Software quality of use: Evaluation by MUSiC

Abstract

Usability is becoming more and more a fundamental aspect of the software quality. This is due to the fact that computers are now used by people with a broad range of knowledge and experience and for a large variety of tasks. Furthermore, since nowadays technology has advanced to such an extent that every software industry is able to provide more sophisticated features, the quality of use becomes the real competitive factor that differentiate products in the software market. Considering that the concept of usability involves not only software, machines and documentation but, above all, people who interact with them, it remains a concept difficult to evaluate, to measure and to manage by the highly skilled technical people of the software industries. The MUSiC method provides the means to specify usability requirements and to measure how well those requirements are met. The MUSiC method can be applied at different stages of the software lifecycle, after a training course, without specific Human Factors or Human Computer Interaction experience and in a cost effective way.