Presents a streamlined process for developing highly usable software. Desceibes practical methods and models successfully implemented in industry. Complements modern development practices, including the Unified Process and other object-oriented software engineering approaches.
Acknowledgments xii Preface xiv SECTION I TOWARD MORE USABLE SOFTWARE
1 SOFTWARE FOR USE: Usage, Usability and User Interfaces Upgrading Usability 3 Approaching Usability 12 Changing Contexts 18
2 BUILT-IN USABILITY: A Usage-Centered Design Approach Interfacing with Users 21 Elements of a Usage-Centered Approach 23 Driving Models 25 Coordinated Activity 33
3 IN PRINClPLE: Rules and Principles of Usage-Centered Design Design as Dialogue 41 Rules and Principles 45 Usability Rules 46 User Interface Design Principles 51 Other Rules 63 Details, Details, Details 65 SECTION II ESSENTIAL MODELS FOR USABILITY
4 USERS AND REWED SPECIES: Understanding Users and User Roles Of Use and Users 69 Real Users and Others 70 User Role Models 78 User Role Maps 84 User Roles in Action 86 Structured Role Models 89
5 WORKING STRUCTURES: Task Modeling with Essential Use Cases Work, Work, Work 97 Task Modeling 99 The Use Case Map 109 Building Essential Use Case Models 115 Application 119
6 INTERFACE ARCHITECTURE: Interface Contents and Navigation Workplaces 125 Interface Contents 127 The Context Navigation Map 135 Application 141 SECTION III CREATING THE VISUAL DESIGN
7 OESIGNING THE DIALOGUE: Layout and Communication From Abstraction to Expression 149 Communication Channels 150 Screen Real Estate 158
8 PRACTICAL WIDGETRY: Choosing and Designing Visual Components Buy or Build 165 Iconic Communication 166 Menus 170 Selecting Selection Widgets 179
9 INNOVATIVE INTERFACE: Creative Interface Engineering and Custom Components Creative Engineering 185 The Process of Innovation 1B9 Instructive Interfaces 194 Applied Innovation 205 SECTION IV COMPLETING THE OESIGN
10 EXPRESSING SOLUTIONS: Implementation Modeling and Prototypes Fun Stuff 211 Prototypes and Prototyping 212 Mapping the Models 218 Implementation Modeling Illustrated 225
11 HELP ME IF You CAN: Designing Help and Helpful Messages Even Experts Need a Lift 231 Use Cases for Help 232 Access and Presentation Techniques 237 Special Techniques and Modalities 243 Helpful writing 248 Helpful Messages 253
12 ONCE A BEGINNER: Supporting Evolving Usage Patterns Beyond Beginners 265 Skiing the Interface 267 Progressive Usage 268 Supportive Interfaces 272 Designing for Progressive Usage 280 Progressive Usage Applied 293
13 IN PLACE: Fitting the Operational Context Unsound Context 297 Operational Modeling 298 Environmental Adaptation 299 Binding Context 300 Environment Profile 308 Putting Context in Place 313
14 SAME GAME, DIFFERENT FIELDS: Special Applications, Special lssues Theme and Variation, Again 317 Web Design for Use 317 Web Wisdom Applied 330 Embedded Systems Applications 338 Other Special Interfaces 354
15 USAGE-CENTERED DESIGN APPLIED: The TeleGuida Case Scaling Up 357 Telephone Tag 358 Gathering Requirements 359 TeleGuida Users and Uses 366 Toward a TeleGuida Prototype 37B SECTION V ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT
16 BETTER NEXT TIME: Improvement by Inspection and Review Assessing Usability 391 Inspection Methods 399 Collaborative Usability Inspection 401 Focused Inspections 413
17 BY THE NUMBERS: Measuring Usability in Practice Comparison Shopping 417 Measured Quality 418 User Interface Design Metrics 423 Essential Usability Metrics Suite 426 Metrics in Practice 441
18 TEST SCORES: Laboratory and Field Testing of Usability History Testing 443 Testing, One, Two 444 Test Protocol 450 Testing Tactics 456 Why Test, Why Not 460 SECTION VI ORGANIZING AND MANAGING THE PROCESS
19 CODE AND YOU'RE DONE: Implementing Interfaces Objects and Interfaces 465 Accelerated Development 472 Visual Development of Visual Designs 475
20 Using YOUR USERS: Users in the Development Process Use or Abuse of Users 481 Requirements Dialogue, Requirements Dance 485 Going to the Source 489 Using Users 494 Joint Essential Modeling 499
21 GETTING ORGANIZED: Usability in the Larger Context Organiational Units 511 Standards and Style Guides 513 Competing Constituencies 517 Experts and Expertise 522 Cultural Fit 524 Appendix A: Suggested Readings 533 Appendix B: Eleven Ways to Make Software More Usable: General Principles of Software Usability 535 Appendix C: Glossary 537 Appendix D: Forms for Usage-Centered Design 545 Appendix E: Subjective Usability Scales for Software (SUSS) References 551 Index 561