3/23/09
1
Evaluating User
Interfaces
CSCI 264 – Design of Human-Computer
Interface
Areas of Interest
Application being designed and developed
Design phase
Alpha/Beta Prototypes
Release version
Competitor applications
User perceptions about a task or application
Starts at design review prototyping time (if
possible)
Have typical real users involved
keep designers gagged in background to
listen, observe, learn, and sweat!
Plan on major investments here, particularly
for commercial products
Major portions, adapted from notes prepared by John Lovgren and Sherry Kalin.
Used by permission.
User Interface Debugging
Test for problems in the interface
Measure for speed of learning
Measure for speed of use
Test usefulness of documentation
All iterative, but documentation has distinct
purposes for different types of information
User Interface Debugging
Evaluate Interface Problems
Use typical users
Test typical tasks
Record details of all interactions
Record interactions between users
Record thinking protocol of user
Record signs of stress or frustration
Record user's subjective reactions
Speed of learning
Work with typical users, performing typical
sequence of typical tasks
Use typical training
Control training time
Measure performance and compare to goals
set as part of user requirements
Evaluate Interface Problems
