ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010

Systems and software engineering — Systems and software product Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — Common Industry Format (CIF) for usability: General framework for usability-related information

ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010 describes a potential family of International Standards, named the Common Industry Formats (CIF), that document the specification and evaluation of the usability of interactive systems. It provides a general overview of the CIF framework and contents, definitions, and the relationship of the framework elements. The intended users of the framework are identified, as well as the situations in which the framework may be applied. The assumptions and constraints of the framework are also enumerated. The framework content includes the following: consistent terminology and classification of specification, evaluation and reporting; a definition of the type and scope of formats and the high-level structure to be used for documenting required information and the results of evaluation. ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010 is applicable to software and hardware products used for predefined tasks. The information items are intended to be used as part of system-level documentation resulting from development processes such as those in ISO 9241-210, and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7 process standards. ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010 focuses on documenting those elements needed for design and development of usable systems, rather than prescribing a specific process. It is intended to be used in conjunction with existing International Standards, including ISO 9241, ISO 20282, ISO/IEC 9126 and the SQuaRE series (ISO/IEC 25000 to ISO/IEC 25099). ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010 does not prescribe any kind of method, life cycle or process.

Ingénierie des systèmes et du logiciel — Exigences de qualité et évaluation des systèmes et du logiciel (SQuaRE) — Format industriel commun (CIF) pour l'utilisabilité: Cadre général pour les informations relatives à l'utilisabilité

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 12-Jul-2010
• ICS: 35.080 - Software
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 159/SC 4 - Ergonomics of human-system interaction
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 159/SC 4 - Ergonomics of human-system interaction
• Current Stage: 9599 - Withdrawal of International Standard
• Completion Date: 06-Apr-2023

Relations

• Revised: ISO/TR 25060:2023 - Systems and software engineering — Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — General framework for Common Industry Format (CIF) for usability-related information
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022
• Consolidated By: ISO 4618:2014 - Paints and varnishes — Terms and definitions
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022

Standards Content (Sample)

TECHNICAL ISO/IEC
REPORT TR
25060
First edition
2010-07-15


Systems and software engineering —
Systems and software product Quality
Requirements and Evaluation
(SQuaRE) — Common Industry Format
(CIF) for usability: General framework for
usability-related information
Ingénierie des systèmes et du logiciel — Exigences de qualité et
évaluation des systèmes et du logiciel (SQuaRE) — Format industriel
commun (CIF) pour l'utilisabilité: Cadre général pour les informations
relatives à l'utilisabilité




Reference number
ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2010

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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction.v
1 Scope.1
2 Terms and definitions .1
3 A general framework for usability-related information .5
3.1 Intended users and uses of usability-related information items.5
3.2 Situations in which the information items apply .6
3.3 Process independence .7
3.4 Relationship to human-centred design (HCD) as described in ISO 9241-210.7
3.5 Iteration and support for exploration .8
4 Usability-related information items .8
4.1 General .8
4.2 Context of use description .8
4.3 User needs report.9
4.4 User requirements specification.9
4.5 User interaction specification .10
4.6 User interface specification .11
4.7 Evaluation report .11
4.8 Field data report .12
Annex A (informative) Intended users and uses of the usability-related information items .13
Bibliography.21

