The Windows 95 User Interface: Iterative Ddesign and Problem Tracking in Action

Abstract

This organization overview discusses the lessons learned in applying the usability engineering principles of iterative design and problem tracking to the development of Windows 95, a large commercial software project. CONTEXT Windows 95 is an extensive upgrade to the Windows 3.x family of operating systems. The user interface is but one of many areas of the product which featured dramatic changes. The user interface design team formed in October, 1992, near the beginning of the project, and was composed of approximately twelve people skilled in product design, graphic design, usability testing, and computer science. The software developers who implemented the U1 accounted for another twelve or so people. The entire Windows 95 team was over 400 people. FOCUS The design team was chartered with two very broad goals: Make Windows easier to learn for people just getting started with computers and Windows. 0 Make Windows easier to use for people who already use computers-both the typical Windows 3.x user and the advanced, or “power”, Windows 3.x user. Having to design for these two widely-different groups of users told us that this project was not going to be a trivial undertaking. Without careful design and testing, we were likely to make a product that improved usability for some users and worsened it for millions of other users (existing or potential). APPROACH Our approach was anchored by the two usability engineering principles of iterative design and problem tracking.