Practice "Open Usability"
The idea of an "Open Usability" includes the process to make usability methods and results transparent, that means to make them available to the public. On this page, a selection of OpenUsability projects is presented whose progress can be followed on the linked blogs, web sites or reports. In the future, OpenUsability aims to provide a collaboration platform which serves as both, as work space and to present results derived from the projects.
GeexBox Student Project
GeexBox is media center based on a free embedded Linux distribution. In his Season of Usability project, Francesco de Rose identified target users, their characteristics and requirements, and prioritised usability issues in GeexBox. Based on this information, suggestions for a redesign of the graphical user interface of GeexBox were made. The project was mentored by Celeste Lyn Paul, a long-term member of OpenUsability, and Benjamin Zores (GeexBox development). Read the handout for more information.
Read the GeexBox handout (3MB, PDF)
GIMP Redesign
GIMP aims to become a high-end application to manipulate photos, create icons and original art from images. Peter Sikking, interaction architect and long-term member of OpenUsability, accompanies the GIMP on its way to the next major release. By combining conceptual work with the results from task analysis, he makes sure that the GIMP vision is kept in mind and implemented.
Follow the GIMP progress (ps's blog)
KDE Human Interface Guidelines
KDE is a free dektop environment for Linux. The goal of the project is to provide basic desktop functions and applications for daily needs as well as tools and documentation for developers to write stand-alone applications for the system. Part of this documentation are the KDE Human Interface Guidelines that help developers to write applications which use common user interface patterns and are consistent with each other. The Human Interface Guidelines are currently rewritten by Ellen Reitmayr and Celeste Lyn Paul, both long-term members of OpenUsability.
Browse the guidelines draft (wiki)
TV Browser
TV Browser is a digital programme guide for the German TV. Since 2005, Bjoern Balazs, a long-term member of OpenUsability, has been actively supporting TV browser. After a user survey in 2006, Bjoern and TV Browser's lead developer Bodo Tasche have started to redesign various parts of the application, such as a the format of programme details, favorite programmes and settings dialogs. Read the presentation (German) held at the Berlin event at the World Usability Day 2005 for more information.
Read the TV Browser presentation (German, 1,9 MB, PDF)
Want to add your OpenUsability project to this list? Contact contribute[@this sites url]