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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
In exceptional circumstances, the joint technical committee may propose the publication of a Technical Report
of one of the following types:
⎯ type 1, when the required support cannot be obtained for the publication of an International Standard,
despite repeated efforts;
⎯ type 2, when the subject is still under technical development or where for any other reason there is the
future but not immediate possibility of an agreement on an International Standard;
⎯ type 3, when the joint technical committee has collected data of a different kind from that which is
normally published as an International Standard (“state of the art”, for example).
Technical Reports of types 1 and 2 are subject to review within three years of publication, to decide whether
they can be transformed into International Standards. Technical Reports of type 3 do not necessarily have to
be reviewed until the data they provide are considered to be no longer valid or useful.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC TR 25060, which is a Technical Report of type 3, was prepared by Joint Technical Committee
ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology, Subcommittee SC 7, Software and systems engineering.
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
Introduction
The purpose of this Technical Report is to define a framework and consistent terminology for the specification
and evaluation of the usability of an interactive system. Specifying and evaluating usability will assist those
developing and acquiring interactive systems. It describes a framework that defines a set of information items
as part of a human-centred approach to the design of an interactive system. The framework is intended to
assist in documenting and communicating usability-related information through the system development
life cycle.
1)
The human-centred design approach of ISO 9241-210 is well established and focuses specifically on making
systems usable. Usability can be achieved by applying human-centred design and testing throughout the
life cycle. In order to enable a human-centred design approach to be adopted, it is important that all the
relevant usability information items are identified and documented. This identification and documentation
enables the usability of a system to be designed and tested.
This framework forms the basis for a family of International Standards that will provide a Common Industry
Format (CIF) for specific information items to be used as part of a human-centred approach to design of
interactive systems. ISO/IEC 25062, which standardizes the types of information that are documented when
providing a detailed report of the results of measuring effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction, is the first
specific International Standard in this family.
The CIF for usability family is part of the SQuaRE series of International Standards (ISO/IEC 25000 to
ISO/IEC 25099) on software product quality requirements and evaluation. The scope of the CIF family covers
systems rather than just software, so is broader than that of the current SQuaRE series. The CIF family of
International Standards uses definitions (reproduced in Clause 2) that are consistent with ISO 9241 , as this is
the terminology that is normally used for this subject matter. In some cases these definitions differ from those
in ISO/IEC 25000.
To ensure that these information items can be used within the broadest range of process models and can be
used in combination with other information items, the descriptions are given in the format defined in
ISO/IEC 15289 and ISO/IEC TR 15504-6.
The information items for documenting usability-related information can be integrated in any process models.
For the purpose of establishing process models, ISO/IEC TR 24774 and ISO/IEC 15504-2 specify the format
and conformance requirements for process models, respectively. In addition, ISO/IEC 15289 defines the types
and content of information items developed and used in process models for system and software life cycle
management. ISO/IEC 15504-5 and ISO/IEC TR 15504-6 define work products, including information items,
for the purpose of process capability assessment. Process models and associated information items for
human-centred design of interactive systems are contained in ISO 9241-210 and ISO/PAS 18152,
respectively.
While this Technical Report focuses on information items needed as the basis for design and development of
interactive systems, the data contained in the information items can support post-development activities such
as (product) conformity assessment as defined in ISO/IEC 17000:2004.


1) Previously ISO 13407.
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TECHNICAL REPORT ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)

