Written in an accessible, conversational style, this comprehensive introduction to usability engineering takes a project-based approach to the development process. Provides detailed coverage of the fundamentals without unnecessary depth or breadth, focusing readers on understanding the goals and process of usability engineering. Covers the entire usability engineering lifecycle, emphasizing select techniques and methodologies. Illustrates the user interface development process with examples from a medium-scale development example. For anyone interested in learning more about usability and user interfaces in computer systems and software.

Dr. Laura Leventhal is a professor of Computer Science at Bowling Green State University.  She received her Ph.D. in Computer and Communication Sciences from the University of Michigan.  Her most recent research work focuses on cognitive issues in the use of interactive three-dimensional models.  In particular, she has been exploring issues of object perception and mental transformation of virtual reality objects. 

CONTENTS

I. Introduction to usability.

1. What is a user interface?

2. What do we mean by HCI, usability, and user interfaces?

3. Defining usability and models of usability.

II. The process of usability engineering.

4. The process of usability engineering.

III. Defining and documenting the user’s needs.

5. Understanding and documenting the UI that the user has in mind.

6. Large-scale example of analysis and specification of user context, tasks, and characteristics.

IV. Designing a user interface to match the user needs.

7. Designing the interaction and designing a solution.

8. Interaction styles and how they relate to project situations.

9. More guidelines, some standards and generally some more ideas to improve your design of interaction.

V. Revisiting the process.

10. Revisiting the process: Prototyping your interaction.

11. Usability assessment.

VI. A little more about design.

12. Interaction design and evaluation example.

13. Specifying and analyzing your (quality) software design.

VII. Context, constraints and responsibilities for user interface design.

14. The ‘H’ in HCI.

15. Usability for everyone.

16. References.