the cognitive walkthrough

FUNDP
I NSTITUT D ’I NFORMATIQUE
C RITICAL S TUDY O F A N U SABILITY
INSPECTION METHOD :
THE COGNITIVE WALKTHROUGH
Christophe Grosjean
Samuel Marin
Thesis submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of
Master in Computer Science
Rue Grandgagnage, 21
•
B – 5000 Namur (Belgium)
1999-2000
Abstract
Finding out usability problems is always a key function in the design process of
software. There exists a lot of assessment methods who can permit to evaluate an
interface. Usability inspection-based methods are methods which can be performed
without user.
The object of our work is to present in details one of those usability methods : The
Cognitive Walkthrough (CW) method. The first main point we will give is a detailed
explanation about this method and a theoritical foundation of it. Then we will place
this method in the lifecycle of interfaces design process. Finally, we will specify a tool
whose goal will be to support the task of performing a CW.
Résumé
Prévenir les problèmes d’utilisabilité est toujours une fonction clé dans le processus de
conception de logiciels. Nombre de méthodes permettent d’évaluer une interface. Les
méthodes réalisant l’examen de l’utilisabilité d’une interface sont des méthodes qui
peuvent être accomplies sans la présence d’utilisateurs.
L’objet de notre travail est de présenter en détails une de ces méthodes : la Cognitive
Walkthrough. Le premier point que nous aborderons est une explication en
profondeur de cette méthode ainsi que sa justification théorique. Ensuite, nous la
replacerons dans le cycle de vie du processus de conception d’interfaces. Enfin, nous
spécifierons un outil logiciel permettant la réalisation de la Cognitive Walkthrough.
Before getting to the heart of our work, we’d like to
sincerely thank Gilbert Cockton for his cordial
welcome in the Informatic Centre of the University
of Sunderland (UK) . We thank him for his
supervision and his inexhaustible cheerfulness.
Then, we thank our thesis supersivor, Mr Bodart,
for his precious advices and his patience.
We thank our parents for their support and their
encouragements.
Thanks also to Alice, Christelle, Stephane, Karl,
Pat, Eric, Vivien and Marc-Matthieu from
Ottignies for the good atmosphere of work they
have brought during what could have been our
vacations.