Usability Management System (USEMATE): A web-based automated system for managing usability testing systematically

Abstract

Usability testing is necessary to be performed by software development companies to determine whether their products are usable or not. It is equally important for the end-user companies running usability studies as well. This paper presents the development of Usability Management System (USEMATE), an automated system as an alternative solution to assist usability tester or practitioner to run usability testing more efficiently and effectively. The main objective of USEMATE is to enhance the current systems which are paper-based, involving manual score calculation using excel and manual response time recording into a web-based management system. The tools used for the development include Apache Web Server, Adobe Photoshop CS2, Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 and a personal computer (PC). The modules and usability criteria included and the approach used in the development of this automated system were replicated from a case study on usability testing of a webpage conducted earlier. USEMATE is envisaged to be able to decrease the lengthy working hour and energy needed to manage the usability testing process from phase to phase.