Understanding Usability Practices in Complex Domains

Although usability methods are widely used for evaluating conventional graphical user interfaces and websites, there is a growing concern that current approaches are inadequate for evaluating complex, domain-specific tools. The authors interviewed 21 experienced usability professionals, including in-house experts, external consultants, and managers working in a variety of complex domains, and uncovered the challenges commonly posed by domain complexity and how practitioners work around them. They found that despite the best efforts by usability professionals to get familiar with complex domains on their own, the lack of formal domain expertise can be a significant hurdle for carrying out effective usability evaluations.