NPTEL Course on

Human Computer Interaction

- An Introduction
Dr. Pradeep Yammiyavar
Professor,
Dept. of Design,
IIT Guwahati,
Assam, India

Dr. Samit Bhattacharya

Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Computer Science
and Engineering,
IIT Guwahati, Assam, India

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

Module 2:
Interactive System Design
Lecture 1:
Concept of Usability Engineering
- an overview

Dr. Pradeep Yammiyavar

Usability Engineering

Overview

Outline of Usability Engineering

The need for usability
What do usability and UE mean?
What happens without UE?
UE lifecycle
User-Centered Design
Methodology (UCD)

UE

Usability Engineering
Jacob Nielsen: Usability Engineering (1993) Well known book.
Xristine Faulkner (2000): defines it as follows

UE is an approach to the development of software

and systems which involves user participation from
the outset and guarantees the usefulness of the
product through the use of a usability specification
and metrics.
UE thus refers to the USABILITY FUNCTION aspects
of the entire process of conceptualising, executing &
testing products (both hardware as well as software),
from requirements gathering stage to installation /
marketing & testing of their use.

Definition of usability
Usability is the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction
with which users achieve specific goals in particular
environments; where
Effectiveness is the accuracy and completeness with which

specified users can achieve specified goals in particular environments;

Efficiency is the resources expended in relation to the accuracy and

completeness of goals achieved; and

Satisfaction is the comfort

(experience) and acceptability of the

work system to its users and other people affected by its use.

Users Definition of Usability

USABILITY : The ability of a User to Use the product/ system / environment as desired
Usability Engineering: The affordance offered by a product that makes it useable.
Usability does not happen by it self. It has to be engineered into the product.

Usability is related to Human performance

Capabilities
Limits
Consequences

Intuitiveness
Maximum success for first-time users, with
minimum training, explanation or thought
Efficiency
Maximum success for long-term users, with
minimum time, mental load, physical effort
Usability is conceptualised into the product by
Usability has three
major components in
Design
Appearance
Visual Quality

DESIGN
Interaction
Use Quality

DESIGN

Technology
Build Quality

Some definitions .
Usability is the measure of the quality of a Users experience
when interacting with a product or system
Usability Engineering is the processes of deriving, specifying,
measuring, constructing and evaluating usability features
into products and systems.
Usability Study is the systematic analysis based on heuristics
and/or experimental evaluation of the interaction between people
and the products including the environment of use.
Psychology/ Cognitive Sc/ Behavioral Sc

Usability Testing is the scientific verification of the specified usability

parameters with respect to the Users needs, capabilities,
expectations, safety & satisfaction.
Usability as applied to Product Design
Usability as applied to Human Computer Interaction
Usability as applied to Human Environment Interaction
Usability as applied to Systems (including Engineering systems)

UCD Methods (ISO 13407)

The UE lifecycle
SYSTEM LIFE CYCLE
FEASIBILITY
USER
REQs

CONTEXT
OF USE

REQUIREMENTS
FUNCTIONAL

TECHNICAL

DESIGN

IMPLEMENT

RELEASE

PROTOTYPE

USEABILITY
TESTING

FEEDBACK

Design Stages
Task

Information produced

Knowing the user

User characteristics, User background

Knowing the task

Users current task, Task analysis

User requirements

User requirements specification

Setting usability goals

Usability specification

Design process

Design Specification

HCI Guidelines & heuristic analysis

Feedback for design iteration

Prototyping

Prototype for user testing

Evaluation with users

Feedback for freezing design

Redesign and evaluate with users

Finished product

Evaluate with users and report

Feedback on product for future systems

The goals of Usability Engineering

5 Es
Effective to use - Functional
Efficient to use
- Efficient
Error free in use - Safe
Easy to use
- Friendly
Enjoyable in use - Pleasurable Experience
Achieves 5 times Enhancement in Engineering value.

User Requirement
Analysis

Usability
Evaluation
& Testing

USER CENTRED
DESIGN PROCESS

Conceptual
design

UE is based on a UserCentered Design (UCD)

approach to analysis and
design. It concentrates on
those aspects of products &
services that have a bearing on
their effective, efficient &
pleasurable USE by humans.

Programmer
Developer

Implementation

Marketer

Interface Designer
IT Engg

ISO 13407, 1999

Human-centered design is an approach to
interactive system development that focuses
specifically on making systems usable.
It is a multi-disciplinary activity.

User

The UCD Methodology.

User centered design processes : UCD

Design brief &
constraints

User requirements

User need analysis

User goals

User tasks

System specification
Build prototype

Software Development

Test Prototypes
Analyze data
Refine design
Evaluate design
Deliver product

Support product

Definition of UE & other Related fields

HCI : Human Computer Interaction is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation
and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of
major phenomena surrounding them. ACM - Association for Computing Machinery.

Human Factors & Ergonomics : Stress on

physiology) and on optimising work processes

human physical issues (

User Interface Design: Focuses on interface layer assuming all

deeper functions are fixed.
HCD- Human Centered Design:

Approaches to software
engineering with user focus at all stages of software design

ID Interaction Design :

wider scope in terms of devices beyond

computers. More emphasis on cognitive & experiential factors.

UE- Usability engineering focuses on design & implementation

processes. It is essentially research & design based activity .
There are overlaps in the above fields. Each is independent. UE has all of them.

Relationship between UE & Human Computer Interaction;

Interaction Design; Experience Design; GUI Design
Design

Engineering

UE ={UX + UI + ID + HCI }
Creative Design
Cognitive Science

Computer Science

UX = User Experience
UI = User Interface
ID = Interaction design
HCI= Human Computer Interaction
UE = Usability Engineering
Please note : UE is written as Usability and Useability. Both are valid.

