction hinders flexibility, user-driven
interaction favors it
Multi-treading allows to support more than one task at the
time

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 2929
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Flexibility (2)
Related:
Customization:
Adaptability: user can adapt the user interface
Adaptivity: The user interface can be adapted by the
system
Personalization: user interface is tailored towards the
individual user

Advantages
allows reorganization of tasks and business

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 3030
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Effectiveness

Always for a specified range of tasks and group of users

in a particular environment.
Principles affecting effectiveness:
Ability to observe the internal state of the system
Ability to take corrective actions once an error has been
recognized
Response time
Task completeness: are all user tasks supported by the system?
Task adequacy: match of the task as understood by the user and
supported by the system

Advantages:
higher productivity
Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 3131
 User Aspects of Software Systems

1.4 User-Centered Development

Methodology
Traditional software engineering methods arose
in 1960s and 1970s
Systems were not highly interactive
End-user were computer specialists
Issues concerning end-user and usability were not at
all important
user interface design not considered explicitly
Now:
Most end-users are not computer specialists
Usability vital for success
Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 3232
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Traditional System-Centered design:

Emphasis on the functionality,
UI is added at the end
Emphasis on correct software rather than on ease of use
User has to adapt himself to the system

Things are changing: User-Centered design

UI more important
Emphasis on end-users tasks,
Early end-user participation: in analysis and design
Evaluation by end-users
Consequences:
more work for UI-designer and UI-programmer

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 3333
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Summary: User Centered Development

User-centric, not data-centric

Involves users in the design process
Usability can be quantified and measured
Highly Iterative
Involves testing and revision
Interdisciplinary, building on a dozen different
disciplines

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 3434
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Fields that HCI builds on (1)

Computer Science
Implementation of software
Engineering
Faster, cheaper equipment
Ergonomics
Design for human factors
Graphic design
Visual communication
Technical writing
Textual communication

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 3535
 User Aspects of Software Systems

Fields that HCI builds on (2)

Linguistics, artificial intelligence

Speech recognition, natural language processing
Cognitive psychology
Perception, memory, mental models
Sociology
How people interact in groups
Anthropology
Study of people in their work settings

Prof.
Prof. Dr.
Dr. O.
O. De
De Troyer,
Troyer, 2004
1999 3636