Cost-Justifying Usability

Budgets are tightening and companies are under pressure to trim spending, so anyone pushing for usability work must show that it pays. Usability engineering still lacks universal acceptance, and it is not yet woven into the everyday practice of software engineering. Advocates therefore need stronger arguments than ever to secure the money required to bring these methods into an organization.

This volume tackles, in practical depth, a question that had rarely been addressed head-on: how usability specialists and the managers who oversee them can justify their proposals and projects in financial terms. It presents concrete methods for measuring costs and benefits so that a persuasive, workable business case can be made for investing in usability engineering.

The book is assembled from chapters contributed by seasoned, well-regarded usability practitioners. Together they offer a general framework for cost-justifying usability programs that can be adapted to nearly any setting. They also examine how the issues differ across three distinct kinds of organization: software vendors, international development groups, and contract development firms. Real-world examples of successful justification efforts are included.

Further chapters cover specialized topics: low-cost "discount" approaches to usability engineering, the factors that help usability take root within development teams, dedicated tools for building cost justifications, and where the field may be heading.

The material is aimed at human factors professionals, interface designers, software development managers, and instructors who teach these subjects.