Graphical Controls Based Environment for User Interface Evaluation (original) (raw)

Towards a practical method of user interface evaluation.

This paper describes a practical method for evaluating the usability of human-computer interfaces. The paper specifies the requirements of such a method, and then outlines our work in developing a method to meet this specification. The method is based on the conduct of realistic tasks with an interactive system and the subsequent systematic elicitation of end-users' and designers' reactions to the interface using a criterion-based evaluation checklist.

Metric-Based Evaluation of Graphical User Interfaces: Model, Method, and Software Support

Many factors contribute to ensuring User eXperience (UX) of Graphical User Interfaces, such as, but not limited to: usability, fun, engagement, subjective satisfaction. Aesthetics is a potential element that could also significantly contribute to this user experience. Although aesthetics have been extensively discussed, there is a need to rely on a sound, empirically validated methodology in order to properly evaluate how aesthetics could be measured, namely through metrics. Two main issues need to be addressed: the representativeness and the relevance of aesthetics metrics. In order to address these challenges, this paper introduces a methodology for metric-based evaluation of a graphical user interface of any type. This methodology is based on an underlying model that captures aesthetics aspects and related metrics, a method for computing them based on the underlying model, and software that supports enacting this method on any type of graphical user interface.

User interface evaluation in the real world: A comparison of four techniques

1991

evaluation; guidelines; usability testing; cognitive walkthrough A user interface (UI) for a software product was evaluated prior to its release by four groups, each applying a different technique: heuristic evaluation, software guidelines, cognitive walkthroughs, and usability testing. Heuristic evaluation by several ill specialists found the most serious problems with the least amount of effort, although they also reported a large number of low-priority problems. The relative advantages of all the techniques are discussed, and suggestions for improvements in the techniques are offered.

Quantitative Test Metrics to Measure the Quality of User Interfaces

There currently are several views on human computer interaction in measuring interactive qualities of usability attributes: (1) the interaction-oriented view, (2) the user-oriented view, (3) the product-oriented view and (4) the formal view. Two different possibilities of measurement within the product-oriented view are introduced in this paper. Different types of user interfaces can be described and differentiated by the concept of "interaction points". Regarding to the interactive semantic of "functional interaction points" (FIPs), four different types of FIPs must be discriminated. Based on the concept of FIPs, the dimensions "[visual] feedback" and "interactive directness" can be quantified. Both metrics are helpful to classify the most common user interfaces: command, menu, and direct manipulation. The classification can be validated with the outcomes of several empirical comparison studies.

A decision-making approach for the synthesis of results issued from different user interface evaluation methods

The evaluation of the interactive systems has been the subject of numerous researches during the last two decades. However, it still remains a difficult task to establish. Generally, evaluators exploit a single method to proceed to an interactive system evaluation. However, many authors assert that a single method is not enough to obtain relevant evaluation results. As a solution, we propose a decision-making approach for the synthesis of data collected by different evaluation methods to obtain more reliable evaluation results. The proposed approach is based on three evaluation methods: the questionnaire, the ergonomic quality inspection and the electronic informer. As an evaluation result, the proposed approach provides evaluators with the quantification of the evaluation dimensions: the usability and the system functionality degree.

Quantitative measures for evaluating human-computer interfaces

… of the International Conference on Human- …, 1993

There currently are 4 different views on human computer interaction in measuring interactive qualities: (1) the interaction-oriented view, (2) the user-oriented view, (3) the product-oriented view and (4) the formal view. Two different possibilities of measurement within the productoriented view are introduced in this paper. Different types of user interfaces can be described and differentiated by the concept of "interaction points". Regarding to the interactive semantic of "functional interaction points" (FIPs), 4 different types of FIPs must be discriminated. Based on the concept of FIPs, the dimensions "[visual] feedback" and "interactive directness" can be quantified.

Metric-based evaluation of graphical user interfaces

Proceedings of the 5th ACM SIGCHI symposium on Engineering interactive computing systems - EICS '13, 2013

Many factors contribute to ensuring User eXperience (UX) of Graphical User Interfaces, such as, but not limited to: usability, fun, engagement, subjective satisfaction. Aesthetics is a potential element that could also significantly contribute to this user experience. Although aesthetics have been extensively discussed, there is a need to rely on a sound, empirically validated methodology in order to properly evaluate how aesthetics could be measured, namely through metrics. Two main issues need to be addressed: the representativeness and the relevance of aesthetics metrics. In order to address these challenges, this paper introduces a methodology for metric-based evaluation of a graphical user interface of any type. This methodology is based on an underlying model that captures aesthetics aspects and related metrics, a method for computing them based on the underlying model, and software that supports enacting this method on any type of graphical user interface.

How to Measure and to Quantify Usability of User Interfaces

One of the main problems of standards in the context of usability of software qua- lity is, that they can not be measured in product features. We present a new appro- ach to measure user-interface quality in a quantitative way. First, we developed a concept to describe user-interfaces on a granularity level, that is detailed enough to preserve important interface characteristics, and is general enough to cover most of known interface types. We distinguish between different types of 'inter- action-points'. With these kinds of interaction-points we can describe several types of interfaces (CUI: command, menu, form-fill-in; GUI: desktop, direct manipulation, multimedia, etc.). We carried out two different comparative usa- bility studies to validate our quantitative measures. The results of one other pub- lished comparative usability study can be predicted. Results of six different inter- faces are presented and discussed.

Usability Evaluation: An Empirical Validation of Different Measures to Quantify Interface Attributes

Analysis, Design and Evaluation of Man–Machine Systems 1995, 1995

One of the main problems of standards (e.g., DIN 66234, ISO 9241) in the context of usability of software quality is, that they can not be measured in product features. We present a new approach to measure user interface quality in a quantitative way. First, we developed a concept to describe user interfaces on a granularity level, that is detailed enough to preserve important interface characteristics, and is general enough to cover most of known interface types. We distinguish between different types of 'interaction points'. With these kinds of interaction points we can describe several types of interfaces (CUI: command, menu, form-fill-in; GUI: desktop, direct manipulation, multimedia, etc.). We carried out two different comparative usability studies to validate our quantitative measures. The results of one other published comparative usability study can be predicted. Results of six different interfaces are presented and discussed.

How to Measure the Ergonomic Qualitiy of User Interfaces in a Task Independent Way

The main problems of standards (e.g., ISO 9241) in the context of usability of software quality are, that they can not measure all relevant product features in a task independent way. We present a new approach to measure user interface quality in a quantitative way. First, we developed a concept to describe user interfaces on a granularity level, that is detailed enough to preserve important interface characteristics, and is general enough to cover most of known interface types. We distinguish between different types of 'interaction points'. With these kinds of interaction points we can describe several types of interfaces (command, menu, form-fill-in, desktop, direct manipulation, multimedia etc.). We analysed the outcomes of three different comparative usability studies to validate our quantitative measures. The results of a published comparative usability study by someone else can be predicted. Results of six different interfaces are presented and discussed. One of the mo...