Human-Computer Interaction 1

Lecture 5: Usability
Dr. Mark Lee
mgl@cs.bham.ac.uk

06-08167
http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~mgl/hci1/

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (1/19)

Introduction

The previous four lectures have provided a theoretical overview

of HCI in terms of the human, the computer and the nature of the
interaction.
An alternative view of HCI is Usability.
The Usability of a product is the degree to which specific users
can achieve specific goals (ISO definition)
HCI aims to maximize any systems usability through good
design practice.
Definitions of Usability
User Needs Analysis
Paradigms versus Principles of Usability
Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (2/19)

Why Usability?

Usability focusses on Non-Functional aspects of an application.

Why should we worry about such things?
Usability saves money in the long run. (Usually)
63% of large software projects overrun. (Lederer & Prasad 1992)
1.Frequent requests by Users for changes of look & feel
2.Overlooked tasks
3.Users lack of understanding of own requirements
4.Insufficient communication between User and developers
EU Directive (1992)
1.Software must be suitable for any task
2.Software must be easy to use
3.The principles of software ergonomics must be applied
Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (3/19)

Usability and User Choice

The ... major indicator of usability is whether a system or facility

is used... (Eason, 1984)
usability is dependent on the users choice of whether or not to
use a given facility.
If we force an user to use a system to test a system then we
destroy the most important test of usability - whether the user
would wish to use it in real life.
Problem with this ideal: to test any system we must first design,
implement and install the system in a work environment before
testing to see if it works!

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (4/19)

Usability Slogans (Neilson, 1993)

Your best guess is not good enough

The User is always right
The User is not always right
Users are not designers
Designers are not users
Vice Presidents are not users
Less is more
Details matter
Help doesnt
Usability Engineering is a process

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (5/19)

Operational Definitions of Usability

Usability Criteria (Shackel, 1986)
Each term should be given numerical values when the usability goals are set

Effectiveness
at better than some required level of performance
by some required percentage
within some required proportion of the range of environments
Learnability
in some specified time from installation and start of user training
based on some specified amount of training and user support.
within some specified relearning time each time for intermittent users
Flexibility
with flexibility allowing adaption to some specified percentage variation in
tasks and/or environments beyond those first specified.
Attitude
within acceptable levels of human cost in terms of tiredness, discomfort frustration and personal effort.

(but doesnt touch of how useful a system might be...)

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (6/19)

A Causal Framework for Usability

System Functions
task match
ease of use
ease of learning
User Characteristics
knowledge
discretion
motivation

Task Characteristics
Frequency
Openness

User Reaction
Implicit Cost/Benefit Analysis
Positive Outcome
Good Task-System Match
Continued User Learning

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (7/19)

Negative Outcome
Restricted Use
non-use
partial use
distant use

Individual Components

Task Characteristics
Frequency: The degree of frequency of performance by User.
Openness: The degree a task is modifiable
System Functions
Ease of Learning (versus?)
Ease of Use
Task Match
The degree the to which the information and functions provided
match the user needs.
User Characteristics
Knowledge: What knowledge the user brings/is it appropriate?
Motivation: How much effort will the user put in
Discretion: How much can a User ignore or bypass?
Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (8/19)

User Needs Analysis

User Characterization
Who the Users are and their relevant characteristics.
Task Analysis
Users Goals and Tasks. What tools do they use and
the environment in which they work.
Situational Analysis
Appreciation of the Situations that commonly arise as part of
normal activities.
Acceptance Criteria
The Users requirements and Preferences.
What are the minimal requirements for the User to accept the
System
Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (9/19)

User Characterization
User Date
identify the target user group
ratio of males and females
average age/age range
cultural characteristics

Usage Constraints
voluntary versus mandatory
motivators versus de-motivators

Job Characteristics
job role description
main activities
main responsibilities
reporting structure
reward structure
schedules
status/quality
turnover rate

Personal Preferences
Learning Style
Interactional Style
Aesthetic Style
Personality Traits
Physical Traits

User Background
relevant education
relevant skills
relevant training

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (10/19)

Task Analysis
Goals
Identify goals and list important supporting tasks
For each important task:
Task Intrinsics
Identification
Inputs and outputs
Transformational process
operational procedures
decision points
terminology

Task Criteria
Sequence of actions
frequency
importance of actions
functional relationships between acts
availability of functions
flexibility of operation

Task Dependency
dependency on other tasks
concurrent effects
criticality

User Discretion
pace
priority
procedure

Current User Problems

Task Demands
physical demands
perceptual demands
cognitive demands
environmental demands
health and safety requirements

Performance Criteria
Speed versus accuracy
Quality versus Quantity

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (11/19)

Situational Analysis
What are the likely situations to occur during system use.
Equipment
does not meet performance criteria
does not meet specification
fails

Surroundings
change in physical or social
environment
Policy
changing laws, rules, standards etc.

Availability
missing data
missing materials
missing personnel
missing support
Overloads
too many people/machines using resource
too much data/information/materials
Interruptions
process breakdown
things missed
restarts required

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (12/19)

Big Question is what to do when situation changes!

Evaluating Usability

Time.
Time for novice user to perform task versus expert user.
S= 1 PC
T
S = User Score
T = Time spent on task
P = Percentage of task completed
C = Constant based on minimal time for expert to
complete task
Time can also measure (but with more complexity)
4.Time to train users
5.Time for users to perform actions automatically
6.Time for intermediate users to warm up
7.Time to recover from Errors

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (13/19)

Evaluating Usability (2)

Errors
Errors are of different types
Mistakes: error in users intention (versus)
Slips: error in user carrying out intention
Mode errors: User believe he or she is in a different mode
Description errors: Insufficient description of action,
User confused.
Verbal/Visual Protocols
(eye tracking tests)
Attitude Tests
Cognitive Complexity Tests

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (14/19)

Usability Paradigms and Principles

Paradigms
Existing Systems which have been shown to improve Usability.
New Systems can take on board successful ideas
(but provides a craft but not an theory of usability)
Principles
Abstract rules or guidelines for increasing usability
New Systems can be shaped by these rules
(but often rules are too abstract to be usefully applied)

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (15/19)

Paradigms

Time-Sharing (1940s - 1950s)

Video Display Units (1950s)
Toolkits (1950s)
Personal Computing (1970s)
WIMP (1980s)
Direct Manipulation (late 1980s)
Hypertext (1985 - 1990s)
Multimodality (1990s)
Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (16/19)

Principles of Learnability

Predictability
Synthesizability
Familiarity
Generalizability
Consistency
Principles of Flexibility

Dialogue initiative
Multi-threading
Task Migratability
Substitutivity
Customizability

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (17/19)

Principles of Robustness

Observability
Recoverability
Responsiveness
Task Completeness
How we apply such principles to real systems is a complex issue!

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (18/19)

How useful is Usability?

It is accepted by some of the HCI community that usability is just

a collection of techniques/tricks/examples
(worst case...)
Usability doesnt offer a overall theory of how and why.
Usability can be added to finished products
(but)
we have shown usability issues relevant before
the design process begins.
Moreover - Ensuring Usability is a process during design
not after the design has been done.
Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (19/19)

Summary

Usability offers practical advice on how to improve interaction.

The Importance of User Choice.
User Needs Analysis
Usability Evaluation
Paradigms & Principles.

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (20/19)

Reading

Required
Dix, Finlay, Abowd & Beale Chapter 4. (provides further detail on
paradigms and principles)

Supplementary
An Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction, Paul Booth.
Usability Engineering. Jakob Nielsen. (1993)
Academic Press, London. (There is a copy in the main library)

Human Computer Interaction 1: Lecture 5 (21/19)