Standards

Software Ergonomics and Human-Computer Dialogues

By Daryle J. Gardner-Bonneau, Chair, U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 159

     The Software Ergonomics and Human-Computer Dialogues Working Group (ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG5) is one of the busiest working groups in the International Organization for Standardization's Technical Committee 159 - "Ergonomics." The group met in January in Austin, Texas, at AT&T Labs to work on a number of documents important to those who design software user interfaces. U.S. committee members attending the meeting were Aaron W. Bangor of AT&T Labs, James R. Williams of Synergetic Applications, and me (Bonneau and Associates). The meeting also included representatives from the UK, Canada, Germany, and Japan.

     Following relevant reports from other ISO and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) working groups germane to the work of SC4 WG5, the working group focused on three of its work items under development. One of these is ISO CD 9241-143, Form-based dialogues (ISO 9241 Part 16 under the old numbering system). A number of new technologies and dialogue design techniques for user interfaces have been developed since ISO 9241 Part 16 was originally published as an international standard. Much of this new material was incorporated at the meeting, and the document was restructured to some extent to accommodate this material and the update of the guidance overall. Document editor Jim Williams will prepare a new draft, which the working group agreed should proceed to balloting as a Draft International Standard (DIS) by April 30.

     The second major document discussed in Austin was ISO WD 9241-154 - Design guidance for interactive voice response (IVR) applications. This document is based on ANSI/HFES 200.4 and is being updated and expanded to include more guidance on speech-enabled IVR dialogues and relevant information on using natural-language dialogues in IVR applications. Following the work completed in Austin, the working group agreed that I, as document editor, should prepare the first committee draft (CD) by February 19 for balloting so that the comments can be reviewed at the working group's next meeting in Paris on June 16-18.

     Finally, time was devoted to the resolution of comments on ISO DIS 9241-129 - Individualization, which is furthest along in the ISO standardization process. Document editor James Carter (Canada) is to incorporate the changes made in Austin into a final draft that the working group agreed should be balloted as an FDIS (Final Draft International Standard). The group further agreed that the title will be changed to Guidance on Software Individualization to clarify that the content refers only to software.

     Those interested in participating in this working group, or in reviewing documents as a member of the U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 159/SC 4, should contact TAG Chair Jim Williams at ergojim@earthlink.net.

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