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Frequently Asked Questions about User Validation:
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How can one get hold of copies of ISO standards ?(a1)
Where can I find information about ISO standards related to usability ? (a2)
Is there a relation between the user interface design principles and ISO 9000 ? (a3)
Is there a relation between measures / methods and ISO standards ? (a4)
How can one get hold of copies of ISO standards ?
The International Standards Organisation web site in Geneva provides information about ISO standards. Every European country has its national bureau of standards which supplies copies. Addresses for these can be found through the ISO site. However, the standards go through a complex and lengthy series of stages before they achieve publication status. Often, the various committee drafts and proposals are very useful. The committees involved in drafting the standards are usually very open to input and constructive criticism, so it makes sense to identify your country's representative on the committee in whose standard you are interested, and to make contact with them.
Where can I find information about ISO standards related to usability ?
The most prominent standard for the ergonomy and usability of information technology products is ISO 9241 Ergonomic requirements for office work with display terminals. The System Concepts web site provides some information about this standard and ISO 13407 (Human centered design process for interactive systems).
Is there a relation between the user interface design principles and ISO 9000 ? ?
ISO 9000 is used to improve the quality of the development process. The aim is to establish a development process in which products are always produced with the same, required quality (This does not per se means high quality. The objective could be to produce products with medium quality and at low price.)
User interface design guidelines are used to improve the quality of the product, namely the quality of the user interface.
Is there a relation between measures / methods and ISO standards ?
Relations can be found between some ISO standards and checklists. For example, ISO 9241 standard describes requirements for user interface design which can be used for user interface design early in the development process. Checklists such as ISO 9241 Evaluator, ISOmetrics, Ergonomieprüfer and others have been developed with the aim to measure if the minimum requirements laid down in standards are fulfilled. These checklists can be applied as soon as user interface designs, prototypes, systems components or the complete system have been completed in order to test conformance with the standards.