Usability Evaluation In Industry

This book provides a variety of answers in its description and discussion of new, sometimes radical approaches to usability evaluation', now an increasingly common business tool. It contains new thinking of the subject of usability evaluation in industry. Contributions come from those involved in the practice of industry-based usability evaluation as well as those involved in related research activity. The chapters are derived from and developed from presentations and discussions at the invited international seminar Usability Evaluation in Industry', and give a leading edge overview of current usability practice in industry - identifying those issues of concern and approaches to tackling these.Key Features:* Provides a comprehensive overview of current practice* International examples * Contains practical examples of ergonomics at work and gives clear ideas of what does and doesn't work under industrial constraints

Part 1 Elements of usability: a combined effort in the standardization of user interface; usable usability evaluations - if the mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain; combining data in the evaluation of product usability. Part 2 Selecting evaluation methods: factors affecting methods and techniques of usability evaluation; information ecologies, experience and ergonomics; do-it-yourself usability evaluation - guiding software developers to usability. Part 3 Field studies: service information and evaluation; evaluation of a multi- system situation; observation as a technique for usability evaluation; field based prototyping. Part 4 Informal methods: quick and dirty usability tests; effective informal methods; getting the most out of quick and dirty user interface simulations. Part 5 New evaluation methods: a cost-effective method for the "in the field" usabilty evaluation; co-discovery exploration - an informal method for the iterative design of consumer products; private camera conversation - a new method for eliciting user responses; repatory grid theory and its application to product evaluation. Part 6 "Off the shelf" evaluation methods: software usability measurement inventory - background and usage; the usability checklist approach revisited; SUS - a quick and dirty usability scale; FACE - a rapid method for evaluation user interfaces. Part 7 Task analysis: hierarchical task analysis - an overview; task analysis for error identification. Part 8 Issues relating to usability evaluation: performance measurement and ecological evaluation; seminar discussions - issues for usability evaluation in industry.