MOOC Introducción al Desarrollo Web, parte 2 - 4.15 Usabilidad: principios básicos - Actívate

Google Actívate

17 Oct 201707:35

Summary

TLDRIn this educational video, Sergio Luján Mora, a professor from the University of Alicante, delves into the concept of usability in web design. He emphasizes the importance of user-centric design, offering practical advice to enhance user experience. Mora introduces four foundational usability principles: understanding the user, minimizing memory load, optimizing user operations, and managing errors effectively. He challenges viewers to consider these principles, originally from a 1971 article by Will Friend Hansen, and ponders why similar mistakes persist in web design today.

Takeaways

😀 Usability is crucial for creating user-friendly websites and should be a priority for developers.
📚 Sergio Luján Mora, a professor from the University of Alicante, emphasizes the importance of usability in web design.
🔍 The term 'usability' is not in the latest edition of the Royal Spanish Academy dictionary, but it's still widely used in the field.
👨‍💻 The three most important tips for improving usability are: think about the user, think about the user, and think about the user.
🧠 Understanding the user involves knowing their knowledge, skills, environment constraints, reasons for using the system, and their expectations.
📋 Minimize memory load by using selection elements instead of data entry to help users with their limited memory.
🔄 Provide a predictable system behavior to reduce the learning curve and avoid confusion from drastic interface changes.
⏩ Optimize common operations to facilitate quick execution and respect the user's interaction inertia.
🛠 Manage errors effectively by providing clear error messages, designing to prevent common errors, allowing action undoing, and ensuring data integrity.
📅 An example of poor usability is a form that requires users to remember and enter a date format that is not standard for them.
📝 The principles of usability are timeless and were already being discussed in 1971 by Will Friend Hansen, highlighting their enduring relevance.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video?
-The speaker in the video is Sergio Luján Mora, a professor of Informatics at the University of Alicante.
What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic of the video is usability, and it aims to explain what usability is and provide advice on creating user-friendly websites.
Why does the speaker prefer the terms 'usabilidad' and 'usable' despite their absence in the latest edition of the Spanish dictionary?
-The speaker prefers to use 'usabilidad' and 'usable' because they are more commonly understood in the context of user interface design, even though they are not officially recognized in the latest edition of the Spanish dictionary.
What are the three most important tips the speaker gives to improve usability?
-The three most important tips to improve usability, as emphasized by the speaker, are: 1) Think about the user, 2) Think about the user, and 3) Think about the user, implying that the user should always be the focus rather than the developer's perspective.
What does the speaker mean by 'conocer al usuario' or 'know the user'?
-The speaker means that to improve usability, one must understand the users' knowledge, skills, the context in which they will use the system, their reasons for using the system, and their expectations.
How does the speaker suggest minimizing memory load for users?
-The speaker suggests minimizing memory load by replacing data entry with element selection, using names instead of numbers, and providing a predictable system behavior to reduce the cognitive load on the user.
What is the significance of optimizing operations in terms of usability?
-Optimizing operations means facilitating the quick execution of common tasks, respecting interface inertia, reducing interaction effort through automation, and reorganizing the system based on user interaction patterns to enhance usability.
How should a system handle errors according to the speaker?
-A system should be prepared to respond to errors from both the developer and the user. It should provide clear error messages, design to prevent common errors, allow for action undoing, offer redundancy for operation in case of failure, and ensure data integrity in case of software or hardware failure.
What historical context does the speaker provide regarding the principles of usability?
-The speaker references an article by Will Friend Hansen from 1971, 'User Engineering Principles for Interactive Systems,' which predates the common discussion of usability by several decades, highlighting the enduring relevance of these principles.
What is the speaker's final call to action for the viewers?
-The speaker's final call to action is to remember to always think about the user and not the developer's perspective when creating systems, to avoid repeating the same usability mistakes that have been made for decades.

Outlines

00:00

👨‍🏫 Introduction to Usability and Tips for User-Centric Web Design

Professor Sergio Luján Mora from the University of Alicante introduces the concept of usability and its importance in web design. He emphasizes the need to think from the user's perspective rather than the developer's, highlighting that usability is about making systems adapt to the user, not the other way around. The professor shares three key tips for improving usability: always consider the user, ensure the system is built to accommodate the user, and avoid forcing the user to adapt to the system. He also mentions his contact information for further interaction and provides a brief critique on the absence of the terms 'usability' and 'usable' in the latest edition of the Royal Spanish Academy dictionary, suggesting the use of 'ease of use' as an alternative.

