Usability Defect Logs

These are intended for use in collaborative usability inspections to record usability defects. They are designed for rapid manual recording of defects. Pre-defined categories make it easier to capture basic information with a few tick marks or circles. They do take some getting used to, but once they become familiar, session scribes find they can work much more quickly and accurately.

• Software Usability Defects Log. The baseline defect recording form for software in general. [More details...] [Get .PDF file.]
   
• Web Applications Usability Defect Log. For recording usability defects in Web sites and Web-deployed applications. [More details...] [Get .PDF file.]
   
• Embedded Applications Usability Defect Log. Designed for embedded software projects where the user interface design involves both software and hardware features.  [More details...] [Get .PDF file.]
   

User Role and Task Models.

These paper-based forms provide a consistent structure for organizing the defining contents of user roles and task cases (essential use cases). They are designed to be comprehensive and to serve as check lists, ensuring that modelers consider the full gamut of issues. On the other hand, they are intended neither for use with obediently obsessive compulsiveness nor as an excuse to generate paper. (Some methodologists, completely misunderstanding the role of such templates, have misrepresented this approach as favoring big and complicated use cases. Nothing could be further from the truth of essential modeling. We have always recommending using those parts of forms that are useful and informative and skipping whatever is not.)

• Structured Task Case Form (v. 7). Current version of a template for structured use cases as described in the much-read paper, Structure and Style in Use Cases for User Interface Design.  [More details...] [Get .PDF file.]
   
• Structured User Role Form (v. 6). Current version of a template for structured role models. [More details...] [Get .PDF file.]
   
• Web User Role Checklist. (v. 2). Web design projects often demand a particular slant. We have found Web designers more receptive to a checklist style form that emphasizes user role qualities specific to Web visitors. [More details...] [Get .PDF file.]