Achieving Usability Through Software Architecture

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1. agency use only (Leave Blank)		2. report date March 2001		3. report type and dates covered Final
4. title and subtitle Achieving Usability Through Software Architecture				5. funding numbers F19628-00-C-0003
6. author(s) Len Bass, Bonnie E. John, Jessie Kates
7. performing organization name(s) and address(es) Software Engineering Institute Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213				8. performing organization report number CMU/SEI-2001-TR-005
9. sponsoring/monitoring agency name(s) and address(es) HQ ESC/XPK 5 Eglin Street Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2116				10. sponsoring/monitoring agency report number ESC-TR-2001-005
11. supplementary notes
12a distribution/availability statement Unclassified/Unlimited, DTIC, NTIS				12b distribution code
13. abstract (maximum 200 words) In this paper, we present an approach to improving the usability of software systems by means of software architectural decisions. We identify specific connections between aspects of usability, such as the ability to "undo," and software architecture. We also formulate each aspect of usability as a scenario with a characteristic stimulus and response. For every scenario, we provide an architecture pattern that implements its aspect of usability. We then organize the usability scenarios by category. One category presents the benefits of these aspects of usability to users or their organizations. A second category presents the architecture mechanisms that directly relate to the aspects of usability. Finally, we present a matrix that correlates these two categories with the general scenarios that apply to them.
14. subject terms software architecture, software systems, usability, general scenarios, usability evaluators, architecture patterns, architecture mechanisms, architecture design					15. number of pages 103
16. price code
17. security classification of report Unclassified	18. security classification of this page Unclassified		19. security classification of abstract Unclassified			20. limitation of abstract UL
NSN 7540-01-280-5500			Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39-18 298-102

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