EN ISO 9241-15:1997

Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) - Part 15: Command dialogues (ISO 9241-15:1997)

Migrated from Progress Sheet (TC Comment) (2000-07-10): Following BT 125/1992, this part of ISO 9241 will undergo a parallel CEN/ISO ++ voting procedure.

Ergonomische Anforderungen für Bürotätigkeiten mit Bildschirmgeräten - Teil 15: Dialogführung mittels Kommandosprachen (ISO 9241-15:1997)

Die Internationale Norm ISO 9241-15 enthält Empfehlungen für Kommandodialoge, wie sie für die Erledigung typischer Büroaufgaben verwendet werden. Kommandodialoge sind Folgen von Anweisungen, die vom Benutzer an das System gegeben werden und deren Verarbeitung zu entsprechenden Systemaktionen führt. Benutzer geben (durch direkte Eingabe anstatt Menüauswahl) vollständige oder abgekürzte Befehlswörter (z.B. Abkürzungen, Buchstaben, Funktionstasten, Kurzwahltasten) in der von der Kommandosprachensyntax geforderten Reihenfolge ein.

Exigences ergonomiques pour travail de bureau avec terminauxà écrans de visualisation (TEV) - Partie 15: Dialogues de type langage de commande (ISO 9241-15:1997)

La présente partie de l'ISO 9241 fournit des recommandations pour les dialogues de type langage de commande utilisés dans les tâches de bureau classiques. Les dialogues de type langage de commande sont des séquences d'instructions fournies par l'utilisateur au système, qui, après traitement, déclenchent les actions correspondantes du système. Les utilisateurs entrent (de mémoire, plutôt que par sélection dans un menu) des expressions de commande complètes ou abrégées (par exemple, des mnémoniques, des lettres, des touches de fonction, des touches directes) dans l'ordre requis par la syntaxe du langage de commande, et l'ordinateur exécute les actions lancées par la (les) commande(s) et ses (leurs) paramètres associés. La conception de l'interface dépend de la tâche, de l'utilisateur, de l'environnement et de la technologie disponible. Par conséquent, l'ISO 9241-15 ne peut s'appliquer sans une connaissance du contexte de conception et d'utilisation de l'interface, et n'est pas faite pour être utilisée comme une série de règles obligatoires à appliquer dans leur intégralité. Elle suppose plutôt que le concepteur dispose des informations appropriées concernant les exigences de l'utilisateur et des tâches, et qu'il comprend l'utilisation des technologies disponibles (cela peut nécessiter une consultation auprès de professionnels qualifiés en ergonomie ainsi que les évaluations empiriques avec de vrais utilisateurs). L'ISO 9241-15 concerne l'utilisation des dialogues de type langage de commande, soit en liaison avec d'autres dialogues (de type menu ou manipulation directe), soit comme principale technique de dialogue (dans le cas, par exemple, de terminaux "non intelligents", ou lorsqu'une application particulière requiert une grande rapidité d'interaction). Elle émet en outre des recommandations pour les commandes par touches (touches de fonction et combinaisons de touches) qui représentent des commandes complètes dans un dialogue de type langage de commande.

Ergonomske zahteve za pisarniško delo s slikovno zaslonsko opremo - 15. del: Dialog z uporabo ukazov (ISO 9241-15:1997)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 14-Dec-1997
• Withdrawal Date: 29-Jun-1998
• ICS: 13.180 - Ergonomics
• ICS: 35.180 - IT Terminal and other peripheral equipment
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 122 - Ergonomics
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 122/WG 5 - Ergonomics of human-computer interaction
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 15-Dec-1997
• Completion Date: 15-Dec-1997
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 9241-15:2001 - Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) - Part 15: Command dialogues (ISO 9241-15:1997)

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2001
Ergonomske zahteve za pisarniško delo s slikovno zaslonsko opremo - 15. del:
Dialog z uporabo ukazov (ISO 9241-15:1997)
Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) - Part 15:
Command dialogues (ISO 9241-15:1997)
Ergonomische Anforderungen für Bürotätigkeiten mit Bildschirmgeräten - Teil 15:
Dialogführung mittels Kommandosprachen (ISO 9241-15:1997)
Exigences ergonomiques pour travail de bureau avec terminauxa écrans de visualisation
(TEV) - Partie 15: Dialogues de type langage de commande (ISO 9241-15:1997)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 9241-15:1997
ICS:
13.180 Ergonomija Ergonomics
35.180 Terminalska in druga IT Terminal and other
periferna oprema IT peripheral equipment
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

