Sep 6 - Yeap, Methods of Usability Inspection (part 4 of Usability Inspection Criteria of e-Learning Portals)

Usability Inspection Criteria for e-Learning Portals.
TeckChong Yeap.

Methods of Usability Inspection

According to Nielsen and Molich (1990a), “There are basically four ways to
evaluate a user interface:
· Formally by some analysis technique,
· Automatically by a computerized procedure,
· Empirically by experiments with test users, and
· Heuristically by simply looking at the inter-face and passing judgement according to ones own opinion.”


Nielsen (1995b) classified the types of usability inspection into:

· “Heuristic evaluation is the most informal method and involves having usability specialists judge whether each dialogue element follows established usability principles (the "heuristics").” (Nielsen, 1995b)

· “Heuristic estimation is a variant in which the inspectors are asked to estimate the relative usability of two (or more) designs in quantitative terms (typically expected user performance).” (Nielsen, 1995b)

· “Cognitive walkthrough uses a more explicitly detailed procedure to simulate a user's problem-solving process at each step through the dialogue, checking if the simulated user's goals and memory content can be assumed to lead to the next correct action.” (Nielsen, 1995b)

· “Pluralistic walkthrough uses group meetings where users, developers, and human factors people step through a scenario, discussing each dialogue element.” (Nielsen, 1995b) Developers, users, and human factors people get together in a meeting and go through the e-learning portal step-by-step using a task scenario. They discuss and review the usability issues.

· “Feature inspection lists sequences of features used to accomplish typical tasks, checks for long sequences, cumbersome steps, steps that would not be natural for users to try, and steps that require extensive knowledge/experience in order to assess a proposed feature set.” (Nielsen, 1995b) Sometimes only a particular function in the e-learning portal is inspected, which is called feature inspection. For instance, a feature inspection could be done on the Quizzes feature of the e-learning portal.

· “Consistency inspection has designers who represent multiple other projects inspect an interface to see whether it does things in the same way as their own designs.” (Nielsen, 1995b) Consistency inspection involves web designers from other module of the portal to inspect the user interface, to ensure the consistency of the interaction the entire e-learning portal.

· “Standards inspection has an expert on an interface standard inspect the interface for compliance.” (Nielsen, 1995b) A usability consultant or usability professional inspects the interface to make sure it complies with the international standards or other predetermined standards.

· “Formal usability inspection combines individual and group inspections in a six-step procedure with strictly defined roles to....with elements of both heuristic evaluation and a simplified form of cognitive walkthroughs.” (Nielsen, 1995b; Nielsen, 2005e)


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source:
Usability Inspection Criteria for e-Learning Portals.
TeckChong Yeap.
MDP7515 PROJECT
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of
Master of Multimedia (E-Learning Technologies)
MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY
MALAYSIA
October 2008