Tutorial 22

Usability Evaluation with the Cognitive Walkthrough

John Rieman, MRC Applied Psychology Unit
Marita Franzke, University of Colorado
David Redmiles, University of California at Irvine

Monday, May 8

Objective

Participants will (1) learn why interface designers need to support "exploratory learning" (i.e., learning on the job without comprehensive training), (2) get an overview of the "information processing" approach to describing human cognition as it supports HCI activities, (3) learn how to perform a cognitive walkthrough to identify problems that may occur during exploratory learning, and (4) gain an understanding of where the cognitive walkthrough fits into the larger picture of software engineering and interface design.

Content

This tutorial provides participants with the theoretical background and practical skills needed to perform a cognitive walkthrough. The walkthrough is a method for identifying problems that may occur as new users of a system learn its interface and attempt to accomplish basic tasks. Cognitive walkthroughs can be used to evaluate a design description before the system is implemented and before empirical user testing is possible. The formal walkthrough is usually performed by a group of designers, but knowledge of the cognitive theory underlying the method is also useful for the individual designer considering alternative approaches to a design in progress.

Audience

This introductory-level tutorial is for practicing interface designers, especially those with limited background in cognitive psychology. HCI researchers whose backgrounds are mainly in computer science will also find the material valuable.

Presentation

Lecture, small group interaction

Instructors

John Rieman is a Research Fellow at the MRC Applied Psychology Unit in Cambridge, England. He is one of the original developers of the cognitive walkthrough and, with Clayton Lewis, is co-author of a textbook on HCI: Task-Centered User Interface Design. Marita Franzke has studied explatory learning of graphical user interfaces in her dissertation. She has used the walkthrough and related evaluation techniques in industry settings. David Redmiles is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of California at Irvine. His work focuses on HCI evaluation techniques.

Keith Instone / instone@acm.org / 95-01-05