News

The new ISO 9241-110 "Dialogue principles"

Berlin, 11.08.2006

Core standard for user interfaces has been revised with new content. More...

---

Test procedures for compliance testing with Usability Standards - why?

Cologne, 13 January 2005

Usability standards can only be applied when the context of use is well-known, i.e. the implied requirements in a product's context of use. Standardized test procedures help ensure that test results are based on validated usability requirements and are thus reproducible within a specified context. More...

---

Free video film on usability testing now online

Cologne, 7 September 2004

A free video film on usability testing is now available on our website for online viewing or download. More...

---

"Fiscus", "Toll Collect", "Virtual employment market" - Why do many IT projects fail so dreadfully?

Cologne, 15 July 2004

The risk of failure is underestimated within software development projects, especially in the public sector. Only 16% of all projects stay in their planned time frame and planned budget. More than 30% fail completely and 50% are facing serious problems leading to cost explosions or significant cutback of defined outputs. Requirements management offers a way out of this crisis. More...

---

Research report "Specifying usability requirements and test criteria for interactive systems" published

Cologne, 29 May 2004

A recently published research report of the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (FIOSH) gives valuable information for the successful application of ISO-Standards in the design of usable interactive systems (software products and hardware products). More...

---

Specifying requirements in the right way!

Cologne, 10 February 2004

Whenever one listens to discussions about requirements within software development projects, it seems like the attendees are really not discussing requirements. Very often, precise proposals or ideas for solutions are being discussed, without having analyzed the originating/original problem to the point. Also, executives tend to formulate their "requirements" as vague objectives which afterwards are not subsequently transferred into real requirements, consequently. More...

---

How to specify user interfaces systematically

Cologne, 12 January 2004

There are only very few interactive products which can be used intuitively. This is true for software applications as well as for hardware products, i.e. video tape recorders, cellular phones, or even washing machines. This can be rather upsetting, but will in most cases not stimulate the private user to return the product; though in the case of custom software developed for a specific business context, poor usability leads to extra large cost and frustration for those who have to work with the product on a daily basis. More...

---