ICS 667, Week of 3/7: Analytic Methods for Usability Evaluation

Assignment Due

Last week I gave you more time for: Assignment 6, Abstract Prototypes for Collaborative Calendars, due 3/6 (extended).

Assignment 8: Project Requirements Planning (due 3/8 or 3/12, depending on how soon you want feedback)

New Topics and Readings

Analytic Methods

First half of Rosson & Carroll Chapter 7, sections 7.1 and 7.2 only
Constantine & Lockwood Chapters 16 & 17

How can we analyze usability without the expense of testing with users? Can heuristics help us spot problems? Can we measure usability by measuring properties of the design? We'll try the techniques on some example web sites and software, including metrics, model-based evaluation, usability inspections.

Slides

8 Analytic Methods of Evaluation

Activities

We will try the quantative methods of Chapter 17 such as essential efficiency, task visibility and layout uniformity, and conduct a usability inspection.

New Assignment

Assignment 9: Project Requirements Results (due 3/26 ... that's the Saturday at the end of Spring Break, so if you will be away, plan ahead)

The End.