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Comprehensive Usability
Methodology
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I note from a Times article in Feb 1995 that when the
usability group was set up in 1993, it needed a "..comprehensive
usability methodology". Is there a 'mission statement'
for the Usability Group describing this methodology?
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Why was the group set up?
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Considering that the phase
'usability' is quite ambiguous and means differing things
to different people:
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Do Reuters
have an overall list of basic principles for usability?
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If there is
a standard set of usability goals, are they fixed and
applied to every system or are they tailored to each one?
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How would
Reuters define what usability actually is?
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At what stage
do Reuters get involved with a new product or product
version?
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Usability Assessment
& Method of Evaluation
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Usability Testing
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Is a mixture of friendly, hostile and simulated users used
in testing?
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Are there other types of
users tested?
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How many users are tested
for each system and how long does it take?
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I would like to 'sit in'
on a usability test 'from behind the screen' as well as
experiencing the process from the users standpoint (I
could volunteer to be a Guinea pig too). Would this be
possible?
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How do Reuters incorporate
into their testing the following methods of assessment?:
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Verbal protocols
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Visual protocols
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Visual scanning
patterns (how is the measurement of saccadic eye movement
done?)
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Patterns of
system use
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Software logging
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What other methods do Reuters
employ during testing?
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Attitude Measures
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I understand you use SUMI
questionnaires. What are these and how are they used to
measure product usability?
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Are users views on the system
researched in any other way?
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Expert review
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How are expert reviews of
products undertaken?
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If structured walkthroughs
are included how are these progressed?
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Do Reuters use project independent
ergonomists/designers to check designs or are naive users
introduced at this stage too?
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I would imagine there is
much emphasis placed on effective communication between
the usability group, its customers and programmers/software
engineers. How is this communication arranged in order
to encourage openness?
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Apart from the usability
assessment undertaken on the users (expert and customer)
how are other sources of feedback on designs taken into
account? (e.g. market research)
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General
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How is speedy feedback ensured
to enable the latest usability concerns to be incorporated
into the system testing and design?
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How are the results used
to effect revised designs?
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How are usability standards
upgraded for each version of each system and how are these
measurements defined?
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How is usability assessed
in systems where its users have differing levels of computer
skills and how are these measurements defined?
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How are the results of testing
and assessment used to effect revised designs?
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