Systems and software engineering — Systems and software
product Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) —
Common Industry Format (CIF) for usability: General framework
for usability-related information
1 Scope
This Technical Report describes a potential family of International Standards, named the Common Industry
Formats (CIF), that document the specification and evaluation of the usability of interactive systems. It
provides a general overview of the CIF framework and contents, definitions, and the relationship of the
framework elements. The intended users of the framework are identified, as well as the situations in which the
framework may be applied. The assumptions and constraints of the framework are also enumerated.
The framework content includes the following:
⎯ consistent terminology and classification of specification, evaluation and reporting;
⎯ a definition of the type and scope of formats and the high-level structure to be used for documenting
required information and the results of evaluation.
This Technical Report is applicable to software and hardware products used for predefined tasks. The
information items are intended to be used as part of system-level documentation resulting from development
processes such as those in ISO 9241-210, and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7 process standards.
This Technical Report focuses on documenting those elements needed for design and development of usable
systems, rather than prescribing a specific process. It is intended to be used in conjunction with existing
International Standards, including ISO 9241, ISO 20282, ISO/IEC 9126 and the SQuaRE series
(ISO/IEC 25000 to ISO/IEC 25099).
This Technical Report does not prescribe any kind of method, life cycle or process.
2 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
2.1
accessibility
〈interactive system〉 usability of a product, service, environment or facility by people with the widest range of
capabilities
[ISO 9241-171:2008]
2.2
action
user behaviour that a system accepts as a request for a particular operation
[ISO/IEC TR 11580:2007]
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
2.3
context of use
users, tasks, equipment (hardware, software and materials), and the physical and social environments in
which a product is used
[ISO 9241-11:1998]
2.4
dialogue
interaction between a user and an interactive system as a sequence of user actions (inputs) and system
responses (outputs) in order to achieve a goal
[ISO 9241-110:2006]
2.5
effectiveness
accuracy and completeness with which users achieve specified goals
[ISO 9241-11:1998]
2.6
efficiency
resources expended in relation to the accuracy and completeness with which users achieve goals
[ISO 9241-11:1998]
2.7
goal
intended outcome
[ISO 9241-11:1998]
2.8
information architecture
〈human-centred〉 structure of an information space and the semantics for accessing required task objects,
system objects and other information
NOTE The appropriate combination of organization, labelling, navigation schemes and retrieval mechanisms within
an information space will facilitate task completion and efficient access to content.
2.9
product
part of the equipment (hardware, software and materials) for which usability is to be specified or evaluated
[ISO 9241-11:1998]
2.10
satisfaction
freedom from discomfort, and positive attitudes towards the use of the product
[ISO 9241-11:1998]
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
2.11
stakeholder
individual or organization having a right, share, claim, or interest in a system or in its possession of
characteristics that meet their needs and expectations
[ISO/IEC 15288:2008]
2.12
system
combination of interacting elements organized to achieve one or more stated purposes
NOTE 1 A system may be considered as a product or as the services it provides.
NOTE 2 In practice, the interpretation of its meaning is frequently clarified by the use of an associative noun, e.g.
aircraft system. Alternatively, the word system may be substituted simply by a context-dependent synonym, e.g. aircraft,
though this may then obscure a system principles perspective.
[ISO/IEC 15288:2002, 4.17]
2.13
task
activities required to achieve a goal
[ISO 9241-11:1998]
NOTE The term “task” is used here, as in ISO 9241-11, in its widest sense, rather than in reference to the specifics of
use of the dialogue system.
2.14
usability
extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness,
efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use
[ISO 9241-11:1998]
NOTE The definition of usability in this Technical Report is similar to that used to define “quality in use” in
ISO/IEC 9126-1:2001.
2.15
usability objective
stated level of usability expressed in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of
use which can be verified
NOTE Usability objectives can be stated as user requirements, in which case the level to be achieved is a usability
requirement, or they can be stated as desired “target levels” depending on their use in design and evaluation.
2.16
usability inspection
evaluation based on the considered judgment of evaluators who examine the usability-related aspects of an
interface with respect to specified criteria
NOTE 1 The inspectors can include usability specialists, developers, end users or other types of professionals.
NOTE 2 The evaluative criteria can include good practice and/or documented principles, guidelines, requirements or
standards.
NOTE 3 The evaluation can be conducted with or without the help of referenced documents.
NOTE 4 Usability inspection is the generic term for several methods, including but not limited to heuristic evaluation,
cognitive walkthroughs, standards inspection, pluralistic walkthroughs, and consistency inspections.
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
