usability engineering
Software ergonomics is a subfield of ergonomics, which generally formulates the adaptation of technical machines, devices and equipment to humans. The meaning of the word ergonomics is derived from the Greek for ergon, which stands for work or labor, and nomos, which stands for rule or law. Due to the current importance in software development, software ergonomics has developed as a separate scientific field, which deals specifically with human- computer interaction with regard to the design and evaluation of software.
The comprehensive subject area touches on aspects ofuser participation in software development, general guidelines and standards, technical and organizational frameworks, software quality assurance, and the influence of software ergonomics on economic aspects. Therefore, this is a field of work that is in constant change and must integrate many different disciplines of science.
Formally, software ergonomics has been regulated since 1996 in accordance with Directive 90/270/EEC, which sets out the basic rules for handling computer workstations. Further details in ergonomic design are defined in the international series of standards ISO 9240 and 9241-11, taking into account various points of view. Here, corresponding requirements are emphasized, in particular for the usability of software, and corresponding guidelines are laid down. ISO standard 9241 defines usability as the extent to which a product can be used by specific users in a specific usage concept in order to achieve specific goals effectively, efficiently and satisfactorily. Since 2000, employers have been obliged to comply with these standards, so that only workstations that guarantee compliance with them should be installed.
Methods and design of software ergonomics
Software ergonomics deals with methods for the design, drafting and evaluation of interactive software and aims to adapt it as optimally as possible to the requirements of the user. This includes in particular workflows, window design, hierarchies of menu levels, command languages( shell scripts), color and font selection (design of information) as well as the optimal division of functions between humans and computers.
An approach for the accomplishment of this task is the so-called ABC model, which illustrates the relations between the task per se, the user and the computer and defines for it first principles from the respective view:
Adequacy A system must provide the functions necessary for the solution of the task.
User. A system should be manageable and realize easy learnability, intuitive usability and comprehensibility
Computer. Adaptation of the system to the capabilities of the user and to the principles of workplace design.
This rather simple model is confirmed and further detailed by the ISO 9241 series of standards, Ergonomics of Human-System Interaction, specifically Parts 11 to 17 and Part 110, where Part 110 describes the principles of dialog design - also called dialog principles - such as: Task appropriateness, self-descriptiveness, controllability(dialogue), conformity to expectations, error tolerance, individualizability, and learning facilitation.
A supplement of the above mentioned standards is the ISO standard 14915 for "Software Ergonomics for Multimedia User Interfaces" from the years 2002/2003. This is divided into three parts:
Part 1: Design principles and framework,
Part 2: Multimedia navigation and control,
Part 3: Selection and combination of relevant media.
In this context, ISO standard 14915 states the following principles for the design of multimedia applications:
Suitability for the communication goal The presentation of information is based on the user's goals.
Suitability for perception and understanding The information conveyed is presented in a way that makes it easy to understand.
Suitability for exploration The presentation of the information must be well structured.
Suitability foruser motivation. The way of presentation must motivate the user to own actions.
The question of how to ultimately design software that takes ergonomic requirements into account is generally always a discussion of the tools available - in this context, user interface management systems, builders for the graphical user interface( GUI) or the prototyping process should be mentioned.