SAP DESIGN GUILD

Usability Reviews

by Bernard Rummel, SAP AG, Usability Engineering Center – Last changed on 08.08.2005

This paper is outdated.

The usability review is a cost-effective method of improving a product's usability. It involves at least two experts analyzing an application, carrying out typical tasks from the perspective of a typical user. They analyze the usability problems that emerge and prioritize them together with the development team.

Overview

  1. Why conduct usability reviews?
  2. What do I need to do to carry out a usability review?
  3. Estimate of time required
  4. Training & further information

 

Why Conduct Usability Reviews?

Compared with other methods, usability reviews are particularly quick and cost-effective. Prioritizing usability problems helps the team to concentrate on important points and use limited resources efficiently. The method is not only applicable to programmed applications but also for reviewing prototypes and specifications.

A usability review is an opportunity to pick up usability problems that only come to light with experienced users (for example in automated use sequences). It is difficult to observe an experienced user on a user day or usability test because users first have to gain some experience with the new product.

A usability review allows the user interface designer (UID) to get to know an application, identify problem areas, and plan further action. In the review process, the user interface designer can identify missing design elements, complete them, and prepare for site visits and user days.

 

What Do I Need to Do to Carry out a Usability Review?

Prerequisites

You can carry out a usability review for:

The implementing user interface designer also needs:

Process

  1. Preliminary discussion
    The user interface designer and development manager discuss the way forward, the applications to be reviewed, deadlines, and type and range of documents to be drawn up.

  2. User and task definitions
    The product management specialist, info developer and/or user interface designer agree on definitions of the typical user and user scenarios. This requires descriptions of typical goals and work tasks of the user. In ideal circumstances, these descriptions should already exist as a result of site visits.

  3. Usability inspection
    Two or more user interface designers work on the previously defined tasks from the perspective of the typical user. They cover potential usability problems, analyze the causes, categorize the severity, and develop initial solution approaches. They document the results in the agreed format. They usually draw up a complete problem list and presentation of the crucial points. The time required for this activity is dependent on the scope of the application.

  4. Review Meeting
    Two user interface designers, the development manager, participating developers, and info developers discuss the usability problems of the application and come up with initial solution ideas. They agree the problem's priority and the preferred solution deadline. Depending on the number and difficulty of the problems, they also fix a deadline for a follow-up review. Everyone involved has access to a complete problem list and minutes at the end of the review. If there is a problem that needs to be discussed in more depth, colleagues are identified to work on a solution to the problem, for example by conducting an interaction design session.

 

Estimate of Time Required

This table gives a rough estimate of the time required for a usability review.

Activity
Time required  
Participants
Preliminary discussion ½ h User Interface Designer
Development Manager
User and task definitions   0-3h Product Management Specialist
Info Developer
User Interface Designer
Usability inspection 6-8h Two or more User Interface Designers
Review Meeting 2-4h 2 User Interface Designer
Development Manager
Developer
Info Developer

 

Further Information

 

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