For an introductory, one-semester course in Usability Engineering. Written in an accessible, conversational style, this comprehensive introduction is crafted to support a project-based course emphasizing the development process. The authors provide detailed coverage of fundamentals without unnecessary depth or breadth, aiming to foster an understanding of the goals and process of usability engineering. Students gain valuable hands-on experience that will serve them in future careers.
CONTENTS
I. Introduction to usability.
1. What is a user interface?
2. What do we mean by HCI, usability, and user interfaces?
3. Defining usability and models of usability.
II. The process of usability engineering.
4. The process of usability engineering.
III. Defining and documenting the user's needs.
5. Understanding and documenting the UI that the user has in mind.
6. Large-scale example of analysis and specification of user context, tasks, and characteristics.
IV. Designing a user interface to match the user needs.
7. Designing the interaction and designing a solution.
8. Interaction styles and how they relate to project situations.
9. More guidelines, some standards and generally some more ideas to improve your design of interaction.
V. Revisiting the process.
10. Revisiting the process: Prototyping your interaction.
11. Usability assessment.
VI. A little more about design.
12. Interaction design and evaluation example.
13. Specifying and analyzing your (quality) software design.
VII. Context, constraints and responsibilities for user interface design.
14. The 'H' in HCI.
15. Usability for everyone.
16. References.
