Usability Assessment Methods

Abstract

Usability assessment methods evolved from traditional human factors/ergonomics techniques beginning in the early 1980s. Following a brief historical introduction, we describe the four major categories of these methods: usability testing; usability inspections; surveys, interviews, and focus groups; and field methods. We describe the basic techniques of these methods, their strengths and weaknesses, their measurement characteristics, their validity and reliability, and how they are being applied to product development and assessment. We discuss the new challenges to usability assessment: (a) using the methods thoughtfully, (b) expanding the scope of assessment beyond usability and productivity to affect end user experience, (c) and emphasizing design solutions to problems in addition to simply finding the problems themselves.