Developing A Usability Capability Assessment Approach through Experiments in Industrial Settings

Usability capability assessments are carried out to analyse the capability of a development organisation in performing user-centred design (UCD). We carried out four experimental usability capability assessments to learn how to perform assessments effectively in industrial settings. Our starting point was traditional software process assessment based on ISO 15504 (’SPICE’). The recent ISO/TR 18529 was used as the process reference model of UCD. Our experiments showed that the focus of ISO 15504 process assessments — management of activities — did not exactly meet the needs of assessments in our context. These experiences led us to a modified assessment approach where the focus is in performance of UCD. Its main characteristics are: 1. a refined UCD process model; 2. a three-dimensional capability scale; and 3. implementation of an assessment as a workshop rather than a series of interviews.