Introduction:

Usability testing is a technique used in human factors engineering to quantitatively evaluate a given prototype design, using representative human subjects and tasks. The metrics recorded during testing can be used to evaluate performance or to make comparisons among several candidate designs.

Benefits:

• replace opinion of usability with quantitative data
• measure time on task, and task element duration
• identify operational errors early and redesign
• acquire user satisfaction data
• measure learning curve and establish training requirements
• demonstrate user problems to system designers
• determine winning design from candidates

Capabilities:

• rapid software prototyping of candidate designs
• experimental design, human testing protocols
• test subjects in usability laboratory
• videotape recording and data analysis
• software interface design and web site design
• rapid interface prototyping

Experience and Customers:

1. SNL intranet applications, including expense voucher and time card

2. SNL weapons hardware tester modeled and data collected using rapid prototyping tool (see figure)

3. Website and application development—- ICADS project, Center for Systems Reliability

  Software prototype of weapons tester control panel used in usability testing.

References:

1. Miller, D.P., ProtoTymer: Human performance instrumentation for HyperCard® prototyping. Formal Demonstration at the CHI '90 conference for ACM's Special Interest Group on Computer Human Interaction, Seattle, WA, April 1990.

2. Miller, D.P. and A.C. Stone, ProtoTymer: Human performance instrumentation for HyperCard® prototyping. In Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 33rd Annual Meeting. Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, October 1989, pp. 249-253.

3. Miller, D.P., Instant prototyping using HyperCard® on the Macintosh®.  In Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 32nd Annual Meeting . Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, October 1988, pp. 362-366.