1 Usability of telework Nigel Bevan Serco Usability Services UK

2 Usability of telework   The impact of usability problems   In the office environment there is usually someone who can help   Usability is important for the teleworker who has no one to help   Teleworkers using a PC that have a degree:   UK: 35%   Italy: 32%   Germany: 23%

3 Problems caused by poor usability  E-commerce web sites  User success in purchasing ranges from 25%-42%  Google tests with users every week!

4 Poor user requirements cause projects to fail  Standish Group found that 51% of projects failed 31% were partially successful  Main causes were poor user requirements: 13.1%Incomplete requirements 12.4%Lack of user involvement 10.6%Inadequate resources 9.9%Unrealistic user expectations 9.3%Lack of management support 8.7%Requirements keep changing 8.1%Inadequate planning 7.5%System no longer needed

5 The danger of not setting usability requirements  New software for issuing UK passports  Installed in passport issuing offices  Took operators twice as long  Caused delays of up to 3 months in obtaining a passport  Huge cost of additional clerical staff

6 Human centred design processes for interactive systems ISO Plan the human centred process 2. Specify the context of use 4. Produce design solutions 3. Specify user and organisational requirements 5. Evaluate designs against user requirements Meets requirements

7 TRUMP: Trial Usability Maturity Process  EU-funded trial application of user-centred design methods,  Based on methods developed in previous research projects (INUSE and RESPECT)  Serco: apply the methods  One year trial with companies in UK and Israel

8 Getting started: 3 types of method

9 A: Stakeholder meeting  Purpose: how does usability contribute to the business goals  How important is usability for this project?  Short workshop:  Why is the system being developed? What are the overall objectives? How will it be judged as a success?  Who will use the intended system? Why will they use it? What experience and expertise do they have?  What key functionality and content is needed to support the user needs?  How will the system be used? What is the overall workflow?  How important is ease of use and ease of learning?  How will users obtain assistance?

10 B: Paper prototyping: Navigation structure  Workshop with designers and users  Everyone produces sticky notes for all imagined functions and content  Sort into logical groups on the wall  Arrange into a hierarchy to support common user tasks  Evaluate by stepping though user tasks  Simpler than card sorting  IAI Method evaluation  The method had a great impact on the look and feel, it’s software requirements and architecture

11 Sorting Post-it notes

12 B2: Paper Mockup Prototyping  Sketch potential screen or page designs  Indicate main content and functions  Evaluate with users  Present first page or screen  Ask the user to comment and make a selection  Present the next chosen page  Many types of feedback  Does the navigation structure support the user’s task?  Do users understand the terminology?  Can users find the information they need?  Do users understand the purpose of the site or application?

14 C: Formal Usability Testing  Test the first working prototype  Typical users from the most important user groups  Can the users achieve typical tasks without assistance?  or ask users to carry out their own tasks  Feedback  What percentage of users are successful?  Would users choose to use this site/application? Why?  Do users trust it?  How do they feel about the brand?  How does it compare with similar sites/applications?

15 TRUMP Recommended methods 1. Stake- holder meeting 2. Context of use 3. Scenarios 4. Usability requirements 5. Evaluate existing system 6. Prototyping 7. Style guide 8. Evaluation 9. Usability testing 10. Collect feedback feasibilityrequirementsdesignimplementrelease System lifecycle Plan Process Specify Context of Use Design Solutions Specify Requirements Evaluate against Requirements

16

17 UsabilityNet  Disseminating information on user centred design  EU Support Action,  Support for practitioners, managers and EU projects  Represented in 15 countries

18

19 UsabilityNet  Support usability professionals  Web site  Work with local groups  Support for managers  Business benefits  List of usability services in each country  Will set up a Usability Forum  European professional societies  Provide free support for EU projects  Use the site  Join UsabilityNet and contribute to the site