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A high-resolution scan is available (162K JPEG) First Japanese edition ISBN 4-8101-9009-9 (Toppan Publishing) Second Japanese edition ISBN 4-501-53200-9 (Tokyo Denki University Press) Chinese edition ISBN 7-111-14792-8 (China Machine Press) Related Reports 230 Tips for Better User Testing 233 Tips for Recruiting Test Participants Paper Prototyping 32 minute video

Usability Engineering

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Table of Contents

Preface

• Audience
• Teaching Usability Engineering
• Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

• 1.1 Cost Savings
• 1.2 Usability Now!
• 1.3 Usability Slogans
  • Your Best Guess Is Not Good Enough
  • The User Is Always Right
  • The User Is Not Always Right
  • Users Are Not Designers
  • Designers Are Not Users
  • Vice Presidents Are Not Users
  • Less Is More
  • Details Matter
  • Help Doesn't
  • Usability Engineering Is Process
• 1.4 Discount Usability Engineering
  • Scenarios
  • Simplified Thinking Aloud
  • Heuristic Evaluation
• 1.5 Recipe For Action

Chapter 2: What Is Usability?

• 2.1 Usability and Other Considerations
• 2.2 Definition of Usability
  • Learnability
  • Efficiency of Use
  • Memorability
  • Few and Noncatastrophic Errors
  • Subjective Satisfaction
• 2.3 Example: Measuring the Usability of Icons
• 2.4 Usability Trade-Offs
• 2.5 Categories of Users and Individual User Differences

Chapter 3: Generations of User Interfaces

• 3.1 Batch Systems
• 3.2 Line-Oriented Interfaces
• 3.3 Full-Screen Interfaces
  • Menu Hierarchies
• 3.4 Graphical User Interfaces
• 3.5 Next-Generation Interfaces
• 3.6 Long-Term Trends in Usability

Chapter 4: The Usability Engineering Lifecycle

• 4.1 Know the User
  • Individual User Characteristics
  • Task Analysis
  • Functional Analysis
  • The Evolution of the User
• 4.2 Competitive Analysis
• 4.3 Goal Setting
  • Financial Impact Analysis
• 4.4 Parallel Design
• 4.5 Participatory Design
• 4.6 Coordinating the Total Interface
• 4.7 Guidelines and Heuristic Evaluation
• 4.8 Prototyping
  • Scenarios
• 4.9 Interface Evaluation
  • Severity Ratings
• 4.10 Iterative Design
  • Capture the Design Rationale
• 4.11 Follow-Up Studies of Installed Systems
• 4.12 Meta-Methods
• 4.13 Prioritizing Usability Activities
• 4.14 Be Prepared

Chapter 5: Usability Heuristics

• 5.1 Simple and Natural Dialogue
  • Graphic Design and Color
  • Less Is More
• 5.2 Speak the Users' Language
  • Mappings and Metaphors
• 5.3 Minimize User Memory Load
• 5.4 Consistency
• 5.5 Feedback
  • Response Time
  • System Failure
• 5.6 Clearly Marked Exits
• 5.7 Shortcuts
• 5.8 Good Error Messages
  • Multiple-Level Messages
• 5.9 Prevent Errors
  • Avoid Modes
• 5.10 Help and Documentation
  • A Model of Documentation Use
  • The Minimal Manual
• 5.11 Heuristic Evaluation
  • Effect of Evaluator Expertise

Chapter 6: Usability Testing

• Reliability
• Validity
• 6.1 Test Goals and Test Plans
  • Test Plans
  • Test Budget
  • Pilot Tests
• 6.2 Getting Test Users
  • Novice versus Expert Users
  • Between-Subjects versus Within-Subjects Testing
• 6.3 Choosing Experimenters
• 6.4 Ethical Aspects of Tests with Human Subjects
• 6.5 Test Tasks
• 6.6 Stages of a Test
  • Preparation
  • Introduction
  • Running the Test
  • Debriefing
• 6.7 Performance Measurement
• 6.8 Thinking Aloud
  • Constructive Interaction
  • Retrospective Testing
  • Coaching Method
• 6.9 Usability Laboratories
  • To Videotape or Not
  • Cameraless Videotaping
  • Portable Usability Laboratories
  • Usability Kiosks

Chapter 7: Usability Assessment Methods beyond Testing

• 7.1 Observation
• 7.2 Questionnaires and Interviews
• 7.3 Focus Groups
• 7.4 Logging Actual Use
  • Combining Logging with Follow-Up Interviews
• 7.5 User Feedback
• 7.6 Choosing Usability Methods
  • Combining Usability Methods

Chapter 8: Interface Standards

• User Benefits from Consistency and Standards
• Vendor Benefits from Consistency and Standards
• The Dangers of Standards
• 8.1 National, International and Vendor Standards
• 8.2 Producing Usable In-House Standards

Chapter 9: International User Interfaces

• 9.1 International Graphical Interfaces
  • Gestural Interfaces
• 9.2 International Usability Engineering
• 9.3 Guidelines for Internationalization
  • Characters
  • Numbers and Currency
  • Time and Measurement Units
  • Don't Despair
• 9.4 Resource Separation
• 9.5 Multilocale Interfaces

Chapter 10: Future Developments

• 10.1 Theoretical Solutions
• 10.2 Technological Solutions
• 10.3 CAUSE Tools: Computer-Aided Usability Engineering
• 10.4 Technology Transfer

Appendix A: Exercises

• Hints

Appendix B: Bibliography

• B.1 Conference Proceedings
• B.2 Journals
• B.3 Introductions and Textbooks
• B.4 Handbook
• B.5 Reprint Collections
• B.6 Important Monographs and Collections of Original Papers
• B.7 Guidelines
  • Style Guides
• B.8 Videotapes
• B.9 Other Bibliographies
  • Bibliographic Databases
• B.10 References

Author Index

Subject Index

The original hardcover edition had ISBN 0-12-518405-0. The hardcover edition is now out of print and has been replaced by the updated paperback edition described on this page.

New Scientist review: "It is a book that does not moan about how bad things are but shows us how to change the world and does so admirably."