Resource for Usability Requirements

[gescober]

I'm at the beginning of a project, and I'd like to get my product managers thinking about usability requirements for the UI. The problem with usability requirements is that they can get squishy (e.g. The system shall be user friendly).

Any recommendations for resources (e.g. websites, books) that can give me some solid examples of different types of usability requirements I can model my work off of? I'd definitely like usability requirements that can be tested with solid metrics.

[ddelancey]

http://www.itu.dk/~slauesen/Papers/SixStyles.pdf

[Roland]

I'm at the beginning of a project, and I'd like to get my product managers thinking about usability requirements for the UI. The problem with usability requirements is that they can get squishy (e.g. The system shall be user friendly).

Any recommendations for resources (e.g. websites, books) that can give me some solid examples of different types of usability requirements I can model my work off of? I'd definitely like usability requirements that can be tested with solid metrics.

I think you need to start by finding out the context of use. Who will use it? How often? In which environment? For a website that someone used on an infrequent basis, drop-downs are a good way to enter information. For a data entry clerk who knows the codes out of their head, they are a pain as they slow them down and move switching from keyboard to mouse (for most) and back.

Also which usability considerations are most important - ease of learning or ease of use?

Still stuck?
look here http://www.boxesandarrows.com/
here http://www.upassoc.org/
or here http://www.usabilitynet.org/home.htm

[MGoyal]

Hi Gescober,

Any luck in getting your PMs to pay attention to usability? What did you end up modeling your work off of?

Thanks,
Mo


I'm at the beginning of a project, and I'd like to get my product managers thinking about usability requirements for the UI. The problem with usability requirements is that they can get squishy (e.g. The system shall be user friendly).

Any recommendations for resources (e.g. websites, books) that can give me some solid examples of different types of usability requirements I can model my work off of? I'd definitely like usability requirements that can be tested with solid metrics.

[gescober]

Unfortunately, not yet. Executives asked us to greatly expand the scope of the project, and everybody is scrambling to do the groundwork for that. My stuff is getting pushed the background for now. If I come up with anything, I'll post it here.

[MAlexander]

There a good book called Cost-Justifying Usability (http://www.amazon.com/Cost-Justifying-Usability-Second-Interactive-Technologies/dp/0120958112/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201818402&sr=8-1) that might help get PM/Executive support. It focuses less on "usability is good" and more on "how to get everybody else to see the financial benefit to usability".

[MGoyal]

nice fine MAlexander. Now I just need to cost justify the $65.95 for the book. :)