First Experimentation of the ErgoPNets Method Using Dynamic Modeling to Communicate Usability Evaluation Results

Abstract

When a computer application is being designed or re-engineered, especially a user-centred application, communication between ergonomists and computer scientists is very important. However, the formalisms used to describe ergonomic problems and recommendations are often based on natural language. Consequently, the results of ergonomic evaluation can be poorly understood or interpreted by computer scientists. To remedy this problem, we propose a method, called ErgoPNets. The method creates common work support for both the ergonomists and the computer scientists working on the same project. Comprehensible for everyone, this support must provide an efficient tool that can be used by each person involved. ErgoPNets uses Petri nets to model Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) procedures and ergonomic criteria to model the ergonomic analysis. A first experimentation has been performed with designers/developers and academic researchers.

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“…Ergonomic criteria, represented by icons (one icon for each criterion), allow the category of the ergonomic problem to be visualized on the PN. The ergonomic criteria used here are taken from the work of Bastien and Scapin [11], though other criteria could have been used.…”