Related characteristics
understandability
learnability
operability
explicitness
customisability
attractivity
clarity
helpfulness
user-friendliness
Helpfulness
Description
Attributes of software that bear on the availability of instructions for the user on how to interact with it.
Indicators
1. ratio of expounding text
The ratio of the amount of expounding text (including error messages) available in the software product to the total amount of text which can be presented on screen.
Source: QUINT
Scale: ratio
Validity: *
Protocol:
1. Determine the total amount of text to be displayed on screen in number of words;
2. Determine the total amount of expounding text (explanatory, help messages, error messages, etc.) in number of words;
3. Calculate the ratio of expounding text.
2. normalised ratio of expounding text
The ratio of the amount of expounding text (including error messages) available in the software product to the size of the software product.
Source: QUINT
Scale: ratio
Validity: *
Protocol:
1. Determine the size of the software product, for example, in Lines of Code (LOC);
2. Determine the total amount of expounding text in number of words;
3. Calculate the amount of expounding text per unit size.
Note: These measurement protocols only account for the amount of the expounding text, not for readability or understandability of it. Therefore, these indicators are only minimally valid. Instead of text, the above measurement protocols can also be used for icons, sounds, etc. When used for that purpose, agreements have to be made on how to measure and interpret these indicators.