ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5 - Software ergonomics of human-computer interaction

This document describes principles for interaction between a user and a system that are formulated in general terms (i.e. independent of situations of use, application, environment or technology). This document provides a framework for applying those interaction principles and the general design recommendations for interactive systems. While this document is applicable to all types of interactive systems, it does not cover the specifics of every application domain (e.g. safety critical systems, collaborative work, artificial intelligence features). It is intended for the following audiences: — analysts of requirements (including market requirements, user requirements, and system requirements); — designers of user interface development tools and style guides to be used by user interface designers and developers; — designers of user interfaces who will apply the guidance during the design activities (either directly, based on training, or by using tools and style guides which incorporate the guidance); — developers who will apply the guidance during the development process; — evaluators who are responsible for ensuring that products meet the general design recommendations contained in this document; — buyers who will reference this document in contracts during product procurement. This document focuses on interaction principles related to the design of interactions between user and interactive system. ISO 9241-112 provides further guidance on the presentation of information. This document does not consider any other aspect of design such as marketing, aesthetics and corporate identity.

This document provides guidance for the auditory presentation of information controlled by software, irrespective of the device. It includes specific properties such as the syntactic or semantic aspects of information, e.g. coding techniques, and gives provisions for the organization of information taking account of human perception and memory capabilities. This document does not address the hardware issues of the transmission and the production of auditory information. NOTE 1 Volume is dependent on hardware and thus cannot always be absolutely controlled by software. Environmental conditions can also affect the ability for sounds to be perceived, which can be beyond the ability of the software to take into account. This document does not apply to auditory alarms, warnings or other safety-related uses of auditory information. NOTE 2 Safety-related uses of auditory presentation of information are covered in various domain specific standards, such as ISO 7731:2003 which deals with auditory danger signals for public and work areas, and IEC 60601-1-8:2006 which provides very specific requirements for auditory alarms for medical devices. While this document applies to the presentation of all non-safety-related information, it does not include application domain specific guidance (e.g., audio instructions for consumer products). This document can be utilized throughout the design process (e.g. as specification and guidance for designers during design or as a basis for heuristic evaluation). Its provisions for the presentation of information depend on the auditory design approach, the task, the user, the environment and the single or multiple technologies that can be used for presenting the information. Consequently, this document cannot be applied without knowledge of the context of use. It is not intended to be used as a prescriptive set of rules to be applied in its entirety but rather assumes that the designer has proper information available concerning task and user requirements and understands the use of available technology. This document does not address visual or tactile/haptic presentation of information or modality shifting for the presentation of auditory information in other modalities. NOTE 3 ISO 9241-112 provides high-level ergonomic guidance that applies to all modalities.

ISO 9241-143:2012 provides requirements and recommendations for the design and evaluation of forms, in which the user fills-in, selects entries for or modifies labelled fields on a "form" or dialogue box presented by the system. Often the system then creates or updates the data associated with the form. Form-based entries typically are in the form of typed input (abbreviations, or full names) or selections from available option lists. ISO 9241-143:2012 is applicable to forms regardless of the modality in which they are rendered (visual, spatial, vocal); much of its guidance is based on a model of visual and spatial relationship. In addition, it specifies the use of non-text methods for providing forms entries (e.g. list boxes) and pertains to dialogue boxes which utilize form techniques. Guidance is provided on the selection and design of those user-interface elements relevant to forms. While it covers lists used to enter forms data, menus which are similar to lists are outside its scope (see ISO 9241‑14). It is not applicable to the hardware aspects of forms. The requirements and recommendations in ISO 9241-143:2012 are applicable throughout the development process (for example, as guidance for designers during design, as a basis for heuristic evaluation, as guidance for usability testing) and in the procurement process.

ISO 9241-129:2010 provides ergonomics guidance on individualization within interactive systems, including recommendations on where individualization might be appropriate or inappropriate and how to apply individualization. It focuses on individualization of the software user interface to support the needs of users as individuals or as members of a defined group. It does not recommend specific implementations of individualization mechanisms. It provides guidance on how the various aspects of individualization are made usable and accessible, but does not specify which individualizations are to be included within a system. (Individualizations depend on the specific context of use for which an interactive system is to be designed and/or used, and need to be developed for that specific context of use.) ISO 9241-129:2010 is not intended to be used in isolation. It deals only with individualization within the context of designing a complete software system. It is intended to be used with ISO 9241-110 and any other parts in the ISO 9241 series applicable to the design of the intended system. Some of its guidance can also be applied to hardware user interfaces and user interfaces that combine software and hardware.