INTERNATIONAL IS0
STANDARD 92414 5
First edition
1997-12-15
Ergonomic requirements for office work
with visual display terminals (VDTs) -
Part 15:
Command dialogues
Exigences ergonomiques pour travail de bureau avec terminaux 2 hrans
de visualisation (TEV)
Partie 15 : Dialogues de type langage de commande
Reference number
IS0 9241-I 5: 1997(E)
IS0 9241=15:1997(E)
Page
Contents
1 Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..................................................................................... 1
2 Definitions
.......................................................... 3
3 Application of IS0 9241-15
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4 Structure and syntax
5 Command representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
................................................ 8
6 Input and output considerations
7 Feedback and help . 10
Annex A (informative) Sample procedure for assessing
applicability and adherence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .*. 24
Annex B (informative) Bibliography
0 IS0 1997
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced
or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and
microfilm, without permission in writing from the publisher.
International Organization for Standardization
Case postale 56 l CH-1211 Geneve 20 l Switzerland
Internet central @ iso.ch
x.400 c=ch; a=400net; p=iso; o=isocs; s=central
Printed in Switzerland
ii
@ IS0 IS0 9241-l 5:1997(E)
Foreword
IS0 (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide
federation of national standards bodies (IS0 member bodies). The work of
preparing International Standards is normally carried out through IS0
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which
a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented
on that committee. Enternational organizations, governmental and non-
governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. IS0
collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are
circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an International
Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting
a vote.
International Standard IS0 9241-15 was prepared by Technical Committee
lSO/TC 159, Ergonomics, Subcommittee 4, Ergonomics of human-system
interaction.
IS0 9241 consists of the following Parts, under the general title Ergonomic
requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) -
- Part I: General introduction
- Part 2: Guidance on task requirements
- Part 3: Visual display requirements
Part 4: Keyboard requirements
- Part 5: Workstation layout and postural requirements
- Part 6: Environmental requirements
- Part 7: Requirements for display with reflections
Y-- Part 8: Requirements for displayed colours
Part 9: Requirements for non-keyboard input devices
- Part IO: Dialogue principles
- Part 1 I: Guidance on usability
- Part 12: Presentation of information
- Part 13: User guidance
. . .
III
IS0 9241=15:1997(E)
- Part 14: Menu dialogues
- Part 15: Command dialogues
- Part 16: Direct manipulation dialogues
- Par? 17: Form-filling dialogues
Annexes A and B of this part of IS0 9241 are for information only.

