HFTC tested on behalf of eco, a registered association of German internet enterprises, the internet filter ICRAdeutschland concerning its functional capability using different operating systems and browsers.
Interactive Media - Human Factors Human Factors Test Center
Our Profile
Products in information technology should be adapted to the needs and abilities of their future users. Because successful marketing depends on user-friendly products, it is important to consider human factors in developing new products.
Even at the earliest stages of conception and design, user-centred design helps to create products that are user-friendly and marketable.
The Human Factors Test Center offers tests and consultancy for all phases of the development of information and communication technology services, systems, and devices.
The Test Center's staff members can draw on many years of experience in usability testing and user-friendly product design. Our main goal is to adapt technology to the needs of users, in order to guarantee that products are easy and satisfying to use. In addition we understand this goal without any restriction of the user group. Therefore the HFTC offers expertise, evaluation techniques and support to make your websites and applications accessible for all.
Services
Usability Tests
We evaluate products and prototypes by means of Usability tests with test subjects from the target user group. Those tests aim at revealing and assessing Usability deficits and acceptance problems. In addition, design recommendations are developed.
We tell you how to customize your products to the requirements of future users, even at early stages of the product development cycle.
Experts Evaluations
Our Usability experts evaluate your products and prototypes in terms of compliance with Usability criteria and ergonomic standards. Approaches are - among other things - cognitive walkthroughs or "heuristic evaluation". Experts evaluations offer possibilities to reveal deficits very fast and to promptly give system designers recommendations.
Accessibility Tests (Design for all)
Content accessibility is mandatory for most public authorities' Web sites. However, its advantageous for each company on the market to design its Web site accessible for the handicapped.
We offer to test your Web site in terms of Accessibility. We check your Website in terms of accordance with legal regulations and its suitability for the special needs of the handicapped and their special input and output devices.
Design Studies
We conduct studies leading to detailed recommendations on the design of products and services. We support you in the user-centered development of prototypes by a combination of laboratory tests and field trials. Recommendations for Websites can be delivered in html format and can be directly put into the code.
User Requirements Analysis
Based on empirical studies we reveal user requirements for new products and services already at an early phase in the development process. Issues of functional scope and usefulness for the target group are in the focus.
Market Research
We offer consultancy in terms of strategic decisions on future product lines. Among other things, online questionnaires are used in that connection.
References
Projects and Activities
The HFTC staff achieved the expert knowledge and competence on Usability and Human Factors needed to offer the provided services mainly through the projects listed below:
- Investigation of user needs concerning new services in an early stage of development (among other things evaluation of picture phone, video conferences, and voice input for mobile phones for Deutsche Telekom AG)
- User oriented development of prototypes using a mix of laboratory and field studies (e.g. development of a computer aided information based on profession profiles in cooperation with the German Federal Employment Agency)
- Basic research on ergonomic design of telecommunication services and peripheral devices (investigation on suitable use of colours on screen displays, comparison of various data input devices, investigation on the advantage of moving pictures for presentation)
- Evaluation of online services by means of expert rating (touristical information and reservation systems in BTX and WWW)
- Evaluation of an internet based platform for e-learning
- Usability test of a multiplayer gaming website
- Usability tests of mobile phone user interfaces and operating instructions (Siemens AG)
- Expert evaluation of an ISDN video conferencing system (Deutsche Telekom AG)
- Heuristic evaluation of a software for computer aided phone calls (T-Berkom)
- Evaluation of symbols for a call center software using the Multiple Index Approach (MIA) for the evaluation of pictograms (Siemens AG)
- Review of a groupware product concept catalogue concerning usability aspects (T-Berkom)
- Expert evaluation of CUPARLA, a document management system for municipal representatives
- User evaluation of various websites and relaunches of Stiftung Warentest
- Evaluation of peripheral devices (e.g. tele kiosk) and of various internet services and telecommunications services (e.g. SMS from coin telephones) for Deutsche Telekom AG
- Usability research and market analysis by means of a customer online inquiry for Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg
- Valuation of suitability and of market prospects of the i-mode service by means of focusing groups (France Telecom)
- Investigation of different picture qualities in digital versus traditional film shootings and their subjective rating by the viewers (ARRI Filmtechnik)
- Usability tests and field study of a virtual environment for communication purposes of distributed working teams within the scope of BMWA project KICK
- Analysis of requirements, usability evaluation and research of acceptance within BMWA project "Mobile Citizen Services" (MoBueD)
- Long term active collaboration in ETSI Technical Committee Human Factors
- Collaboration in EU project "Usability in ACTS (USINACTS)"
- Collaboration in the Permanent Steering Committee of "Human Factors in Telecommunications"
Some Project Examples
Heuristic evaluation of a software package to enable computer aided telephony for Deutsche Telekom AG. By means of Jacob Nielsen's usability heuristics, experts tested the software, using various typical scenarios. Thus, among other things, recommendations for the design of a graphical user interface for the use of the main phoning functions and for the answering machine could be made as well as recommendations for voice aided handling.
Usability tests of various mobile phones and instruction manuals for Siemens AG. Among other things, several functions and the instruction manual of the mobile phone S35i were tested by means of a user exploration (12 subjects) and an expert evaluation. This led to recommendations regarding the user interface as well as user instructions for switching on or off, for changing the PIN and for the use of the WWW by means of a WAP browser.
The internet presence of Stiftung Warentest placed in summer 2001 and a newly established category of medical themes were evaluated by means of user tests.
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