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Highlight Topic:
Performance
Leading Article
- Leading Article: Human Performance at the Computer
- Introduction to the Highlight Topic "Human Performance at the Computer"
Introductory Articles
- Performance – Merely A Technical Problem?
- The Three Pillars of Human Performance at the Computer – Which One Fits Best?
- Have You Ever Heard of Performance-Oriented (UI) Design?
- What Matters Most?
Human Performance at the Computer
- Part 1: Introduction
- Part 2: Making Applications More Responsive
- Part 3: Perceived Performance
- Part 4: Towards Performance-Oriented UI Guidelines
- Addressing A "Design Issue:" Start-Up Time new
If All Else Fails...
- Waiting at the Computer: Busy Indicators and System Feedback – Part 1
- Waiting at the Computer: Busy Indicators and System Feedback – Part 2
- Waiting at the Computer: Busy Indicators and System Feedback – Part 3
References and More...
- Book Review: GUI Bloopers 2.0
- Links and References for Human Performance at the Computer
- Performance
Glossary
- Performance Analogies
Links & More
Leading Article: Human Performance
By Ulrich Kreichgauer, SAP AG, SAP User Experience – 11/13/2008
Discussions
about ways of increasing applications' usability – in
other words, efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction – soon
turn to the question of whether the performance of an application also has
a significant influence on usability. The next questions are then whether response
times correspond to user expectations, whether screens are maybe overcrowded
and thus too slow, and which is the best way to improve a user's efficiency.
Software developers and software architects like to get to grips with the technical performance of applications by counting the number of bytes or round-trips and using this data to make improvements. Much of this does lead to improved performance. However, it sometimes emerges that, despite better objective numbers, the users do not notice these improvements and sometimes even judge the changes negatively. The question is therefore more to do with subjective perceptions – how users perceive performance and how this can be improved.
In the literature and in the research, there are a number of clues that create a many-sided picture, ranging from the number of bits and bytes to a well thought-out information and interaction architecture. So that this knowledge can be put into practice, a wide range of specialists (developers, product managers, user interface designers, graphic designers, and many more) need to work together. Moreover, a software development process must be established that incorporates user requirements and describes the tasks specifically so that they can be mapped in applications with good perceived performance.
The user-centered design process, developed by SAP User Experience, lays the foundations for all of the levels described. The other articles in this highlight topic describe which further specific details must be taken into account when optimizing human performance at the computer. The articles are largely based on the findings of the internal SAP project "perceived performance," which I conducted with the employees on my team. The project focused on users' perception of system response times. One of the tasks of the team was to share its findings and experience – not just with SAP colleagues but also with the external UI design community. To make this knowledge available in one place, we are using the medium of the SAP Design Guild and have established the highlight topic. The article Introduction to the Highlight Topic "Human Performance at the Computer" introduces visitors to the subject and provides an overview of the highlight topic to help visitors find their way around.
Figure 1: The full circle of performance and usability
So we come full circle: Performance and usability belong together – one without the other makes no sense and, together, they create added value. End users, the people involved in the tasks, and companies all especially benefit from this added value. And SAP User Experience and its "perceived performance" project are playing a part.
