The ABCD of usability testing

We introduce a methodology for tracking and auditing feedback, errors and suggestions for software packages. This short paper describes how we innovate on the evaluation mechanism, introducing an (Antecedent, Barrier, Consequence and Development) ABCD form, embedded within an eParticipation platform to enable end users to easily report on any usability issues. This methodology will be utilised to improve the STEP cloud eParticipation platform (part of the current STEP Horizon2020 project http://step4youth.eu. The platform is currently being piloted in real life contexts, with the participation of public authorities that are integrating the eParticipation platform into their regular decision-making practices. The project is involving young people, through engagement and motivation strategies and giving them a voice in Environmental decision making at the local level. The pilot evaluation aims to demonstrate how open engagement needs to be embedded within public sector processes and the usability methodology reported here will help to identify the key barriers for wide scale deployment of the platform

The Values of Tangible User Interfaces: How to discover, assess and evaluate them?

Since the introduction of Tangible User Interfaces, in the beginning of the 90s, a generation grew up interacting with computers. At the same time the context of computing changed dramatically: from a device used almost exclusively by specialists, it evolved to a general device that plays a dominant role in our societies. But where does this leave TUI? In many respects, the idea of tangibility plays a marginal role in Human Computer Interaction. It makes sense to re-evaluate the intrinsic values of TUI design. This paper proposes to research the appropriate metrics to do so