Usability Inspection Methods and Objectives

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Questions and Answers

What is typically not used by usability specialists?

Heuristic evaluation

Usability inspections (correct)

Cognitive walkthrough

User interface guidelines

Which of the following is NOT a heuristic mentioned in the guidelines?

Shneiderman's Eight Golden Rules of Interface Design

Miller's Law (correct)

Gerhardt-Powals' cognitive engineering principles

Nielsen's heuristics

Which heuristic evaluation method is based on task-oriented evaluation?

Heuristic evaluation

Cognitive walkthrough (correct)

Nielsen's heuristics

Graphical user interface guidelines

Which guideline is specifically focused on web interfaces?

Ameritech Web Page User Interface Standards Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of heuristic evaluation?

It uses a set of heuristics as a guide. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of usability inspection methods?

To evaluate a user interface design Signup and view all the answers

Who can act as usability inspectors?

Professionals with domain knowledge Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic methods for evaluating user interfaces?

Evolving through agile methodology Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily identified during usability inspections?

Usability problems in user interfaces Signup and view all the answers

How do inspectors derive their judgments in usability inspections?

Through subjective observation and experience Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of a feature inspection?

A specific function or set of functions Signup and view all the answers

Which evaluation method is characterized as 'cheap' due to its informal nature?

Informally based methods Signup and view all the answers

What is a guideline review primarily concerned with?

Conformance with a comprehensive list of usability guidelines Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of usability problems is highlighted during usability inspections?

Underlying causes affecting user interaction Signup and view all the answers

Which inspection method specifically emphasizes the similarity in user interfaces across multiple products?

Consistency inspection Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true about usability inspection?

It can involve both expert inspectors and end users. Signup and view all the answers

Who usually conducts a standard inspection?

An expert or someone familiar with the standards Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of usability inspections in group settings?

To make team members aware of usability aspects of design Signup and view all the answers

Which inspection method requires deciphering a potentially extensive list of usability items?

Guideline review Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does heuristic evaluation primarily emphasize?

User experience based on established usability principles Signup and view all the answers

How does a cognitive walkthrough function in usability inspections?

It simulates the user's thought process during interaction Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Usability Inspection Definition

Evaluates user interface designs using considered judgement
Uses various methods to evaluate a user interface
Inspectors usually consist of usability specialists, software developers, end users or other professionals.

Usability Inspection Evaluation Methods

Automatically: Computed usability measures
Empirically: Using usability testing with real users - this is the most common method.
Formally: Using exact models and formulas to calculate usability measures
Informally: Based on rules of thumb, evaluator's experience and knowledge - this is the cheapest option.

Usability Inspection Objectives

Identifies and recommends fixes to improve usability.
Aims to identify usability problems that decrease user experience.
Counts usability problems and uses experience to identify underlying problems.
Forms part of a larger process, of usability engineering lifecycle.
Develops team understanding and awareness of usability aspects.

Inspection Methods

Guideline Reviews: Ensures compliance with a comprehensive set of usability guidelines.
Heuristic Evaluation: Uses a set of heuristics, including Nielsen's heuristics, Muller's participative heuristics, Gerhardt-Powals' cognitive engineering principles, Shneiderman's eight golden rules and Weinschenk and Barker's classification.
Pluralistic Walkthroughs:
Consistency Inspections: Ensures a consistent look and feel across multiple products.
Standard Inspections: Inspecting a user interface for compliance with existing standards.
Cognitive Walkthroughs: Task-oriented evaluation using the Think Aloud Technique.
Formal Usability Inspection:
Feature Inspection: Evaluates the usefulness of specific function within the software.

Standard Inspection

Ensures compliance with a set of standards.
Usually performed by experts or someone familiar with the standards.
Helps ensure compliance with other systems.

Feature Inspection

Focuses on a function or a set of functions within the software.
Determines whether the function meets the needs of the end user.
Emphasizes the usefulness of a specific function rather than the overall interface.

Consistency Inspection

Ensures a consistent look and feel across a family of products.
Performed by a designated usability team.

Guideline Reviews

Reviews interfaces for compliance with usability guidelines.
Requires knowledge and expertise in usability guidelines.
May be categorized somewhere between a standard inspection and a heuristic evaluation.

Heuristic Evaluation

A detailed method that is discussed later.
Uses heuristics to guide the inspection process.

Cognitive Walkthrough

Details discussed later.
A task-orientated evaluation based on the Think Aloud Technique.

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Description

Explore the various methods and objectives of usability inspection. This quiz evaluates your understanding of techniques such as empirical testing and informal evaluations, as well as their role in improving user experience. Test your knowledge of usability principles and best practices.