ISO 9241-100:2010 enables users of standards related to software ergonomics to identify ergonomics standards particularly relevant to software development, gain an overview on the content of software-ergonomics standards, understand the role of software-ergonomics standards in specifying user requirements as well as designing and evaluating user interfaces and understand the relationship between the various standards. The software-ergonomics standards are applicable to all those software components of an interactive system affecting usability, including application software (including web-based applications), operating systems, embedded software, software development tools and assistive technologies.

ISO 9241-171:2008 provides ergonomics guidance and specifications for the design of accessible software for use at work, in the home, in education and in public places. It covers issues associated with designing accessible software for people with the widest range of physical, sensory and cognitive abilities, including those who are temporarily disabled, and the elderly. It addresses software considerations for accessibility that complement general design for usability as addressed by ISO 9241-110, ISO 9241-11 to ISO 9241-17, ISO 14915 and ISO 13407. ISO 9241-171:2008 is applicable to the accessibility of interactive systems. It addresses a wide range of software (e.g. office, Web, learning support and library systems). It promotes the increased usability of systems for a wider range of users. While it does not cover the behaviour of, or requirements for, assistive technologies (including assistive software), it does address the use of assistive technologies as an integrated component of interactive systems. It is intended for use by those responsible for the specification, design, development, evaluation and procurement of software platforms and software applications.

ISO 9241-151:2008 provides guidance on the human-centred design of software Web user interfaces with the aim of increasing usability. Web user interfaces address either all Internet users or closed user groups such as the members of an organization, customers and/or suppliers of a company or other specific communities of users. The recommendations given in this part of ISO 9241:2008 focus on the following aspects of the design of Web user interfaces: high-level design decisions and design strategy; content design; navigation and search; content presentation. The user interfaces of different types of user agents such as Web browsers or additional tools such as Web authoring tools are not directly addressed in this part of ISO 9241:2008 (although some of its guidance could apply to these systems as well). Web user interfaces are presented on a personal computer system, mobile system or some other type of network‑connected device. While the recommendations given in this part of ISO 9241:2008 apply to a wide range of available front‑end technologies, the design of mobile Web interfaces or smart devices could require additional guidance not within its scope; neither does it provide detailed guidance on technical implementation nor on issues of aesthetic or artistic design.

ISO 9241-110:2006 sets forth ergonomic design principles formulated in general terms (i.e. presented without reference to situations of use, application, environment or technology) and provides a framework for applying those principles to the analysis, design and evaluation of interactive systems. While ISO 9241-110:2006 is applicable to all types of interactive systems, it does not cover the specifics of every context of use (e.g. safety critical systems, collaborative work). It is intended for the following types of users: designers of user interface development tools and style guides to be used by user interface designers; user interface designers, who will apply the guidance during the development process; developers, who will apply the guidance during design and implementation of system functionality; buyers, who will reference it during product procurement; evaluators, who are responsible for ensuring that products meet its recommendations. ISO 9241-110:2006 focuses on dialogue principles related to the ergonomic design of the dialogue between user and interactive system, and does not consider any other aspect of design such as marketing, aesthetics or corporate design. The list of recommendations for each of the dialogue principles is not exhaustive.

ISO/TS 16071:2002 provides guidance on the design of accessible (work, home, education) software. It covers issues associated with designing accessible software for people with the widest range of visual, hearing, motor and cognitive abilities, including those who are elderly and temporarily disabled. ISO/TS 16071:2002 addresses software considerations for accessibility that complement general design for usability covered by ISO 9241-10 to ISO 9241-17 and ISO 13407. ISO/TS 16071:2002 addresses the accessibility of interactive systems. It addresses a wide range of solutions, including office applications, web pages and multimedia. It does not provide recommendations for the design of hardware. ISO/TS 16071:2002 promotes increased usability of systems in combination with assistive technologies, when they are required. It does not cover the behaviour or requirements of assistive technologies themselves (including assistive software).

Gives ergonomic principles formulated in general terms; they are presented without reference to situations of use, application, environment or technology. These principles are intended to be used in specifications, design and evaluation of dialogues for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs).