Criteria for assessing website usability and user interface design

Usability Assessment

The importance of usability in web design is a vital key in the survival of a thriving website. Neilsen states that, "it is necessary for the survival of a website, If a website is difficult to use, people just leave, and frequently never come back to check and see if you have taken stock, and improved the site."

Factors to be considered are that design be easy to use, based on core psychological properties, and familiarity, i.e. design following metaphors from peoples real world experiences.

What we will focus on here in this presentation is 1) criteria for assessment, 2) who should assessor be, and 3) how to resolve disagreements on usability.

What do you believe are the appropriate criteria for assessing usability?

Learnability. A measure of how the user interface can be learned quickly and effectively.

Measured by learning time.

How easily can the user accomplish basic tasks the very first time they encounter the design?

Efficientcy ? rate or speed at which an interface enables a user to accurately and successfully complete a task.

Noted by faster response time and a consistent response.

How quickly can the user perform the tasks?

Memorability ? returning users come back to the design after not using it, reestablish proficiently.

How easily can user reestablish proficientcy?

Errors ? The result of any action whose consequences are not what was intended by user, further classified as:

Slips ? automatic processes interfering with an action.

Mistakes ? failure in reasoning or selecti9on of material by user.

Minimization of errors is a design goal, and it trades off with the speed of performing tasks.

Satisfaction ? The set of subjective responses a person has when using a system.

Use a scale to assess level of satisfaction. Scale of 1) -- 5): 1) Very Satisfied;

2) Satisfied; 3) Undecided; 4) Unsatisfied; 5) Very Unsatisfied.

How pleasant is it to use the design?

Safety ? minimizing harm to people or the environment. Physically: repetitive stress syndrome; mental anguish, i.e. lack of privacy, negative self attributes; and threats to property, i, e, fraud, or vandalism. Use a scale similar to above to access.

Does user feel safe and secure using this design?

1

Usefulness ? The extent to which software helps solve users real, practical problem

Use a scale similar to one noted above to assess.

Is this design proving to be of the most usefulness to the user?

Cost Effectiveness ? comparison of cost of implementing a new information system or upgrading an esisting one to the costs of maintaining the existing system as is.

Should take into consideration usable interface efficientcy and time effectiveness.

Hook suggests that in your evaluation, you should: "measure tasks completion times; measure number of errors; follow through will help to improve the quality of work.

Run the test anywhere quiet enough to hear what user is saying. Frequency of about once a week should keep a site running optimally.

3) How should disagreements about usability be resolved?

The site should have a primary purpose or set of purposes as it's ultimate goal of existence. After reassessing whatever the criteria is that there is a disagreement about between owner and designer, or co-owners, the objective, straight-forward results of the assessment test should give reliable and fair answer to the issue or issues being addressed.

Sometimes, when there is a disagreement, emotions play too much into a reasonable resolution that is fair and equitable for all. It may be helpful to emphasize the objective statement at the end of each usability criteria noted above as an objective guideline that can minimize heated emotions, and 'get the job done', which is the ultimately goal of any assessment, and for any business which seeks to improve it's efficientcy, and ultimately it's profits.

2