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User Interface Quality

The document discusses various methods for evaluating user interface quality and usability. It describes key usability goals like effectiveness, efficiency, and learnability. It also outlines important usability principles such as visibility, feedback, constraints, consistency, and affordance. The document then examines specific observational methods for evaluating interfaces like direct observation, think aloud protocols, and cooperative evaluation. It also compares different protocol analysis methods like computer logging and user notebooks.

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52 views34 pages

User Interface Quality

The document discusses various methods for evaluating user interface quality and usability. It describes key usability goals like effectiveness, efficiency, and learnability. It also outlines important usability principles such as visibility, feedback, constraints, consistency, and affordance. The document then examines specific observational methods for evaluating interfaces like direct observation, think aloud protocols, and cooperative evaluation. It also compares different protocol analysis methods like computer logging and user notebooks.

Uploaded by

malgaha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Interface Quality & Evaluation

PART 1

Measures of User Interface


Quality
What is Usability?

Practical implementation of a
good HCI

Usability means easy to learn, effective to use and


providing an enjoyable experience
Usability Goals
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Safety
Utility
Learnability
Memorability
Usability Principles
Visibility
Feedback
Constraints
Mapping
Consistency
Affordance
Visibility (1)

This is a control panel for an elevator


How does it work?
Push a button for the floor you want?
Nothing happens. Push any other
button?
Still nothing. What do you need to do?

It is not visible as to what to do!


Visibility (2)
you need to insert your room card in the slot
by the buttons to get the elevator to work!

How would you make this action more visible?

make the card reader more obvious


provide an auditory message, that says what
to do (which language?)
provide a big label next to the card reader
that flashes when someone enters
make relevant parts visible
make what has to be done obvious
Feedback
Sending information back to the user about what
has been done
Includes sound, highlighting, animation and
combinations of these
e.g. when screen button clicked on provides sound or red highlight feedback:
Constraints
Restricting the possible actions that can be
performed
Helps prevent user from selecting incorrect
options
Three main types
1.Physical
2.Logical
3.Cultural
Physical Constraints

Refer to the way physical objects restrict the movement


of things

Example:
Design only one way to insert a mouse
connection; and only one way to insert a
keyboard connection, and make them
different
Logical Constraints
Exploit peoples reasoning about
relationships between objects in the world
A provides direct adjacent mapping
between icon and connector

B provides color coding to associate the


connectors with the labels
Cultural
Constraints
Learned arbitrary conventions which help us use
technologies

Can apply in a number of ways


Icons, menus
Keyboards, number pads
Images
Mapping (1)
Relationship between controls and their
movements and the results in the world
Which is the better mapping?
Mapping (2)
Which is the better mapping, and why?
Consistency

Design interfaces to have similar operations and use similar


elements for similar tasks

For example:
Always use ctrl key plus first initial of the command for an
operation Ctrl+C, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+O

Main benefit is consistent interfaces are easier to learn and use


Consistency Breakdowns
What happens if there is more than one command starting
with the same letter?
e.g. save, spelling, select, style
Have to find other initials or combinations of keys, thereby
breaking the consistency rule
e.g. Ctrl+S, Ctrl+Space, Ctrl+Shift+L
Increases learning burden on user, making them more
prone to errors
Internal and External Consistency
Internal consistency refers to designing operations to behave
the same within an application
Difficult to achieve with complex interfaces

External consistency refers to designing operations, interfaces,


etc., to be the same across applications and devices
Very rarely the case, based on different designers preference
External Inconsistency
Keypad number layout
(a) phones, remote controls (b) calculators, computer keypads
Affordance (1)
Refers to an attribute of an object that allows people to know
how to use it
e.g. a mouse button invites pushing, a door handle affords
pulling
Norman (1988) used the term to discuss the design of
everyday objects
Since has been much popularised in interaction design to
discuss how to design interface objects
e.g. scrollbars to afford moving up and down, icons to
afford clicking on
Affordance (2)
Physical affordances:
How do the following physical objects afford?
Are they obvious?
Affordance (3)
Virtual affordances:
How do the following screen objects afford?
What if you were a novice (beginner) user?
Would you know what to do with them?
Methods for Observation &
Evaluation
PART 2
Observational Methods (1)
Involve an investigator viewing users as
they work in a field study, and taking notes
on the activity that takes place

Direct observation
the investigator is actually present
during the task
Indirect observation
the task is viewed by some other
means such as through use of a video
recorder
Observational Methods (2)
Importance of user observation
useful early in user requirements specification for obtaining
qualitative data
useful for studying currently executed tasks and processes
Think Aloud (1)

User observed performing task


User asked to describe what he is doing and why, what he
thinks is happening etc.
Think Aloud (2)
Advantages
simplicity -requires little
expertise
can provide useful insight
can show how system is
actually used
Disadvantages
subjective
selective
act of describing may alter
task performance
Cooperative Evaluation
Variation of think aloud
User collaborates in evaluation
Both user and evaluator can ask
each other questions throughout
Additional advantages
less constrained and easier to
use
user is encouraged to criticize
system for clarification
Protocol Analysis Methods (1)
Paper and pencil
cheap
limited to writing speed
Audio
good for think aloud
difficult to match with other
protocols
Video
accurate and realistic
needs special equipment
obtrusive
Protocol Analysis Methods (2)
Computer logging
automatic and unobtrusive
large amounts of data ->
difficult to analyze
User notebooks
coarse level and subjective
useful insights
good for longitudinal studies
Post-Task Walkthrough
User reflects on action after the event
Used to fill in intention
Advantages
analyst has time to focus on
relevant incidents
avoid excessive interruption of
task
Disadvantages
lack of freshness
may be post-hoc interpretation of
events

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