Managing usability defects from identification to closure

Abstract

Usability engineering programs generate volumes of raw data that are analyzed and synthesized into findings. While quantitative results such as task completion time and satisfaction ratings are straightforward to analyze and report, qualitative findings are less so. Qualitative findings encompass defects or flaws introduced at various stages of development, user suggestions for improving an acceptable design, and more diffuse usability concerns that need further investigation.It is not sufficient for usability engineers to simply identify usability defects. These defects must be communicated, tracked, resolved, and reported on. The effectiveness of a usability engineering process can be measured by its success rate in causing legitimate usability issues to be successfully resolved. This workshop will seek to identify best practices for managing usability defects from the time they are identified to the time they are closed.