Lesson3-2-1

HA270 : The Class : Computer Softwar : Software Quality : Lesson3-2-1

I. SOFTWARE QUALITY

A. Software Functionality or Features

B. Software Usability (see IBM Ease of Use Web Site)

1. semantic vs. syntactic knowledge

2. user classification

a. naive, novice, competent, and expert (see end-user)

3. software ergonomics (see usability study conducted by Galen Collins)
(see article on the Importance of Usability (Collins, G. (2001).

a. Does a typical screen resemble a restaurant menu, allowing the user to quickly spot the appropriate command or choice?

b. Are specific areas of all screens reserved for error messages, titles, data fields, and system status?

c. Is there ample spacing between characters and lines?

d. Are screen titles in uppercase, while text is in lower case.

e. Are task and key descriptions precisely defined?

f. Does the program use familiar terms?

g. Are tasks grouped according to the frequency of use, function, importance, and sequence of use?

h. Does the user always know where he or she is located in the program and what task is currently being executed?

i. Does the system respond to user requests in a manner that is not too quick or too slow?

j. Are requests to the system recognized by either immediate execution, a change in system state, or an error, confirmation, or in-progress message?

k. Does the system provide an on-line help function?

l. Are keyboard definitions for frequently used tasks, such as exiting, uniform throughout the program?

C. Software Reliability

D. Software Performance

E. Supportability (see Help Desk)

You should now:

Send E-mail to Galen Collins
or call (928) 523-7333