2.17
usability testing
evaluation that involves representative users performing specific tasks with the system to enable the
measurement of efficiency, effectiveness, and/or user satisfaction
2.18
usability walkthrough
usability evaluation in which one or more evaluators step through a scenario playing the role of a user and
identifying usability problems associated with successful completion of the scenario
NOTE The evaluators can include usability specialists, developers, end users or other types of professionals.
2.19
user
person who interacts with the interactive system
[ISO 9241-110:2006]
2.20
user experience
person's perceptions and responses that result from the use and/or anticipated use of a product, system or
service
NOTE 1 User experience includes all the users' emotions, beliefs, preferences, perceptions, physical and psychological
responses, behaviours and accomplishments that occur before, during and after use.
NOTE 2 User experience is a consequence of: brand image, presentation, functionality, system performance,
interactive behaviour, and assistive capabilities of the interactive system; the user's internal and physical state resulting
from prior experiences, attitudes, skills and personality; and the context of use.
NOTE 3 Usability, when interpreted from the perspective of the users' personal goals, can include the kind of
perceptual and emotional aspects typically associated with user experience. Usability criteria can be used to assess
aspects of user experience.
[ISO 9241-210]
2.21
user requirements
usage requirements
requirements for use that provide the basis for design and evaluation of interactive systems to meet identified
user needs
NOTE 1 User requirements are derived from user needs and capabilities in order to make use of the system in an
effective, efficient, safe and satisfying manner.
NOTE 2 User requirements specify the extent to which user needs and capabilities are to be met when using the
system. They are not requirements on the users.
NOTE 3 In software-engineering terms, user requirements comprise both “functional” and “non-functional”
requirements based on user needs and capabilities.
2.22
user interaction
exchange of information between a user and an interactive system via the user interface to complete the
intended task
NOTE 1 Adapted from ISO 11064-5:2008, 3.20.
NOTE 2 User interaction specifications focus on user interactions without considering implementation details.
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
2.23
user interface
all components of an interactive system (software or hardware) that provide information and controls for the
user to accomplish specific tasks with the interactive system
[ISO 9241-110:2006]
2.24
user interface element
entity of the user interface that is presented to the user by the software
NOTE 1 User interface elements can be interactive or not.
NOTE 2 Both entities relevant to the task and entities of the user interface are regarded as user interface elements.
Different user interface element types are text, graphics and controls. A user interface element may be a visual
representation or an interaction mechanism for a task object (such as a letter, a sales order, electronic parts, or a wiring
diagram) or a system object (such as a printer, hard disk, or network connection). It may be possible for the user to directly
manipulate some of these user interface elements.
NOTE 3 User interface elements in a graphical user interface include such things as basic objects (such as window title
bars, menu items, push buttons, image maps, and editable text fields) or containers (such as windows, grouping boxes,
menu bars, menus, groups of mutually exclusive option buttons, and compound images that are made up of several
smaller images). User interface elements in an audio user interface include such things as menus, menu items, messages,
and action prompts.
NOTE 4 User interface elements are also referred to as “user interface objects”.
[ISO 9241-171:2008]
2.25
user need
factor or condition necessary for a user to achieve desired results within a specified context of use
NOTE 1 Factors and conditions include the presence of a specific quality, quantity, information, process or service as
well as particular social, organizational and physical environments.
NOTE 2 User needs often represent gaps (or discrepancies) between what should be and what is.
3 A general framework for usability-related information
An effective human-centred design approach relies on explicit human factors data. This Technical Report
defines the information items that are necessary for the specification, development and evaluation of the
usability of interactive systems.
3.1 Intended users and uses of usability-related information items
The set of information items supports effective communication among the target users of the framework to
obtain a common understanding of the usability of the product.
Usability-related information items are primarily intended for use by the following types of users (in
alphabetical order):
⎯ Business Analysts;
⎯ Corporate purchasers (Procurers);
⎯ Developers (any individuals designing and developing user interface and technical system);
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
⎯ Managers (in terms of sponsors and project managers);
⎯ Product managers;
⎯ Requirements Developers;
⎯ Suppliers;
⎯ Usability and Accessibility Specialists.
Usability-related information items can also be of use for the following types of users (in alphabetical order):
⎯ Editors of magazines;
⎯ Marketing Specialists;
⎯ Quality Managers;
⎯ Retail Shop Owners;
⎯ Union Representatives and staff councils.
3.2 Situations in which the information items apply
Use of the framework to communicate usability information assists the intended users in accomplishing their
