Conceptual framework and models for identifying and organizing usability impact factors of mobile phones

ABSTRACT

Usability has been regarded as a critical factor affecting the quality of mobile phones. Many studies have examined usability impact factors of mobile phones on the basis of software usability concepts. However, considering mobile phones as multi-media and information appliances, a new usability concept and associated factors should be developed. This paper proposes a conceptual framework which has five views to reflect different aspect of interactions between users and mobile phones, and from which various usability impact factor models can be derived. Five views include user view, product view, interaction view, dynamic view, and execution view. Furthermore, we developed a hierarchical model which organizes usability factors in terms of goal-means relations. Through two case studies, we could verify the usefulness of the framework and model. Lastly, we developed a set of checklists that are helpful to measure the usability of mobile phones, thereby increasing the practicality of the framework and model.

REFERENCES

• 1: Nigel Bevan, Quality in use: Meeting user needs for quality, Journal of Systems and Software, v.49 n.1, p.89-96, Dec. 15, 1999 [doi>10.1016/S0164-1212(99)00070-9]
• 2: Bosch, J. and Folmer, E. Architecting for usability: a survey. The Journal of Systems and Software 70 (2004), 61--78.
• 3: Donyaee,, M, Seffah, A., Kline, R., and Striva, J. An integrated framework for usability measurement. In Proc. 12th International Conference on Software Quality (2002), 1--10.
• 4: Folmer, E., Van Gurp, J., and Bosch, J. A framework for capturing the relationship between usability and software architecture. Software Process Improvement and Practice 8, 2 (2003), 67--87.
• 5: Kasper Hornbík, Current practice in measuring usability: Challenges to usability studies and research, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, v.64 n.2, p.79-102, February 2006 [doi>10.1016/j.ijhcs.2005.06.002]
• 6: ISO/IEC 15939. Software engineering-Software measurement process framework (2001).
• 7: ISO/IEC 9126-1. Software engineering-Software product quality-Part 1: quality model (1998).
• 8: ISO/IEC 9241. Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminal-Part 11: guidance on usability (1998).
• 9: Jordan, P. Designing Pleasurable Products: An Introduction to the New Human Factors. Taylor & Francis (2000).
• 10: Ketola, P. and Röykkee, M. The three facets of usability in mobile handsets. In Proc. CHI 2001 Workshop (2001).
• 11: Kiljander, H. Evolution and usability of mobile phone interaction styles. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis at Helsinki University of Technology (2004).
• 12: LG Electronics. B2050 Handset User Guide. http://www.lge.co.uk
• 13: Jakob Nielsen, Usability Engineering, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc., San Francisco, CA, 1993
• 14: Norman, D. A. Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. Basic Books (2004).
• 15: Rasmussen, J. The role of hierarchical knowledge representation in decision making and system management. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics 15 (1985), 234--243.
• 16: Vicente, K. J. Cognitive Work Analysis. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (1999).
• 17: Scott Weiss, Handheld Usability, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY, 2002
• 18: Zhang, Z. Overview of usability evaluation methods. http://www.usabilityhome.com/ (2003)

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems

Keywords:
interface evaluation, mobile user interfaces, usability