> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Craig Errey > Sent: Monday, 20 March 2006 7:32 PM > To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org > Subject: RE: [WSG] Certified Usable > > Firstly, to everyone that's taken the time to add a comment > to the thread - thank you - it seems we've created a bit of a stir. > > Regarding what we're defining as usable, it is entirely task > driven. It is strictly not designed for simple sites or > marketing sites, but can be used for them. Rather it is > geared at complex transaction sites and rich applications > like internet banking, online travel booking, ERP and CRM > systems. In these sites, success rates and time taken (the > two primary measures) are easily measured. >
Hi Craig, Thanks for replying to this post. By saying PTG can "certify" the usability of websites you are claiming that your team can pinpoint the moment at which the majority of tasks on a specific website can be completed in a reasonable timeframe by a set number of users. So we are dealing with three factors here: 1. Success Rate 2. Time taken 3. Number of Users There are numbers behind each of these three factors. I would like to know who has made the decision on what these numbers are? I presume when you and your team sit down and analyse the usability of a website, you have got a set formula, an expectation on what the success rate should be, what the duration of task completion should be and what percentage of users should fulfil tasks in the set time with the set success rate. Once all of these factors have been fulfilled, you certify the website as usable. Now what happens if the users have got different expectations to what your team thinks is right or wrong? What if your team decides a task should be completed in 5 minutes, yet a user is sick of it after 4 minutes and 30 seconds already? Maybe that user should trudge on for another 30 seconds until he/she completes the task successfully, seeing that there is an icon on the website certifying it as usable? The notion of "certifying usability" is something very dangerous, I believe. You give your customers the feeling that their website does not need further improvement. In particular government bodies have probably waited for the moment in which a company can certify that their websites are usable. Once they get your blessing they can lean back and don't have to worry about anything anymore. "PTG told us our website is usable, so there you go". If a user calls them and tells them he cannot find information on their website, they will just tell them: "Don't complain. This website is proven to be usable. You must be not normal." If you certify a website as usable, what this also means is that you would have to conduct regular audits to ensure the website still complies with all your set standards. I am sorry, but I don't agree with this whole idea. Usability as it is understood in Web Standards cannot be certified by anybody as it is a subjective judgement, based on prior experiences, expectations and emotions by the individual user. ****************************************************** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list & getting help ******************************************************
