Abstract
In a competitive development environment, a method is needed to quantify the usability characteristics of an interface. This quantification provides a basis for making human factors design recommendations. A methodology for comparing the usability characteristics of product interfaces with those of the competition is presented. The discussion details the steps of a competitive evaluation methodology: (1) definition of interface objectives, (2) development of a flow chart for each product interface, (3) determination of the categories of comparison based on salient and quantifiable characteristics of the interface, (4) derivation of the metrics used for comparison, and (5) the resulting comparative evaluation. The methodology was used to compare the panel (screen) format and navigation characteristics of two network controllers. The value of this methodology and its impact on the way human factors engineers contribute to product development are also discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.