object-Oriented Software Engineering Practical Software development using uml and Java Chapter 7 Focusing on Users and their Tasks www.oseng.com
Object-Oriented Software Engineering Practical Software Development using UML and Java Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks
7.1 User Centred design Software development should focus on the needs of users Understand your users Design software based on an understanding of the users tasks Ensure users are involved in decision making processes Design the user interface following guidelines for good usabilit Have users work with and give their feedback about prototypes, on-line help and draft user manuals www.oseng.com O Lethbridge/Laganiere 2001 Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks
© Lethbridge/Laganière 2001 Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks 2 7.1 User Centred Design Software development should focus on the needs of users • Understand your users • Design software based on an understanding of the users’ tasks • Ensure users are involved in decision making processes • Design the user interface following guidelines for good usability • Have users work with and give their feedback about prototypes, on-line help and draft user manuals
The importance of focusing on users Reduced training and support costs Reduced time to learn the system Greater efficiency of use Reduced costs by only developing features that are needed Reduced costs associated with changing the system later Better prioritizing of work for iterative development Greater attractiveness of the system, so users will be more willing to buy and use www.oseng.com O Lethbridge/Laganiere 2001 Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks
© Lethbridge/Laganière 2001 Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks 3 The importance of focusing on users • Reduced training and support costs • Reduced time to learn the system • Greater efficiency of use • Reduced costs by only developing features that are needed • Reduced costs associated with changing the system later • Better prioritizing of work for iterative development • Greater attractiveness of the system, so users will be more willing to buy and use it
7.2 Characteristics of users Software engineers must develop an understanding of the users Goals for using the system Potential patterns of use Demographics Knowledge of the domain and of computers Physical ability Psychological traits and emotional feelings www.oseng.com O Lethbridge/Laganiere 2001 Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks 4
© Lethbridge/Laganière 2001 Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks 4 7.2 Characteristics of Users Software engineers must develop an understanding of the users • Goals for using the system • Potential patterns of use • Demographics • Knowledge of the domain and of computers • Physical ability • Psychological traits and emotional feelings
7.3 Developing use-Case Models of Systems a use case is a typical sequence of actions that a user performs in order to complete a given task The objective of use case analysis is to model the System from the point of view of how users interact with this system when trying to achieve their objectives a use case model consists of - a set of use cases an optional description or diagram indicating how they are related www.oseng.com O Lethbridge/Laganiere 2001 Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks
© Lethbridge/Laganière 2001 Chapter 7: Focusing on Users and Their Tasks 5 7.3 Developing Use-Case Models of Systems A use case is a typical sequence of actions that a user performs in order to complete a given task • The objective of use case analysis is to model the system … from the point of view of how users interact with this system … when trying to achieve their objectives. • A use case model consists of — a set of use cases — an optional description or diagram indicating how they are related