Improving the Usability of Numerical Software through User-Centered Design
Cherri M. Pancake · 1996
The software interface C whether graphical, command-oriented, menu-driven, or in the form of subroutine calls C shapes the user's perception of what software can do. It also establishes upper bounds on software usability. Numerical software interfaces typically are based on the designer's understanding of how the software should be used. That is a poor foundation for usability, since the features that are "instinctively right " from the developer's perspective are often the very ones that technical programmers find most objectionable or most difficult to learn. This paper discusses how numerical software interfaces can be improved by involving users more actively in design, a process known as user-centered design (UCD). While UCD requires extra organization and effort, it results in much higher levels of usability and can actually reduce software costs. This is true not just for graphical user interfaces, but for all software interfaces. Examples show how UCD improved the usability of a subroutine library, a command language, and an invocation interface. Improving the Usability of Numerical Software through User-Centered Design A "build it and they will come " mentality has dominated the design of scientific software for some time. It is increasingly clear, however, that this attitude is responsible for the failure of many software systems. Software users are no longer willing to put up with products that are difficult to learn or use [7].