Previous | Table of Contents | Next |
4. BEFORE CROSSING THE GAP
The focus of this book is the actual bridge across the design gap, but in order to build the bridge we need a solid base of user data. In order to establish that base we perform a set of usability activities:
These usability activities should result in a good understanding and description of the users, their tasks, and the environment in which they perform their work. In order to decide where to position the bridge on the other side of the gap, we also define usability requirements to describe how to verify that the new system is usable.
4.1. SYSTEM DEFINITION
The Delta Method does not address the reasons behind the decision to develop the system. This work has most often been carried out as some type of enterprise or business analysis. During the System Definition the focus is on the customers idea of the system. It is important to make use of the customers ability to see things from the viewpoint of the organization and to find out how the computer system fits into the companys business.
During the system definition the design group and customer representatives perform a rough analysis of the proposed system on an abstract level. The customer representatives are typically upper or middle managers, marketing people, and technical or organizational specialists. The intention is primarily to set a scope of the project, and users are not present during this activity. The purpose is to gather the customer requirements and set the stage for future, more user-centered work. The information is documented as a System Vision, a mix of the customers expectations, concrete requirements, and preliminary user categories and system services.
The requirements on the system tend to differ a great deal, depending on whether information is gathered from the customers or the users of the system. The customers emphasize qualities such as low price, fast delivery and long life, whereas the users want a system that is fast, easy to learn, and effectively supports their work tasks. These differences in requirements are seldom observed in traditional systems design, and most often the users are completely cut off from the design work. The aim of the Delta method is to make sure that both parties are involved.
The usability team makes a rough draft of the categories of system users and their requirements on the system to create an Information Matrix. Preliminary user categories are placed on one axis and important work tasks on the other. The intersection describes what requirements a user category has on a specific task.
There was no formal system definition activity in the TSS 2000 usability study. Much of the work that is normally performed during the system definition had been conducted as internal usability marketing activities. This included seeking management support for the work, finding relevant background information, and planning the scope of the project. Therefore, when the study was approved there was neither a pressing need nor adequate time for a full scale system definition, although the scope and objectives of the TSS 2000 usability study were described in a manner similar to a system vision.
4.2. USER PROFILING
The Delta method uses questionnaires to investigate the current and future users of the system. The design group tailors a questionnaire to the domain and sends it to persons within the customers organization who are to use the system and/or who have experienced similar systems. The results of the questionnaire are compiled and analyzed to distinguish different groups of users with different, or alternatively similar, requirements of the system. The questionnaires are used to get the big picture of the user categories. It is important to verify the results and add more details to the user profiles during the user interviews.
The questionnaire used in the case study was based on a general user questionnaire that was adapted to the target group. It included two parts: general characteristics such as age, gender, and level of education and a domain-specific part with questions regarding experience of certain work tasks and test tools. We also asked for a rating of the current tools and documentation. An excerpt of a user profile follows:
User Profile: Tester
Work experience
The turnover for people working as testers is high. Testing is often used as a way to introduce new personnel into the organization. By performing the tests they learn all parts of the system. After some time they often move to other parts of the development organization.
The questionnaire showed that 20% of the testers had been working in that position for less than a year, 60% between one and three years and 20% of the testers were veterans with more than five years experience.
On the question of how long they expected to stay on as testers 40% expected they would move on within one to three years time, 40% expected to stay three to five years, and 20% planned to stay more than five years.
Work Situation
The Testers work very independently and have a quite hectic work situation. A summary of the questionnaire shows the following characteristics:
Teamwork | To some extent |
Individual work | Quite a lot |
Enabling information | Possibly at hand |
Time to prepare for test | Hardly sufficient |
Time to conduct tests | Hardly sufficient |
Time to summarize tests | Not sufficient |
Existing Tools
Most testers had no experience with the current version of the product. One that had some experience rated one of the tools as being supportive and easy to learn. The other tools received low ratings.
None of the testers found the language in the manuals or the user interface hard to understand.
The users were also asked to describe their work tasks on a keyword level. These general work descriptions were used to prepare the task analysis and as a basis for selecting representative users to interview. The questionnaire was sent to approximately 100 intended users, of whom 70 percent completed and returned it. To induce the users to help us, we promised them a small gift (a pen with the TSS 2000 logo) for returning the questionnaire on time.
Previous | Table of Contents | Next |