Quantified extreme scenario based design approach

Abstract

Over the past few years, agile methods have recorded impressive results in the software engineering field basically in terms of business value and time to market. Similarly, software usability has been the major success factor for interactive systems. Agile usability engineering has been motivated as a booming solution to develop better usability in a cost-effective manner. eXtreme Scenario Based Design (XSBD) is one of the effective agile usability approaches. However, XSBD does not provide explicit metrics to quantify the software usability. In this paper, we propose the Quantified eXtreme Scenario Based Design (QXSBD) approach, which complements XSBD with a set of usability metrics collected from the agile architecture-centric approach and the Quality in Use Integrated Model (QUIM). Further, QXSBD specifies the subset of usability metrics that need to be assessed at the major milestones in agile process. This integration employs the Usability Critical Parameters Workshop (UCPW) to provide engineering practices defining the usability requirements and design goals. We demonstrate the QXSBD, process through customer request project case study. The obtained results have shown that usability issues have been reduced by about 30%. Noticeable end user satisfaction has been achieved while maintaining the project total cost.

A user‐centered behavioral software development model

“…There are various studies that tried to integrate the two fields. These attempts vary, from traditional approaches 17–19 to agile approaches 6,12,20–27 …”

“…In particular, the use of the prototyping approach, which is used in both HCI and SE, is seen as an effective tool for communication among stakeholders 5,6,16,24,30 . The use of user scenarios or user stories is implemented to establish user requirements 11,20,30–36 . In addition, the use of persona is effective in establishing a basis for design and providing a means of communication 33,37–39 .…”

“…It is a very wide practice that when it comes to which life cycle model is used, organizations follow their own internal processes 73 . Apart from this, it is has been found that agile methods are also widely used 6,15,68 and that RUP, 7,68 Scrum, 68,74–76 XP, 20,68,77 and SCRUM 74,75,78 are among the more widely used agile methods. It is emphasized in various studies that there is a need for a usability‐related process and methodology so that better processes for assuring usability can be implemented 6,11,15,61 .…”