Software Tools for Evaluating the Usability of User Interfaces

In this article we propose a review of some different techniques and methods to evaluate the usability of user interfaces (UI). So far, the evaluation process has been mostly based on "craft techniques" [Long 89], but as we will demonstrate, formalisation is possible, and a few software packages in this domain will be presented. The models and techniques we will consider are: • general guidelines such as those proposed by [Smith 86, Nielsen 90, Bastien 93], • the Cognitive Walkthrough [Lewis 90], • metrics [Whiteside 85, Bevan 94], • usability labs [Hammontree 92, Weiler 93], • predictive models [Young 90, Barnard 87], • automatic monitoring systems [Siochiּ91, Balbo 94] and • critics [Löwgren 90, Kolsky 89]. We will present these methods and techniques around a taxonomy developed by Joëlle Coutaz in [Coutaz 94], taxonomy designed to help in the choice of a method to evaluate UI. As well, we will highlight the role played by software tools for evaluating the usability of UI.