exploring and integrating ux in open source software development

VICTORIA BONDARCHUK

EXPLORING AND INTEGRATING UX IN OSS DEVELOPMENT

1. What is Usability? Why?

2. OSS vs. USABILITY. Is there a CONFLICT?

3. The least YOU can you about usability

AGENDA

USABILITY

NN GROUP

- quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use

http://mprove.de/diplom/text/3.1.2_sketchpad.html

uxbooth.com

USABILITY IS NOT

• Experience Design • Minimalism/ Simplicity • Customer Opinion • Common Sense • Good Design • A Set of Rules

• Learnability • Efficiency • Memorability • Errors • Satisfaction

nngroup.com

USABILITY IS ABOUT

http://nngroup.com

• Makes users feel dumb • Damages OSS reputation

BAD USABILITY

• Usable by ordinary people • Consistent • Accessible

GOOD USABILITY

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Linux_3.0.0_boot.png/300px-Linux_3.0.0_boot.pnghttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Linux_3.0.0_boot.png




AGENDA

1999

The Cathedral and the BazaarEric Steven Raymond

Usability and open-source software development

David M. Nichols, Kirsten Thomson and Stuart A. Yeates

2001

Getting to know you: open source development meets usability

Frishberg, N., Dirks, A.M., Benson, C., Nickell, S. & Smith, S.

2002 2003

The Usability of Open Source SoftwareNichols, D.M. & Twidale, M.B.

Shall We Dance? Ten Lessons Learned from Netscape’s Flirtation with Open Source UI Development

Peter Trudelle

Cited by 3922

Cited by 42

Cited by 44

Cited by 16

Cited by 248

ACADEMIC PAPERS REVIEW: USABILITY & OPEN SOURCE

https://github.com/victoria-bondarchuk/List-of-Academic-Research-on-Usability-in-FOSS

Reitmayr, E., Balazs, B., Mühlig, J. Cited by 5

2006

Usability In Open Source Software Development: Opinions And Practice

Morten Sieker Andreasen, Henrik Villemann Nielsen, Simon Ormholt Schrøder, Jan Stage

Professional Usability in Open Source Projects: GNOME, OpenOffice.org, NetBeansBenson, Calum / Müller-Prove, Matthias / Mzourek, Jiri

Integrating Usability with Open Source Software Development: Case Studies from the Initiative OpenUsability

2004

Cited by 19 Cited by 44

Why Free Software has poor usability, and how to improve itMatthew Paul Thomas

2008

Cited by 7

Integrating HCI Specialists into Open Source Software Development ProjectsHenrik Hedberg and Netta Iivari

Cited by 14



Examining Usability Work and Culture in FOSSMikko Rajanen and Netta Iivary

Cited by 1

2012

Do open source software developers listen to their usersArif Raza and Luiz Fernando Capretz

20152010

Social Participation in Open Source: What it Means for Designers

Paula M. Bach, Michael Twidale

Non-response, Social Exclusion, and False Acceptance: Gatekeeping Tactics and Usability Work in Free-Libre Open Source Software DevelopmentMikko Rajanen, Netta Iivari and Arto Lanamäki

Cited by 8

Cited by 4Cited by 3

Open Source and Human Computer Interaction Philosophies in Open Source Projects: Incompatible or Co-Existent?

2013

Mikko Rajanen and Netta Iivary

Cited by 4



ACADEMIC STUDIES ON FOSS AND USABILITY

Usability is separate from the utility of software (whether it can perform some function) and from other characteristics such as reliability and cost.


IS USABILITY IMPORTANT?

Andreasen, M., Nielsen, H., Schrøder, S., Stage, J.: Usability in Open Source Software Development: Opinions and Practice (2006)

28%

36%

16%

13%7%

SLIGHT

MODERATE

HIGH

VERY HIGH

EXTREMELY HIGH

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

• CULTURE • IDEA OF A USER • APPROACH TO DEV PROCESS

USABILITY VS OPEN SOURCE

MERITOCRATIC

CULTURE

“TALK IS CHEAP, SHOW ME THE CODE”

Linus Torvalds

CORE TEAM

COMMITERS

ACTIVE DEVELOPERS

PERIPHERAL DEVELOPERS

ACTIVE USERS

PASSIVE USERS

CULTURE: OSS COMMUNITY STRUCTURE

“THEY JUST DON'T LIKE TO DO THE BORING STUFF FOR THE STUPID PEOPLE!"

Bruce SterlingBRUCE STERLING

IDEA OF A USER

“USER USES A SYSTEM OR SOFTWARE WITHOUT THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE REQUIRED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND IT.”

WIKIPEDIA

‣ MERITOCRATIC

APPROACH: BOTTOM-UP VS. TOP-DOWN

USER EXPERIENCE USER EXPERIENCE

TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY

FOUNDATION BAKED OSS

MOZILLA


SMALLER COMPANIES DRIVEN OSS

BUT HOW ABOUT ALL OTHER PROJECTS?

DesignContributions

TechnicalContributions

DesignContributions

TechnicalContributions

FINDINGCOMMON GROUND




AGENDA

• Become a user • Be part of the community • Earn the merit • ….

WHAT I LEARNED AS A DESIGNER

WHAT I LEARNED AS A DESIGNER

• Become a user • Be part of the community • Earn the merit • Start doing design

WHAT ENGINEERS CAN DO:

• User Interview • Usability Testing • Pair with a designer • Learn how to communicate

design

INTERVIEWING USERS

Author/Copyright holder: RezScore. Copyright terms and licence: Fair Use

http://go.databricks.com/2016-spark-survey

PREPARE

INTERVIEWING USERS

• Decide what you want to explore

• Find the right user

• Prepare scenarios

CONDACT REPORT

http://madlib.incubator.apache.org/community-artifacts/Apache-MADlib-user-survey-results-Oct-2016.pdf

PREPARE

INTERVIEWING USERS




CONDACT REPORT

• Explain what you are trying to achieve

• Reduce leading Questions

• Videotape or take notes

THE VALENTINA PROJECT

PREPARE

INTERVIEWING USERS




CONDACT REPORT

• Explain what you are trying to achieve

• Reduce leading Questions

• Videotape or take notes

• Present Qualitative and Quantitative Data

• Share with the Community

• Use when make decisions

APACHE MADLIB (INCUBATING) USER SURVEY RESULTS

http://madlib.incubator.apache.org/community-artifacts/Apache-MADlib-user-survey-results-Oct-2016.pdf

WHAT ANYONE CAN DO:


design

USER TESTING

An IBM usability lab in the late 1970s.

http://sharepointpromag.com/sharepoint/sharepoint-conference-2012-top-10-observations

USER TESTING

An IBM usability lab in the late 1970s.

=

http://www.psfk.com/2014/07/web-design-tool-booze-free-beer-goggles.html

NOW WHAT?

WHAT ANYONE CAN DO:


design

OutReachy

WHAT ENGINEERS CAN DO:


design

DESIGN IS SUBJECTIVE

EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION

COMMUNICATING DESIGN


http://www.psfk.com/2014/07/web-design-tool-booze-free-beer-goggles.html

• Focus on what works • Ask lots of questions • Don’t claim to be the user • Let designers explain their decisions • Empower designers to make decisions • Use helpful language • Give designers what they need to be

successful

COMMUNICATING DESIGN

BE A VOICE FOR YOUR USERS

Q&A@SEOUL_VICTORIA