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MicroUsability’s quality assurance approach actively looks into the process of enforcing quality controls that are used in project execution and delivery. Our goal is to see progressive improvements in 3 broad areas: project management (from pre-contract to close-out), project execution (processes, people, infrastucture and tools) and project deliverables (standards).
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ISO 13407: Human-centred design (HCD) processes for interactive systems |
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ISO 13407 is defined as the planning and management of a design process to facilitate the goal of making computer systems usable. Simply put, it establishes how user research should be involved in designing products. Its objectives range from enhancing effectiveness and productivity, improving human working conditions, to counteracting the possible adverse effects of use on human health, safety and performance.
The 4 principles required for HCD:
- Active involvement of users and a clear understanding of user and task requirements
- Appropriate allocation of function between users and technology
- Iteration of design solutions
- Multi-disciplinary design.
It specifies the following activities:
- Planning of the human-centred design process
- Specification of the user and organisational requirements
- Understanding and specification of the context of use
- Production of design solutions
- Evaluation of designs against requirements.
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ISO 9241: Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals |
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The main standard for design of the user interface and interaction is ISO 9241. Parts 12-17 provide detailed guidance on the design of user interfaces. ISO 9241-11 explains how to identify the information that is necessary to take into account when specifying or evaluating usability in terms of measures of user performance and satisfaction. |
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Common Industry Format (CIF) developed by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) |
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The ANSI/INCITS-354 Common Industry Format (CIF) for Usability Test Reports is a standard method for reporting usability test findings. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the CIF December 12, 2001 as the standard for reporting usability test results. The purpose of the CIF is to encourage incorporation of usability as an element in decision making for software procurement.
The format is primarily for reporting results of formal usability tests in which quantitative measurements were collected and is particularly appropriate for summative testing. The ANSI/INCITS-354 standard revolves the test metrics around the 3 core components of usability:
Effectiveness: a measure of user productivity, how well a user can perform his job accurately and completely.
Efficiency: a measure of how quickly a user can perform work, the resources expended to accomplish the task.
Satisfaction: The degree to which users like the product – a subjective response in terms of ease of use, frustration, and usefulness.
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MicroUsability’s project management approach is aimed at consistently delivering high-quality user centric solutions on time and on budget. During the course of every project, a dedicated Accounts Manager is assigned to ensure continuous dialogue, identify issues early, before they become problems and to make sure that pre-defined business objectives are delivered on time and within budget. Notable aspects include:
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Project management throughout the entire project lifecycle |
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To ensure that the project begins and ends successfully, we cover all stages of the project lifecycle, from pre-contract, project initiation, planning, execution and close-out.
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Single point of contact |
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Throughout the entire project lifecycle, there will be a single contact point, whose primary focus is to ensure that all milestones are met.
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Effective and strategic communication |
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Stakeholders are kept informed by via meetings, email correspondence and/or teleconferences at strategic points throughout the project.
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Project control processes |
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Weekly status reporting, issue management, approval procedures and proactive change control is in effect throughout the entire project phases.
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Quality is directly related to having a diversification of team members in terms of academic qualifications in their respective areas of specialisation and localised experience thorughout the Asian region.
Since 100% of our project are in Asia, we continously strive to recruit specialists (in human factors, cognitive ergonomics, information science, cultural anthropology and human & computer interaction) who have considerable experience conducting human factors research, evaluation and design in the Asia Pacific region.
Each Asian country, from China, Singapore, Malaysia to Thailand, have their own cultural nuances. This ultimately affects how projects are executed and delivered. Through our on-going work with organizations across many sectors in Asia, we are continouously enhancing and building on our localised knowledge of the countries in the region.
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