world usability day 2009
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction
User Interface EngineeringUser Interface EngineeringUsability Lifecycle by UIEUsability Lifecycle by UIE
Rupert Kiefl, Markus Meichau, Tobias Schraut, Denise UnfriedRupert Kiefl, Markus Meichau, Tobias Schraut, Denise Unfried
The usability lifecycle is applied by UIE as a method to improve user interfaces for software applications. It accompanies a series of productive releases. Evaluation based on participation of users is the main driving force behind the lifecycle.
No matter how carefully an interface is designed by usability experts, evaluation with real working tasks performed by users are essential to meet requirements of an interface’s productive use.
Feedback
‘Expert Interviews’If a new interface is required and insight into domain specific requirements is necessary, this method can help starting from scratch with a new prototype approach. Expert interviews help reveal the mental model and domain specific perspective behind user interactions.
‘Personas’Personas provide a clear picture of the audience the interface targets. It reveals their skills, experience, limitations and work environment. The data then shape a virtual person representing the ‘average user’* of the web application.
Applied Methods
Results from Expert Interviews conducted in Garching and MunichThe design of easy submission is based on expert interviews. Different approaches were collected analyzed and compared (Figure 1). The result was first implemented in R3, proven and is now in place for R5.
Analysis (User Interface Evaluation)
‘Heat Maps’Heat maps show where users try to interact (Figure 8). The example depicts an implementation of the open source solution ‘ClickHeat’. The results were not considered, as the PubMan layout changes dynamically and mouse clicks couldn’t be tracked as precisely as needed.
‘Thinking Aloud’Interface releases are tested together with potential users from institutes of the Max Planck Society. They perform tasks covering important application functionality. An interviewer tracks feedback and observes user interactions. All issues are noted down. The test result is accumulated if at least 8―11 interviews are performed. An analysis (Figures 6,7) is given at the end of the interview series, which leads to measures and changes in the interface.
Applied Methods
Results from analysis of usability interviews11 Interviews for PubMan Release 2 (MPG Harnack House, MPI for Psycholinguistics)
Prototyping
Before implementation starts, an interface is first shaped by rapid prototyping (Figure 9) with a prototype application. Prototyping reveals a lot of questions to be answered either by functional specification implementation design or interaction. It saves interface development from tedious and time consuming trial and error approaches.Prototypes are very close to the application and can even be tested with users before development starts.
User Interface Prototyping
Release: ‘e.g. Easy Submission’ Development
GUI Accessibility & ConstraintsAfter the team UIE was introduced, it immediately started working on existing interfaces (GUI V1). In parallel, a GUI pattern library, based on reusable components was prepared to replace all existing interfaces (GUI V2).
For all new interfaces accessibility requirements and GUI constraints were set up and documented.
V2 GUIs degrade gracefully if no JavaScript is available or non standard conform browsers are used. Color and contrast vision deficiency is taken into account as well by a set of color schemes.
2007 (R1)
Personas for Publication ManagementThe image depicts three personas relevant for Publication Management inside the MPS.
2008 (R3)
2009 (R4)
Results of PrototypingAll interfaces for publication management (R2–R5) and other Solutions are available as prototypes.
9 Interviews for PubMan Release 3 (MPI of Molecular Plant Physiology, MPI for Gravitational Physics, MPI for Human Development)
Rupert Kiefl, Markus Meichau, Tobias Schraut, Denise UnfriedMax Planck Digital Library · Amalienstrasse 33 · 80799 München · www.mpdl.mpg.de
* All important figures are collected from usability interviews, ranging from age to professional background and education.
Figure 1: Layers of a pattern architecture
Figure 2: Personas
Figure 3:‘Edit Item’ (Start Interface Engineering)
Figure 4:‘Easy Submission’ (GUI V1)
Figure 5:‘Easy Submission’ (GUI V2)
Figure 7:Evaluation Analyses of R2
Figure 6:Evaluation Analyses of R4
Figure 8: Heat map evaluation
Figure 9: PubMan Prototype
Figure 10: BITV Requirements
July 2009, Licenced under Creative CommonsLicense BY NC SA