@ IS0 IS0 9241=15:1997(E)
Introduction
IS0 9241 covers both the hardware and software ergonomic aspects of the
use of visual display terminals. The description of the individual parts of IS0
9241, their interrelationships, and a description of the expected users of the
parts is described in IS0 9241-1.
IS0 9241-15 is concerned with the ergonomic design of command dialogues.
In command dialogues, users input, by recall, either complete or abbreviated
command phrases as required by the command language syntax, and the
computer performs the actions associated with the commands and their
parameters.
IS0 9241-15 serves the following types of user of this part of IS0 9241:
a) The user-interface designer, who will apply IS0 9241-15 during the
development process.
b) The buyer, who will reference IS0 9241-15 during the product
procurement process.
c) Evaluators responsible for ensuring that products meet the
recommendations in IS0 9241-I 5.
d) Designers of user-interface development tools to be
bY
interface desig ners.
e) End-users who will gain from the potential benefits provided by this
part of IS0 9241.
The ultimate beneficiary of this part of IS0 9241 will be the end-user at the
VDT. It is the needs of these users that provide the ergonomic
recommendations in IS0 9241-15. Although it is unlikely that the end-user
will read this part of IS0 9241 or even know of its existence, its application
should provide user interfaces that are more usable, consistent and that
enable greater productivity.
In order to apply IS0 9241-15 within the overall context of the ergonomic
requirements for human-system interaction, it is suggested that users be
familiar with the following parts of 9241:
IS0 9241-I Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display
terminals (VDTs) - Part 1: General introduction
IS0 9241-2 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display
terminals (VDTs) - Pan 2: Guidance on task requirements
IS0 9241-I 0 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display
terminals (VDTs) - Part IO: Dialogue principles
V
IS0 9241=15:1997(E) @ IS0
IS0 9241-I 3 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display
terminals (VDTs) -Part 13: User guidance
IS0 9241-15 consists of a number of recommendations, some of which are
conditional, concerning command dialogues. Conditional recommendations
are recommendations which should be met within the specific context for
which they are relevant (e.g. particular kinds of users, tasks, environments,
technology). These recommendations were developed primarily by reviewing
the existing relevant literature and empirical evidence, then generalizing and
formulating this work into recommendations for use by the interface designer
and/or evaluator. Sources for the individual recommendations are listed in
Annex B.
Designers and evaluators using IS0 9241-15 need to know that they are
developing an interface that will meet the recommendations provided therein.
Likewise, the buyer needs a means to determine how a product matches the
recommendations in IS0 9241-15. The elements can be tailored due to the
“if .
then” structure in IS0 9241-15. Additionally, it is not the intent of
IS0 9241-15 that every recommendation should be applied, only those that
are relevant.
The application of this part of IS0 9241 is expected to improve the overall
quality of the command language, but IS0 9241-15 (like any other standard)
will not guarantee the quality of the interface. Quality depends on specific
usability criteria as set by the user, buyer or other command-dialogue
consumer which may include specifications based on this part of IS0 9241.
It should be noted that IS0 9241-10 describes dialogue principles that are
relevant for the design of command dialogues. These principles should
provide the designer and evaluator with additional information concerning the
ergonomic rationale for the various recommendations in IS0 9241-15 and,
therefore, assist in making tradeoffs. However, it may be necessary to base
tradeoffs on other considerations as well.
VI
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD @ IS0 IS0 9241=15:1997(E)
Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display
terminals (WITS) -
Part 15:
Command dialogues
1 Scope
This part of IS0 9241 provides recommendations for command dialogues used to accomplish typical office tasks using
visual display terminals (VDTs). Command dialogues are sequences of instructions provided by the user to the system
which, when processed, result in associated system actions. Users input (from recall, rather than selecting from a
menu) complete or abbreviated command phrases (e.g. mnemonics, letters, function keys, hot keys in the order
required by the command language syntax and the computer performs the activities initiated by the command(s) and
their associated parameters.
Interface design depends upon the task, the user, the environment, and the available technology. Consequently,
IS0 9241-15 cannot be applied without a knowledge of the design and use context of the interface and it is not
intended to be used as a prescriptive set of rules to be applied in their entirety. Rather, it assumes that the designer
has proper information available concerning task and user requirements and understands the use of available
technology (this may require consultation with a qualified ergonomics professional as well as empirical testing with real
users).
IS0 9241-15 applies to the use of command dialogues, either in conjunction with other dialogues (e.g. menus, direct
manipulation) or as the primary dialogue technique (e.g. in the case of “dumb terminals” or where high speed is
required in a particular application). In addition, this part of IS0 9241 provides recommendations for those “key”
commands (i.e. function keys and hot keys) which represent commands within a command dialogue. If the command
functions are evident from the nature of their representation (e.g. pictorial icons) and invoking these functions does not
require memory on the part of the user, this would not be considered a command dialogue according to IS0 9241-15.
Commands can be accessed through other dialogue techniques (e.g. menu options, forms, direct manipulation).
However, these methods do not require recall on the part of the user and will be excluded from this part of the standard
and will be dealt with in other parts. It also should be noted that IS0 9241-15 does not provide guidance for dialogues
which use “natural” language.
2 Definitions
For the purposes of this part of IS0 9241, the following definitions apply:
2.1 argument
Independent variable (including object) used in a command phrase to modify or direct the action of a command.
NOTE Arguments often include parameters.
2.2 command
Whole word, abbreviation, or string of words representing actions requested of the system.

@ IS0
ISO 9241=15:1997(E)
2.3 command dialogue; command language
Command set(s), phrases, structure and syntax associated with a specific interaction of a user with a computer
system by means of commands.
2.4 command dialogue structure
Logical structure of the command dialogue (and associated phrases).
2.5 command queuing (stacking)
Accumulation of a series of command phrases in order to allow their input into the system as a group rather than
require that they be entered and executed one at a time.
2.6 command phrase
Phrase including the command (words or their abbreviations) and associated separators and arguments
(parameters).
EXAMPLE: [Command word] [separator] [argument11 [separator] [argument21 [terminator]
2.7 command set
All of the commands available to the user to perform a given task in a particular application context.
2.8 command syntax
Sequential and other procedural requirements for inputting the components into command phrases.
2.9 command word (name)
Word (or name) used as a command in the command dialogue and representing actions requested from the
system.
2.10 command word abbreviation
Shortened version of a command word which is recognizable by the computer as representing the command.
NOTE Such abbreviations may be single or multiple letters of the command word.
2.11 hot keys
Keys, other than numbered function keys (i.e. Fl, F2, etc.), not normally used for data entry such as modifier keys
(e.g. Ctrl, AN), or key combinations (e.g. Ctrl/c) which execute immediately without the need for any additional
operations.
2.12 keyword
Word in a command phrase identifying a particular argument class (e.g. type font).
2.13 modifier
Argument that alters or limits the action of a command.
2.14 parameter
Value used in conjunction with a keyword to modify the action of a command or argument.
2.15 separator
String of one or more characters, or a pause (for voice), used to separate or organize elements in the comma
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