← VCE Software Development U3O2

How UX characteristics affect software design

Affordance, interoperability, security and usability. Designers review a solution against each one and balance trade-offs, such as stronger security making a system harder to use.

Part of: VCE Software Development - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 111, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 1 — Understanding Digital Problems — Module 57, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 2 — Data-Driven Problems and Solution Requirements — Module 82

Understanding How UX characteristics affect software design in VCE Software Development U3O2

What it does: Strict login steps improve security but reduce usability because users must do more work, which is the security versus usability trade-off. A design review looks at each UX characteristic separately, so a checklist lists all four to be assessed. Affordance means the design suggests how an object should be used. Interoperability is about working with other systems. Designers review a solution against affordance, interoperability, security and usability. Improving one can affect another, so all four are considered. Usability is how easily and efficiently users can complete tasks. Users who need help to finish a task point to a usability problem.

Common mistakes: Colour is a UI element, not a UX characteristic. The review list should hold UX characteristics such as affordance and security (as well as interoperability and usability). Security is about protecting data and access. Ease of use describes usability, so the line should be security ← protects data.

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Learning
Duo
A designer reviews a login screen. Which set of UX characteristics is the design checked against?
Alignment, balance, contrast and spaceAffordance, interoperability, security and usability
Matches
Design decision: remove all passwords because logging in is annoying, so usability is perfect
↓
Usability is improved by sacrificing security completely, ignoring the trade-off between the two characteristics
Applying
Meanings
Term
UX characteristics
Meaning
Affordance, interoperability, security and usability. Designers review a solution against each one and balance trade-offs, such as stronger security making a system harder to use.
Practice
SET affordance ← "Button looks clickable"
Testing
Gaps
Button looks clickable:
Check Answer
Spots
1ux ← [affordance, colour]
2FOR EACH item IN ux

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Quick Questions

1. A designer reviews a login screen. Which set of UX characteristics is the design checked against?
A. Alignment, balance, contrast and space
B. Affordance, interoperability, security and usability ✓
UX characteristics are affordance, interoperability, security and usability. Alignment, balance, contrast and space are UI design principles, which are a different idea.
2. A school app forces students to log in with a 20-character password and a code every time they open it. What trade-off is this?
A. Stronger security makes the app harder to use ✓
B. Better usability makes the app less interoperable
Extra security steps protect data but add effort for the user, so usability goes down. Designers have to balance the two.
3. A button has a raised 3D look and a shadow so users know it can be pressed. Which UX characteristic is being applied?
A. Interoperability
B. Affordance ✓
Affordance means the design suggests how an object should be used. Interoperability is about working with other systems.
4. A fitness app can export its data as a CSV file that opens in a spreadsheet. Which UX characteristic does this support?
A. Interoperability ✓
B. Affordance
Interoperability is the ability to exchange and use data with other systems or software. Exporting a standard CSV file is an example.
5. True or false: A design review only needs to check one UX characteristic, because the others will look after themselves.
A. False: the design is reviewed against all of them ✓
B. True: one characteristic is enough
Designers review a solution against affordance, interoperability, security and usability. Improving one can affect another, so all four are considered.

Match the Pairs

Affordance review: Does the button look clickable? → Checks that controls show users how they can be used, so a design is changed if a button looks like plain text
Interoperability review: Can it export to CSV? → Checks that the solution can exchange data with other software or systems, so an export option is added to the design
Trade-off: stronger security can make a system harder to use → Require a 16-character password plus a code at every login
Reviewing a design against UX characteristics means checking each one in turn → Checklist: affordance, interoperability, security, usability
Design decision: remove all passwords because logging in is annoying, so usability is perfect → Usability is improved by sacrificing security completely, ignoring the trade-off between the two characteristics
Review: the app is easy to use, so the UX review is finished → Only usability was checked, but affordance, interoperability and security must also be reviewed

Key Term

UX characteristics
Affordance, interoperability, security and usability. Designers review a solution against each one and balance trade-offs, such as stronger security making a system harder to use.

Fill in the Blanks

1. Button looks clickable: affordance
Hint: Type the UX characteristic where a design's look suggests how it should be used.
2. Works with other systems: interoperability
Hint: Type the UX characteristic about exchanging data and working with other software.
3. Easy one-tap login may weaken security
Hint: Type the UX characteristic that protects accounts and data from misuse.
4. Security vs usability is a trade-off
Hint: Type the term for giving up some of one quality to gain more of another.
5. IF loginSteps > 3 THEN review usability
Hint: Type the comparison operator meaning 'greater than'.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A ux ← [affordance, colour]
B FOR EACH item IN ux
C review(design, item)
D END FOR
Line A — Colour is a UI element, not a UX characteristic. The review list should hold UX characteristics such as affordance and security (as well as interoperability and usability).
Question 2
A BEGIN review
B security ← how easy to use
C usability ← easy to learn
D END review
Line B — Security is about protecting data and access. Ease of use describes usability, so the line should be security ← protects data.
Question 3
A affordance ← hides how to use
B button ← looks clickable
C DISPLAY button
Line A — Affordance means a design visibly suggests how it should be used. It should show how to use an element, not hide it.
Question 4
A SET app ← budget app
B IF app blocks all export THEN
C interoperable ← TRUE
D END IF
Line B — An app that blocks export cannot share data with other systems, so it is not interoperable. The condition should be that the app exports a standard file such as CSV.
Question 5
A IF login adds a 2nd step THEN
B security ← higher
C usability ← higher
D END IF
Line C — This is the security versus usability trade-off. An extra login step makes the system more secure but harder and slower to use, so usability goes lower.

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