05:03

📘 Usability Principles and Error Management in Web Design

The second paragraph delves into four fundamental principles of usability as outlined by Will Friend Hansen in his 1971 article 'User Engineering Principles for Interactive Systems'. These principles include understanding the user, minimizing memory load, optimizing operations, and managing errors. The professor explains the significance of each principle, providing examples of how they can be applied in web design to enhance user experience. He stresses the importance of designing systems that are forgiving of both user and developer errors, offering clear error messages, and allowing for easy undoing of actions. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the enduring relevance of these principles despite being over 40 years old, and a call to action for designers to avoid repeating past mistakes by keeping the user at the center of the design process.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Usability

Usability refers to the ease with which users can employ a particular system, such as a website or software, to achieve their goals efficiently and with satisfaction. In the video, the professor emphasizes the importance of usability in web design, suggesting that a system is usable when it adapts to the user rather than the other way around. The video provides practical advice on improving usability, such as considering the user's needs and minimizing the need for them to remember information.

💡User-Centered Design

User-centered design is an approach to designing products where the focus is on the user's needs, preferences, and behaviors. The video script mentions this concept through the advice 'piensa en el usuario' (think about the user), highlighting the need for developers to focus on the end-user's experience rather than their own perspective as developers. This approach is central to creating websites that are easy to use.

💡Error Management

Error management in the context of the video refers to how a system handles mistakes made by either the developers or the end-users. The script discusses the importance of providing clear error messages and designing systems that can recover from errors while maintaining data integrity. This concept is crucial for enhancing user experience by preventing frustration and ensuring the continuity of user tasks.

💡Minimize Memory Load

Minimizing memory load is about reducing the cognitive effort required from users to remember information while interacting with a system. The video suggests replacing data entry with element selection and using predictable behaviors to help users with poor memory. For instance, the video criticizes a form that requires users to remember and enter a course code, suggesting a dropdown menu as a better alternative.

💡Optimize Operations

Optimizing operations involves making common tasks as efficient as possible, reducing the time and effort required to perform them. The video mentions this in the context of respecting interface inertia and automating actions where possible. An example given is a railway company's website that offers multiple ways to select a station and date for a trip, which can be confusing and should be streamlined for better usability.

💡User Expectations

User expectations are the assumptions and predictions users have about how a system should work based on their prior experiences and understanding. The video underscores the importance of understanding these expectations to design systems that meet or exceed them, thus improving user satisfaction and usability.

💡User Environment

The user environment refers to the context in which a user interacts with a system, including physical, social, and technological factors. The video mentions understanding the user environment as part of knowing the user, which is essential for creating systems that are adaptable to different settings and user needs.

💡User Skills

User skills pertain to the abilities and competencies that users possess, which can vary widely. The video script emphasizes the need for developers to consider the diverse skill levels of their users when designing systems to ensure that the interface is accessible and intuitive for all.

💡Redundancy

Redundancy in system design refers to the inclusion of extra features or processes that can take over in case of failure. The video mentions the importance of redundancy for error management, suggesting that systems should offer alternative ways to perform operations if one method fails, ensuring the system remains functional and user-friendly.

💡User Interface Inertia

User interface inertia is the concept of making changes to the interface gradually to avoid confusing users. The video discusses the importance of this principle in optimizing operations, advising against drastic changes that can disrupt the user's learning process and familiarity with the system.

💡User Adaptation

User adaptation is the process by which users adjust to the requirements of a system. The video argues against systems that require users to adapt to them, instead advocating for systems that are designed to be adaptable to the users' needs and preferences, which is a key aspect of good usability.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of usability by Sergio Luján Mora, a professor of Informatics at the University of Alicante.

The importance of usability in creating user-friendly websites.

The absence of the terms 'usability' and 'usable' in the latest edition of the Royal Spanish Academy dictionary.

The recommendation to use 'ease of use' instead of 'usability' in Spanish, despite the speaker's continued use of 'usability'.

The three most important tips for improving usability: always consider the user's perspective.

The principle that a system should be designed to adapt to the user, not the other way around.

The first usability principle: Know your user, which includes understanding their knowledge, skills, and expectations.

The second principle: Minimize memory load by using computers' strength in memory to assist users.

Examples of how to minimize memory load, such as replacing data entry with selection elements.

The third principle: Optimize user operations by facilitating quick execution of common tasks.

The importance of maintaining interface inertia and reducing interaction effort.

The fourth and final principle: Error management, preparing the system to handle errors from both developers and users.

Advice on creating effective error messages and designs that prevent common errors.

The historical context of usability principles, dating back to an article from 1971 by Will Friend and Hansen.

Reflection on why the same usability mistakes are still being made after 40 years.

Final thoughts on the importance of considering user experience in web design.