UE vs Software Engineering
Key difference (Karat and Dayton, 1995):
In most cases of the design and development of
commercial software, usability is not dealt with at
the same level as other aspects of SE, (e.g.
Clear usability objectives are not set; and
Resources for appropriate activities are not given priority
by project management).

To produce usable interactive products

requires (Mayhew, 1999):
UI design principles and guidelines.
Structured methods for achieving usability.

Usability Testing & UE the difference

Usability engineering
Methodical approach
to producing user
interface + Experience
+ function + aesthetics
A way to deliver a
product that works

Usability
Testing
Part of
process of UE
Real users
performing
real tasks

Usability Testing
Analytical evaluation:
By simulating how the users activity
will be performed.
Heuristic evaluation measures design
against a list of usability factors.

Empirical evaluation:
By building and testing a prototype.
Formal usability testing tests a
component of the design under
controlled conditions - actual users.
Formal usability testing requires a
usability laboratory.

Cost-justifying usability
$1 spent on usability = $10 saved (Nielsen, 1993).
Rs. 50 spent saves Rs 500 worth of trouble shooting due to poor design
Ignoring UE .
Frustrated users
Low productivity
Poor user interface
design is the cause
High costs
Support/Help desk costs
Entering data
incorrectly
Deleting data
Loss of market share ,
good will
Competitors rush in.

Mobile / Tablet / Device

companies now are heavily
investing in UE as the value
adder as well as product
differentiator.
They do not consider cost as a
constraining factor as far as UE
is concerned.

Evolution of HCI and understanding of Users

Hardware
Software
Usability
User
Experience

User as 'cog in the system (1970's)

User a source of error (80's),
User a social actor (90's)
User as a consumer now (2000s)

Previous
approaches
are insufficient

When user is a consumer, his needs need to be

understood in order for the product to stay in the market.
User experience with interactive products start
determining which ones will sell.

The UE processes is based on four fundamental axioms of Design

User is the only constant entity of an artificially created system.

User is the starting point of all design

User is the final datum of reference for all design decisions
User is the measure of all things.
Ref : Pradeep Yammiyavar ; Industrial design of Electronic Equipment; IMPACT,IISC 1998

Nielsen (1993) identified five attributes that contribute to usability:

Learnability. The user should be able to promptly start performing
their tasks with the system.
Efficiency. Once the user has learned the system, a high level of
productivity should be possible.
Memorability. The casual user should be able to return to the system
after not having used it for some time, without having to relearn
everything.
Errors. Users should not make many errors using the system, and if
they do, they should be able to easily recover from them. Catastrophic
errors should not occur.
Satisfaction. Users should like using the system and should be
subjectively satisfied when using it. The system should be pleasant to
use.

Digging Deeper into Usability

What makes a product usable ?

Is it all subjective ?. can we measure Usability?

Stanton & Barber 1996 proposed measuring the following :

Learnability

Effectiveness

Attitude

Flexibility Compatibility

Learnability : A product/system should allow users to reach acceptable

levels of competency /performance within a specified time.

Learnability
Consistency
Familiarity
Standards

- Help the users to master the system

- Let the users have to learn only once
- Build on users' prior knowledge
- Respect established cultural and
- application specific conventions .
Self-descriptiveness -Make objects and controls intuitive
Help
- Provide easy access to help resource

Intuitive User Interfaces do not require investing resources in Learning.

Such interfaces follow the Users Mental Model of Interaction

Designing User Interface for Mobiles / Tablets

1 , 2, 3.

UI

What is involved in GUI design ?

2
Appearance
Visual Quality

DESIGN

Technology
Build Quality

Designing for ease of use

Usability : Semantics ,

Dialogue, Communication
Mental Models

Designing for attractiveness

Interaction
Use Quality

Technological feasibility is
different from Usability.
Engineering / Software
should not dictate usability

- Aesthetics
User Experiences .
Designing for contextual
awareness
Culture , Behavior

Around the world Usability Engineering is becoming a

recognised discipline with established practices and standards.
The usability professional association- USA was formed in 1991.
There are active UE groups in India such as Indiachi / hcidc /
useabilityorg.

Indias first UE Research Lab at IITG in 2003.

The Usability
Engineering lab at
IITG was the first UE
Research lab
established in Indian
educational institution.
Since 2003 & upto 2013 - IITG
has trained over 200
UE /UI/ GUI/HCI Designers.

The Knowledge Base for UE rests on the following science

Cognitive Science
Physiology
Psychology
Sociology
Ethnography
Anthropology
Ergonomics
Design sciences
Engineering Sciences : Computer Science, Information Communication Technology

Some Usability Books

. A Practical Guide to
Usability Testing by
Joe Dumas & Ginny.
Redish (1993)

2. Handbook of
Usability Testing by
Jeffrey Rubin (1994)

3. Usability
Engineering by
Jakob Nielsen
(1993)Morgan
Kaufman , Academic
Press London.

The Psychology
of Human
Computer
Interaction
Stuart Card,
Thomas Moran
& Allen Newell
(1983)

Assignment
Usability Evaluation
Conduct a quick Usability evaluation of your mobile phone &
Compare it with the evaluation of your friends phone.
Rating out of 10
Effective to use

- Functional

Efficient to use

- Efficient

Error free in use

- Safe

Easy to use

- Friendly

Enjoyable in use - Pleasurable

Total :