tasks in various situations described below.
Acquisition situation:
⎯ Issuing a specification as part of a purchasing project;
⎯ Comparison across products;
⎯ Responding to a tender;
⎯ Creating a proposal in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP);
⎯ Evaluating a proposal in response to a RFP;
⎯ Competitive comparison across versions of one product;
⎯ Conformance testing and certification of a product.
Development Situation:
Development situations vary according to the given situation, e.g. design from scratch, redesign, complexity,
time constraints. Irrespective of the life cycle methodology, the following processes will occur:
⎯ Analysis;
⎯ Design;
⎯ Implementation;
⎯ Testing.
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
Maintenance Situation:
⎯ Monitoring usability aspects throughout the life cycle of a product;
⎯ Re-validation of a product;
⎯ Identifying the suitability of a product in relation to other products;
⎯ Evaluating the usability of a combination of different products;
⎯ Evaluating the usability of a product in various physical and organizational contexts.
Contractual Situations after contracting:
⎯ Solving product-related problems after purchase.
3.3 Process independence
No formal process for processing the information items is given. Although the framework is not intended to
prescribe an ordering of the information items, they are presented hierarchically from the general to the
specific. For example the high-level user requirements are generally identified early in the process and as the
process continues the user requirements become more specific. Usability related information items are not
static thus the framework supports iteration as a principle of human-centred design.
3.4 Relationship to human-centred design (HCD) as described in ISO 9241-210
The goal of the human-centred design approach is to ensure that the development, acquisition and operation
of an interactive system take account of the needs of the user as well as the needs of the developer and
owner. A human-centred design approach takes account of the user’s interaction with the components of the
system and with other stakeholders. Human-centred design processes allow developers and owners to
analyse how the system will behave when it is in operation and to measure its usability. Human-centred
design processes take account of context of use, i.e. the complete environment in which the interactive
system will be used. Human-centred design processes address the total system within which software and
hardware are components.
ISO 9241-210 (previously ISO 13407) describes four linked human-centred design activities that take place
during the design of any interactive system:
a) Understand and specify the context of use
The characteristics of the users, tasks and the organizational technical and physical environment define the
context in which the system is used. It is useful to gather and analyse information on the current context in
order to understand and then specify the context that will apply in the future system.
b) Specify the user requirements
User requirements are statements that provide the basis for design and evaluation of interactive systems to
meet the user needs. The user needs are used as the basis for creating an explicit statement of user
requirements in relation to the intended context of use and the business objectives of the system. The user
requirements can include requirements for organizational changes, revised work styles and opportunities to
combine products and services. If the proposed interactive system will impact organizational practice the
development process will involve organizational stakeholders in the design process with the aim of optimizing
both the organizational and technical systems.
c) Produce design solutions to meet these requirements
Potential design solutions are produced by drawing on the description of the context of use, derived user
requirements, the results of any baseline evaluations, the established state of the art in the application domain,
and the experience and knowledge of the participants. These design solutions can lead to identifying further
user requirements. The process involves designing the user experience, user tasks, interaction design and
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ISO/IEC TR 25060:2010(E)
interface design; making the design solutions more concrete (using scenarios, simulations, prototypes, mock-
ups etc); altering the design solutions based on user-centred evaluation and feedback; and communicating
the design to those responsible for implementation.
d) Evaluate
User-centred evaluation includes assessing the usability, accessibility and user experience of the system,
product or service. Evaluation starts at the earliest stages of the project, continues throughout development,
and is used to provide feedback on actual use.
User-centred evaluation can be used:
⎯ to provide feedback on strengths and weaknesses of the design solution from the users perspective (in
order to improve the design);
⎯ to assess whether user and organizational objectives have been achieved which can include assessing
conformity to international, national, local, corporate or statutory standards.
Two widely used user-centred evaluation methods are expert evaluation using a checklist of usability and
accessibility guidelines or requirements, and user testing with actual users. Real life use of a product, system
or service is complex and even though standards can provide much useful guidance, user testing is an
essential element of human-centred design.
3.5 Iteration and support for exploration
Iteration is a principle of human-centred design that helps to eliminate the uncertainty of data given at a
specific point
...