UCD School of Information and Library Studies Techniques for Developing Usable VREs Judith Wusteman
Jan 12, 2016
UCD School of
Information and Library Studies
Techniques for Developing Usable VREs
Judith Wusteman
Overview
• SFI Ojax++ VRE
• Maximising the Usability of Web 2.0 VREs
– Agile software development methods
– Usability Testing
A collaboration between the UCD Schools of
Library & Information Studies
And
Computer Science & Informatics
Applying concepts from
the Social Web and recommender technology
to the VRE
September ‘07 – November ‘10
http://www.ucd.ie/ojax
OAuth
OJAX: A prototype user interface to a federated search service
Rich Internet Applications
• Atom
• Ajax
(Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)
• ARIA
(Accessible Rich Internet Applications)
Agile s/w development
OSS development
Web 2.0
User Centred Design
Iterative
OpenessUser Control
User CenteredOJAX
Manifesto for Agile Software Development
• Manifesto for Agile Software Development We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.
Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.
Agile software development
• Iterations of 2-4 weeks
• Only as much documentation as necessary
• Early coding
• Working version - stable, testable software
• Close collaboration and rapid feedback between developers, users and customers
Agile s/w dev
OSS dev
Web 2.0
User Centred Design
Iterative
OpennessUser Control
User CentredCommunity
OJAX
Usability Testing / User Testing
• Representative users performing representative tasks in the presence of a tester
• From Usability Labs…
• ….to usability testing
on 10 cents a day
Usability testing in OJAX
• Testing similar systems by a proxy user
• Iterative proxy testing
• Representative users testing
• Pre- and post-evaluation questionnaires
• “Get it” testing
• “Key task” testing
[Krug]
Results of Usability testing
• “Kayak” issues (Krug)
• Learning a new metaphor
• Unintuitive features
Agile s/w dev
OSS dev
Web 2.0
User Centred Design
Iterative
OpennessUser Control
User CentredVRE